AIBU Kings Guard horse bit tourist

No need at all to stop the Trooping The Colour, or any of the big ceremonial occasions.

David49

This is the organization that protects the Royal Family, nothing to do with the Army

Royalty Protection Group (S014)

SO14 Royalty Protection Group is a component of the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) Protection Command. SO14 is responsible for guarding the Royal Family and associated residences and consists of a number of sections, namely Personal and Close Protection, Residential Protection and the Special Escort Group.

Personal And Close Protection

Armed Personal Protection Officers (PPO) protect select members of the Royal Family, both at home and abroad. SO14 bodyguards operate in plainclothes and are routinely armed with 9mm Glock 17 pistols. They discretly carry their pistol, radio and a first aid kit on their person.

SO14 PPOs undergo an extensive training and selection course. They are trained in the use of firearms and unarmed combat, advanced driving and emergency first aid as well as close protection basics such as walking in formation, venue recce, arrivals and departures, event management etc.

But irrelevant.
Tradition is tradition and goes back hundreds of years not some Disney parade for tourists.
You clearly don't get this.
I'm out

Yes David I understand that but I still enjoy the pomp and ceremony. Her majesty trouping the colour on horseback, princess Ann steadying the lively horse she was riding
I know all expensive and slightly bonkers but our bonkers

This is the organization that protects the Royal Family, nothing to do with the Army

Royalty Protection Group (S014)

SO14 Royalty Protection Group is a component of the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) Protection Command. SO14 is responsible for guarding the Royal Family and associated residences and consists of a number of sections, namely Personal and Close Protection, Residential Protection and the Special Escort Group.

Personal And Close Protection

Armed Personal Protection Officers (PPO) protect select members of the Royal Family, both at home and abroad. SO14 bodyguards operate in plainclothes and are routinely armed with 9mm Glock 17 pistols. They discretly carry their pistol, radio and a first aid kit on their person.

SO14 PPOs undergo an extensive training and selection course. They are trained in the use of firearms and unarmed combat, advanced driving and emergency first aid as well as close protection basics such as walking in formation, venue recce, arrivals and departures, event management etc.

MissInterpreted

Oreo

Not many mounted hordes sweeping through Tokyo mind you or Mumbai.
City and town dwellers like myself know little about horses and probably think they’re really tame like a pet.
It wouldn’t hurt to consider keeping tourists well back from them.

I don't know much about crocodiles, but I wouldn't stand too close to one.

I wouldn’t stand too close or approach a horse either but it looks as if many tourists do this, sarcasm on this topic isn’t exactly helpful.

I’d be sorry to see traditions like all the kings horses and all the kings men disappear because people can’t/wont be responsible.

Horses getting spooked and galloping through the streets has now happened twice just in a month or so.

RosiesMaw2

As Eric Morecombe might have said “All the right words, but not necessarily in the right order. “
It wouldn’t hurt to consider keeping tourists well back from them
*it wouldn’t hurt tourists to consider keeping well back from them*

That’s all very well but people and especially children and teenagers don’t always show much sense, so surely traditions can give way a bit.It will only take one incident like the one that happened to Princess Anne for there to be a serious reaction and litigation.Why wait? Keep the public well back or don’t use horses in my view.I won’t lose any sleep over this btw.

Wheniwasyourage

Perhaps notices in more languages would help? (Not that I have been there for many years, so don’t know if there are such notices.) It is not possible to overestimate the stupidity of some people.

That's what I said upthread. Or better still a visual one.

I steer wel clear of big animals like horses and cows as they are powerful and can get upset easily. I am especially wary of dragons.

All the horses are purely ceremonial or traditional, the army do not use horses in London for any other purpose, it’s a big tourist attraction. To claim they are used in a security role is rubbish, it’s the police that use horses, for crowd control and security and nobody else.

The household regiments are active front line troops, part of their duty is the ceremonial activity. Foot guards do have a visible presence and would respond to any threat, but Royal protection is a police affair,

Sorry, I have seen it with my own eyes that the horses get spooked and won’t and don’t retreat into the space where they should . Dangerously so.

Sometimes that’s down to the rider’s lack of confidence or experience.
Reining back takes a lot of practice and it’s even harder in a confined space.

I think the standard of riding and schooling in all the ceremonial occasions has slipped over the years.
They need a few lessons from Princess Anne! 😂🐴

I don't think notices would help at all. Some people just want to do what they want to do.

I've seen video of people pushing barriers away around the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington Cemetery and walking in front of the Marine Guard. They got short shrift from him. He just marched them back to the barrier using the butt of his gun and shoved them through, yelling at them to stay out.

