Loose military horses stampede through central London
Five military horses, including one that appeared to be covered in blood, stomped through central London Wednesday, where they ran into a double-decker bus, a taxi and other vehicles, according to the BBC.
The spooked animals reportedly got loose when building materials were dropped next to them during a rehearsal for The King’s Birthday Parade in June. Four soldiers from the Household Cavalry, which patrols the grounds outside Buckingham Palace, were thrown from their saddles.
The BBC said three military members and a civilian riding a bicycle were hospitalized as a result of the chaos. Officials said the troops’ injuries were deemed non-life-threatening.
“All of the horses have now been recovered and returned to camp,” an official told the BBC. “A number of personnel and horses have been injured and are receiving the appropriate medical attention.”
London Ambulance Service said paramedics treated human victims around 8:30 a.m. on Buckingham Palace Road, Belgrave Square, and the area between Chancery Lane and Fleet Street.
The horses were reportedly rounded up, including a pair that traveled more than 5 miles from where the incident began. They were treated by a veterinarian.
The unit involved in the incident was composed of seven horses and six soldiers, according to the BBC. They were slated to participate in a mandatory Thursday inspection in Hyde Park ahead of The King’s Birthday Parade. That annual event, also known as Trooping the Colour, involves 1,400 military members and 200 horses.
________
