The final furlough! 200 horses from the Queen’s Household Cavalry swap London stables for Leicestershire countryside with their ceremonial duties on hold during lockdown
- 235 cavalry black horses, 14 greys and four drum horses make up Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment
- The horses are usually based in Hyde Park and would normally be preparing for the Trooping of the Colour
- They have swapped the hustle and bustle of city life for a canter in the fields near Melton Mowbray
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Around 200 horses have swapped their London stables for the freedom of the Leicestershire countryside while ceremonial duties are no longer taking place.
The horses are usually based in Hyde Park in Knightsbridge and would normally be preparing for the Trooping of the Colour next month. Their other duties include the State Opening of Parliament, State Visits, such as when Donald Trump visited last year and Royal weddings, including Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and the Queen’s Birthday Parade.
They have been given their new summer home by Geoff Brooks and his son, Richard, who farm some 1,600 acres north of Melton Mowbray.
There are around 235 cavalry black horses, 14 greys and four drum horses which make up the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment and they are all Irish Draft Cross thoroughbred. Usually they carry at least 44 kilograms of kit and ceremonial uniform, as well as the soldier riding them.
‘We have been regularly taking some Army horses as guests from London in the winter,’ Geoff Brooks told Horse & Hound. ‘But this year, very soon after they had been returned to London, we received an urgent request to take them back for the summer as well. It is due to the cancellation of the horses’ ceremonial duties at the Trooping the Colour and other events, due to the virus.’
Around 200 horses have swapped their London stables for the freedom of the Leicestershire countryside
There are around 235 cavalry black horses, 14 greys and four drum horses which make up the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment (pictured in action)
The horses from the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment are enjoyed galloping around in the fields after being ‘furloughed’ due to the coronavirus epidemic
They are spending time in Leicestershire while their ceremonial duties are on hold
The horses are usually based in Hyde Park in Knightsbridge and would normally be preparing for the Trooping of the Colour next month
Their other duties include the State Opening of Parliament, State Visits, such as when Donald Trump visited last year
They are also used in Royal weddings, including Prince Harry and Meghan’s and the Queen’s Birthday Parade
They have been given their new home by Geoff Brooks and his son, Richard, who farm some 1,600 acres north of Melton Mowbray
There are around 235 cavalry black horses, 14 greys and four drum horses which make up the mounted regiment
They are all Irish Draft Cross thoroughbreds, the horses are spread across a number of fields in the countryside
The majority of the horses are black (pictured) there are around 235 cavalry black horses currently on the farm near Melton Mowbray
The horses are spending their summer in Leicestershire for a yet undetermined length of time
‘We have been regularly taking some Army horses as guests from London in the winter,’ said Geoff Brooks who owns the land where the horses are furloughed
Some of the horses performing their usual ceremonial duties in London, their usual home
Usually they carry at least 44 kilograms of kit and ceremonial uniform, as well as the soldier riding them