UK military horses injured after bolting across London in April ‘recovering with remarkable speed’

LONDON (AP) — The five military horses that bolted and injured themselves as they ran loose through central London in April are all expected to return to duty, the British Army said Tuesday, with three of them already back to work.

The horses were performing routine exercises near Buckingham Palace on April 24 when they became spooked by noise from a nearby building site and galloped loose through the capital’s streets, crashing into vehicles and causing chaos during the morning rush hour.

The two most severely injured horses, Vida and Quaker, are recovering well in the countryside after undergoing operations and are set to return to work soon, officials said.

The three other horses, named Trojan, Tennyson, and Vanquish, have returned to duty and will likely be able to take part in King Charles III’s birthday parade on June 15.

“All five of the horses injured during the incident on April 24 are recovering with remarkable speed,” Lt. Col. Mathew Woodward said.

The horses appeared “in good spirits,” the army added.

The soldiers who were injured after being tossed by the horses are also recovering and will likely return to military service, officials said.

The horses were part of the Household Cavalry, the ceremonial guard of the monarch and a feature of state functions in London. Video of the animals running wild and stunning commuters on their way to work were widely shared on social media.