The chief executive of a horse charity has insisted there is ‘nothing cruel’ about the way Household Cavalry horses are trained after several of the animals threw their riders and wreaked havoc across six miles of central London on Wednesday, 23 April.
Speaking to Good Morning Britain the following day, The Horse Trust boss Jeanette Allen said the incident was a ‘one-off.’ She added: ‘All the service horses that come here to retire come still really happy to work with really strong bonds with their riders.
‘99.9 per cent of the time no incidents like this ever happen.’
Allen’s comments come after a video emerged on social media showing a group of Household Cavalry horses galloping through the streets of London, with several of the riders having fallen off. The horses were eventually brought under control, but not before they had caused significant disruption to traffic and pedestrians.
The incident has raised concerns about the welfare of the horses and the training methods used by the Household Cavalry. However, Allen has defended the charity’s methods, saying that they are based on ‘positive reinforcement’ and that the horses are well-cared for.
‘The horses are very well trained and they are very happy in their work,’ she said. ‘They are not treated cruelly in any way.’
The Household Cavalry is a ceremonial regiment of the British Army that is responsible for providing mounted escorts for the Queen and other members of the royal family. The regiment’s horses are trained to a high standard and are used in a variety of public events throughout the year.
The incident on Wednesday is the first of its kind in recent years and it is likely to be investigated by the Ministry of Defence. However, Allen has said that she is confident that the investigation will find no wrongdoing on the part of the Household Cavalry.