I've also seen video of someone standing in front of the King's Guard, walking backward to film them as they marched down the road when they were changing guard. They just marched right over him and sent him flying.

RosiesMaw2

^I watched watch a few horses refuse to go in to the enclosed area and eventually get to leave . Can’t blame them for saying no in the way that they can^
Forgive my scepticism.
Did they buck their riders off? No?
No, - they are well trained horses and do as they are “told”.
It takes a lot to spook a trained army horse (eg the cases a few weeks ago when some horses bolted through the London streets nearby) certainly more than a stroppy tourist.

Sorry, I have seen it with my own eyes that the horses get spooked and won’t and don’t retreat into the space where they should . Dangerously so.

Perhaps notices in more languages would help? (Not that I have been there for many years, so don’t know if there are such notices.) It is not possible to overestimate the stupidity of some people.

Oreo

Not many mounted hordes sweeping through Tokyo mind you or Mumbai.
City and town dwellers like myself know little about horses and probably think they’re really tame like a pet.
It wouldn’t hurt to consider keeping tourists well back from them.

I don't know much about crocodiles, but I wouldn't stand too close to one.

Thanks Merlot, you know horses. Idiots is a description I’ve avoided but you’re spot on

I admit I got a sneaking feeling that the rider wasn't making much attempt to control the horse...such a loose rein it was on. Perhaps they'd got a bit peed off with ignorant tourists.

The horses are schooled to stand on a loose rein. Shortening the rein gives the signal from the rider to either move on or reign back.

Some of the videos show horses gently nuzzling children. They’re not all biters but only idiots will take the risk.

RosiesMaw2

David49

The mounted guardsman and indeed the sentry in ceremonial uniform is only there for tourists to see and photograph if they wish, it is a tourist activity and must be done safely.
Its not at all unusual for horses to bite, there are thousands of tourists in London many from China, Japan, India and many other foreign places, you have to assume they don’t understand horses or signs.

It has nothing to do with security that could be done by police or army in normal uniforms.

I have to disagree with you David
Royal ceremonial is traditional and not staged for the benefit of tourists.
Every mounted guardsman, band musician, or drum major is a trained serving soldier. The bearer party for the late Queen were recalled from service abroad as were many of the musicians in the bands and mounted cavalry.
As for “foreigners” not understanding horses - where do you think polo was first played? How did the Mongol hordes sweep across Asia and Eastern Europe?
Not on a 53 bus or by EasyJet.

These horses and guards are at work, the guards are serving soldiers.
Many of those vodeos on Facebook show tourists totally lacking in sense or manners and an absence of respect for the guards or the horses.

As Eric Morecombe might have said “All the right words, but not necessarily in the right order. “
It wouldn’t hurt to consider keeping tourists well back from them
it wouldn’t hurt tourists to consider keeping well back from them

Yes, let's change years of tradition because some tourists are too stupid for their own good...

Not many mounted hordes sweeping through Tokyo mind you or Mumbai.
City and town dwellers like myself know little about horses and probably think they’re really tame like a pet.
It wouldn’t hurt to consider keeping tourists well back from them.

David49

The mounted guardsman and indeed the sentry in ceremonial uniform is only there for tourists to see and photograph if they wish, it is a tourist activity and must be done safely.
Its not at all unusual for horses to bite, there are thousands of tourists in London many from China, Japan, India and many other foreign places, you have to assume they don’t understand horses or signs.

It has nothing to do with security that could be done by police or army in normal uniforms.

I have to disagree with you David
Royal ceremonial is traditional and not staged for the benefit of tourists.
Every mounted guardsman, band musician, or drum major is a trained serving soldier. The bearer party for the late Queen were recalled from service abroad as were many of the musicians in the bands and mounted cavalry.
As for “foreigners” not understanding horses - where do you think polo was first played? How did the Mongol hordes sweep across Asia and Eastern Europe?
Not on a 53 bus or by EasyJet.

It's tradition - but those guardsmen are fully trained soldiers, it is not just some kind of ceremonial role. Do they not have horses in the countries you mention?

The mounted guardsman and indeed the sentry in ceremonial uniform is only there for tourists to see and photograph if they wish, it is a tourist activity and must be done safely.
Its not at all unusual for horses to bite, there are thousands of tourists in London many from China, Japan, India and many other foreign places, you have to assume they don’t understand horses or signs.

It has nothing to do with security that could be done by police or army in normal uniforms.