Why Did the Military Horses Bolt Through London

"How these horses are kept and trained is so different to what a horse needs from an ethological perspective, there is always going to be a risk of these unwanted consequences."

The Guardian newspaper asked me to share my thoughts on the two incidents involving the Household Cavalry horses bolting through London.

“London’s sights and sounds will be overwhelming for them and no amount of training can fully prepare them for every situation they may encounter,” Justine said, adding that bolting was an extreme fear response and that since horses were herd animals, should one become frightened and bolt, others may follow suit.

She said horses may be more reactive or fearful if they were in pain, exposed to aversive training techniques or not adequately prepared for what they would encounter. Inappropriate management, human error or having an inexperienced rider or handler could also lead to such behaviour, she said.

“Horses are all individuals and some may have a predisposition to be more reactive than others,” Harrison said. “However, I would imagine the Household Cavalry would have a screening programme to ensure they select horses with the most reliable and calm temperaments.”

She said that while she was confident the military horses were well looked after physically, she questioned whether their behavioural needs were being met, noting that they were stabled without daily turnout or any time to relax and graze in a natural environment.

“The ongoing stress of this confinement will undoubtedly affect the horses behaviour, and that in turn could lead to them being more reactive,” she said. “How these horses are kept and trained is so different to what a horse needs from an ethological perspective, there is always going to be a risk of these unwanted consequences.”

You can read the article in full HERE

Photo by No-longer-here via Pixabay