After a remarkable year guarding the King, welcoming world leaders and taking centre stage at some of Britain’s greatest ceremonial occasions, the horses and soldiers of the Household Cavalry have swapped the streets of London for the Hampshire seaside.
It is not every day that one of Britain’s most famous cavalry regiments can be seen charging through the waves on the south coast.
But soldiers and horses from the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment have enjoyed a rather different kind of duty this week, leaving behind the traffic, crowds and ceremonial splendour of London for a day of training on Hayling Island Beach.
The Life Guards and Blues and Royals took their Military Working Horses to Hayling Island West Beach as part of the regiment’s annual Summer Camp, a three-week programme designed to develop both military and equine skills away from their familiar surroundings at Knightsbridge Barracks.
And judging by the scenes from Hampshire, horses and riders appeared to enjoy every minute of it.
There was, however, a serious purpose behind the magnificent sight of Household Cavalry horses splashing through the sea.
These are animals expected to remain calm and disciplined in some of the busiest, noisiest and most unpredictable environments imaginable.
The regiment’s horses regularly ride through central London, where they encounter buses, cars, sirens, crowds, tourists and all manner of sudden noises and movements.
On ceremonial occasions, they must remain composed while surrounded by thousands of spectators, marching bands, military formations and the pomp and pageantry of a major State event.
Horses are naturally alert to unfamiliar sights and sounds, so exposing them gradually to different environments is an important part of their training.
And a British beach provides plenty of new experiences.
For some of the regiment’s youngest horses, Hayling Island was their first encounter with the sea.
Instead of London’s tarmac beneath their hooves, there was shifting sand. Instead of traffic and sirens, there were breaking waves, seabirds and families enjoying the beach.
The horses were introduced to the water and taught to remain calm and confident in the unfamiliar surroundings, with some learning to swim.
It is all part of developing the trust between horse and rider which is essential when the regiment carries out its high-profile public duties.
The beach also gave The Life Guards an opportunity to practise some of the intricate mounted movements required during State Visits and other ceremonial occasions.
There was one small advantage to practising them in Hampshire, too, if something went wrong, the sand offered a rather softer landing than the streets of London.
Before long, horses and riders were heading together into the waves.
Beyond the practical training, the day provided an opportunity to strengthen the relationship between soldiers and their horses, build confidence and boost morale before another busy period of ceremonial duties.
And it comes after an exceptional year for one of the most recognisable regiments in the British Army.
The Household Cavalry has been at the heart of Britain’s great ceremonial traditions, welcoming the Presidents of France, the United States, Germany and Nigeria during visits to Windsor.
Its soldiers and horses have protected His Majesty The King during the State Opening of Parliament, taken part in the magnificent King’s Birthday Parade and continued the daily duty of providing The King’s Life Guard at Whitehall.
Those extraordinary occasions are watched around the world.
The immaculate uniforms, polished breastplates, disciplined horses and precision of the Household Cavalry form part of an unmistakably British spectacle, maintaining traditions which stretch back centuries.
But behind the pageantry lies serious training and a modern military role.
The Household Cavalry is a dual-role formation. While its mounted soldiers are famous throughout the world for their ceremonial duties, Household Cavalry personnel also serve as professional soldiers capable of deploying on military operations.
That modern role continues to evolve.
Soldiers are training with drones and the Army’s new Ajax family of tracked armoured vehicles, bringing advanced reconnaissance, surveillance and fighting capabilities to the battlefield.
It is a striking combination.
One day the Household Cavalry can be mounted on magnificent horses, escorting the Sovereign through the heart of London in traditions recognisable to generations of Britons.
Elsewhere, its soldiers are preparing with some of the newest technology available to the British Army for the challenges of modern warfare.
And this week, they were in the sea.
The images from Hayling Island capture something rather special about our Armed Forces, professionalism and preparation mixed with tradition, camaraderie and, occasionally, the opportunity to have some fun.
For the younger horses in particular, their first encounter with the waves represents another small but important step towards becoming the calm, dependable animals that millions of people will one day see carrying Household Cavalry soldiers through London.
Soon enough, it will be back to the capital, back to ceremonial duties and back to the crowds.
But for one glorious summer day on the Hampshire coast, Britain’s Household Cavalry swapped Whitehall for white horses of an altogether different kind, and made quite a splash while doing it.
Images: MOD Crown Copyright News / Editorial Licence.
