LONDON — A number of military horses, one of them apparently covered in blood, escaped their keepers and galloped through central London on Wednesday morning during rush hour.
The horses were from the Household Cavalry and threw their riders during a morning exercise. Several army regiments keep their horses in stables in central London.
“A number of military working horses became loose during routine exercise this morning. All of the horses have now been recovered and returned to camp,” a military spokeswoman told The Washington Post. “A number of personnel and horses have been injured and are receiving the appropriate medical attention.”
Pictures and footage of the horses were shared widely on social media. At least two horses were seen bolting through the streets and sidewalks. One smashed into a double-decker tourist bus.
The City of London police force, which covers the financial district, said it corralled two horses and was waiting for the British army to retrieve the animals.
“At around 8:40 a.m., we were called about horses that had become loose and were traveling through the City. Our officers have contained two horses on the Highway near Limehouse. We’re waiting for an Army horse box to collect the horses and transport them to veterinary care,” the statement said.
One of the horses appeared to have blood on its chest and legs.
“I saw a soldier falling down into the street after the horse ran into a car. One of my colleagues called the police,” Bashir Aden, 48, a construction worker, told the Telegraph newspaper. “The man hit the floor hard. He was screaming in pain. You could see blood all over the parked car.”
A tourism company said a horse ran into one of its double-decker buses, which was parked at the time. It said none of its employees were injured.