A military horse that bolted through central London after being startled by construction noise has officially retired to the countryside, closing a remarkable chapter in his service.
Quaker, a 15-year-old horse from the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, was one of five mounts spooked when rubble was dropped through a plastic tunnel during an exercise in Belgravia on April 24 of last year. The chaotic scene, captured by a BBC cameraman covering the Post Office Inquiry, was broadcast around the world.
During the incident, several service members were thrown from their saddles as the frightened horses charged through city streets, colliding with vehicles—including a double-decker bus—and leaving multiple injuries in their wake. Quaker sustained bleeding and a small bone fracture, while his rider suffered a broken back.
After emergency surgery and months of recovery, Quaker was moved to The Horse Trust sanctuary in Buckinghamshire, where he has now settled into retirement. His rider, following a year of rehabilitation, has returned to active duty.
Major Thomas Stewart, squadron leader of the Life Guards, confirmed that Quaker is the only one of the five horses unable to return to service. The others—Trojan, Tennyson, Vanquish, and Vida—have all resumed their ceremonial duties.
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“It was decided that for Quaker’s welfare, it was best he didn’t come back to us in London,” Maj. Stewart said. “It’s better for him to enjoy his well-earned rest here in the countryside.”
Jeanette Allen, CEO of The Horse Trust, described Quaker’s retirement as peaceful and carefree.
“His days now revolve around eating, sleeping, and running around when he feels like it,” she said. “Our charity was founded nearly 140 years ago by a woman inspired by Black Beauty to care for London’s cab horses. Over time, that mission expanded to include retiring military horses like Quaker.”
Lieutenant Colonel Matt Woodward, commanding officer of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, called the April incident “highly unusual.”
“The horses got lost,” he explained. “They took a wrong turn around Wilson Crescent—had they exited on the north side, they’d have gone straight back to Hyde Park and everything would have been fine. Instead, they went toward Victoria, and a couple even made it all the way to Limehouse—which is quite a distance.”
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The Horse Trust now provides a permanent home for 32 retired military horses, including 26 from the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment. In addition to retirement care, the organization also offers short-term respite breaks—“summer holidays,” as Allen calls them—for military and police horses to rest before returning to service.
The charity spends about £2.5 million annually on the care of its animals, relying primarily on public donations to continue its work.
