Chaos as military horses throw riders off before bolting through central London
1 July 2024, 11:07 | Updated: 1 July 2024, 13:55
The moment three runaway military horses bolted through central London after losing their riders has been caught on camera.
The incident is just months after shocking images emerged in April when a number of horses broke loose and ran through the UK capital.
Police and the military said they worked together to "swiftly and safely" recover the animals after they fled this morning.
But not before footage captured one horse crashing into a vehicle before running down the middle of a busy London road.
Just before, six horses from the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment had been conducting a routine exercise under the control of five soldiers.
The lead horse, which was being led and not ridden, was spooked by a bus and bolted, sending two riders falling to the ground. Those riders' horses then also fled.
The animals ran from Seville Street to South Eaton Place in Belgravia, where one horse was safely recovered and brought back under control.
Two others horses then continued on to Vauxhall Bridge via Belgrave Road before they were stopped as well.
The Ministry of Defence confirmed all horses were safely collected and returned to Hyde Park Barracks by 9.55am.
One of the horses suffered "minor injuries" and all of the soldiers escaped unscathed.
None of the three horses were involved in the previous bolting incident from 24 April, the ministry added.
An army spokesperson said: "We can confirm that whilst exercising this morning, three horses from the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment became loose from their riders.
"They were swiftly and safely recovered.
"One horse received minor injuries, but no further treatment is required and there were no injuries to the soldiers involved."
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said: "We're aware that a number of horses were loose in central London and worked with the army to locate them.
"We're pleased to confirm that all of the horses have been accounted for. We are continuing to liaise with the army."
In April, one of the horses that bolted was left covered in blood after hitting a taxi, while another animal smashed the windscreen of a parked tour bus.
They were said to have been spooked by builders dropping rubble.
Despite early concerns about their injuries, they recovered well and some even took part in this year's Trooping the Colour.
(c) Sky News 2024: Chaos as military horses throw riders off before bolting through central London
