To think using horses the way the royals do needs to be stopped.

[WildFlowerBees]

The way their horses are used in ceremonies really isn't good. I don't expect everyone to get it, lots of people who don't know about horses just see it and think oh look how lovely, lots of riders don't see the issue. I don't find it comfortable watching horses some just under their threshold and a few over it.

I've had horses for years mostly rescues, I don't subscribe to the BHS way of thinking so I'm already labelled as 'odd' I find this sort of treatment of animals sad.

Does it have to be top of the list to matter?

What nonsense. I bet many of the people complaining about the horses keep birds in cages,or rabbits and guinea pigs in hutches,or fish in little tanks...
The horses are very well looked after. They get excited or nervous as do their riders,but it certainly isnt cruel. Try telling Princess Anne that she's cruel to her horses. Good luck!

Thank you @anunlikelyseahorse Are grooms mostly men or are there female grooms working for the royal stables? I wonder what the working culture is like, what they get paid, opportunities for professional development etc.

I also hated how the greys pulling the coach had blue manes, it made them look stupid, like they were My Little Pony toys.
I didn't like this look either, it was unnecessary and looked out of place.

Beautiful, beautiful horses though.

This is an interesting thread. I don't know anything about horses but even to an ignoramus like me it was obvious that the drum horse stepping sideways was freaked out and a challenge to control, which at a minimum has implications for safety, I'd have thought.

I'm assuming you've all seen by now the footage of the horse that charged backwards into the barriers at the north end of Whitehall?

What happens to the horses that act up like that at a big event? Presumably their working life is over?

Yes some of the horses did appear stressed.

I thought that too and was fearful a human or horse would be injured.

I've never had horses, I know very little about them but I do feel very sad for all of them. They're stuck in stables, fields, horse boxes with in many cases minimum care and attention. The New Forest ponies, or the Exmoor ponies etc have a much freer life but sometimes don't have enough food, but at least they're free to roam around.

I hadn't seen that!
The thing is, when they go backwards, you have lost all contact, and the urging to go forwards was just not working. I hope no-one was hurt! And especially the horse - who was hopefully reassured and removed. Poor rider as well, must have been a worry and disappointment for them.
Was that a member of the public footage - as I am sure the TV wouldn't have been allowed to show it (certainly not BBC).

To me the horses looked fit and well, didn't see a lame one among them.
This has been an intensive period of work for the horses, but I bet you the papers/news will be awash with Horse Guards horses on holiday, being ridden on the beach, having fun in the field etc. over the summer.

I'd rather see fit and well horses doing a job of work, than fat and cresty very very over-weight native ponies chucked in very grassy field for the day, then brought in at night - to hobble in (laminitis, my friend has asked it's apparently 'arthritis' either way it's lamer than it was 6 months ago and still the vet's not been) to tuck into a big bowl of feed and a huge haynet of hay overnight. That's far more cruel IMO.

come on now - you ride a horse through a minor spook like that you don’t take it home! The rider very quickly had the horse back under control and nobody was hurt.

Humans as a species do seem to think it's our right to own animals and use them as we please. A bird in a gilded cage is still caged.
And yes, those horses wouldn't exist if they hadn't been bred by humans. I don't think this makes it right tbh
There are millions of pigs killed who were only brought into existence in order to be killed for meat. I can't really get my head around why this seems OK to people tbh 🤯

I have been handed the care of a Syrian hamster (incompetent neighbour bought her and didn't want the responsibility). And I am so stressed about her care!
Upgraded her house to the biggest you can get without going DIY with an Ikea cabinet). Have spent a small fortune on enrichment, natural toys, choicest food and am carefully handling and trying to "tame" her, for the sake of safety and possible vet visits. But at the end of the day, she is kept in abox, albeit large, and although she is let out every night to stretch her legs, and chew everything she can, I am aware that she would naturally run for about 6 miles a night - and I know she isn't getting that!
So it's the same with any animal that we keep in confinement. It messes with them physically and mentally; so we can only do the best and most natural that we can.
Everything about a horse is designed to be moving, from their respiratory system, to their digestive system and their bone structure. Let alone their minds.

I believe a police officer among others was hurt.

This is the other problem with using horses in this context. If things go wrong, as they did here, there is the potential for life changing injuries or even death. See also police horses.

I think we've seen this a few times in recent years where horses in these contexts spook or bolt.

I do think it's a bit different to show jumping/eventing etc, as these events happen so rarely, and something like the coronation is on a scale these horses won't have experienced before. At your average weekend competition, the atmosphere isn't the same, isn't as scary, and horses can build up to the really big events. I'm not sure how you build a cavalry horse up to this.

Also, I do think the lack of turnout for them is a welfare issue.

I don't think it's comparable to how animals hunt and kill other animals. We deliberately create animals solely so they can then be killed for meat. It's such an awful thing to do.

In the normal course of events, but when there is a risk to the public, I'm not so sure. I should have said "possibly" removed.

Eating them is probably the most natural thing we do, it's the basics of the food web

Yes, there's a reason why we use prison as a punishment for humans. Sounds like your hamster is lucky to live with you if she can't live in the wild, though (which I understand that she can't. I think the breeding of animals just so they can be kept in cages, should stop, though)

• I'm assuming you've all seen by now the footage of the horse that charged backwards into the barriers at the north end of Whitehall?

What happens to the horses that act up like that at a big event? Presumably their working life is over?*

Of course not! Don't be so silly! Like I said, horses aren't machines and these things happen.

Yes, but the way it is done now is not natural in any way. It's hardly hunter-gathering, is it.

If the monarchy was abolished today, Boris Johnson would be president tomorrow.

Better the devil you know...

Stop what though? Being ridden in a parade? Being used for work? Pulling loads? Then you'd have to stop local parades that use horses in them that are far less trained and desensitised. Also farmers who still use horses for work, pulling loads and at local shows.

Also the terms 'working horse' and 'working dogs' have always struck me as bizarre. Whose work are they doing?! Certainly not their own. Probably working dogs enjoy their work" a lot more than horses pulling carriages or whatever though

I ride my horse in parades every summer, through crowds and behind pipe bands / bag pipes in very similar ceremonial circumstances - it’s not for every horse but mine lives for it and she rises to the occasion every time. I know many similar horses.

Some of the horses there today won’t be loving it, some with be in their element. I think as long as their well trained and exposed, it’s fine. They’re very well looked after - only thing I’d change about the city based equines is their access to more turnout.

Non-horsey person here (*I think they're wonderful but never had the privilege) with a few questions:

• what is the point of shoeing? Is it always necessary? Under what circumstances do a horses hooves become overgrown and how does shoeing affect this?

• what are typical indicators of a horse's mood and comfort? Most of us are familiar with what they are for dogs and cats

• why are horses typically stabled? Why don't we have them live in (mini) herds?

• what are examples of good and bad horsemanship/ training? Ie - beyond the obvious of neglect and violence for bad examples

• can you horsey types share stories of your horses personalities and quirks?

• how is a pony different to a horse?

• those of you who rescue horses and ponies (and donkeys), can you tell me a little of the trauma they often carry and how this might manifest / how you help them overcome it?

Thank you 😊

I did say I don't know anything about horses. I don't think there's any need to be rude, is there?

It seemed to me that a horse that's reacted like that has demonstrated it doesn't have the right temperament for the work and can't be trusted in future, a bit like a dog that's bitten, except I'd have assumed it was retired rather than euthanised. Is that silly? Just seems like common sense to me.