Army horses loose on London streets

I used to live very close to Wicken Fen and remember when the Konik ponies were introduced to graze the land and help maintain the habitat for wildlife. DH was on the management committee and there were some local objections to introducing ponies from Eastern Europe rather than using British native ones. They are now a tourist attraction.

Konik

They live in the dunes near us. They’re beautiful, aren’t they. In winter the cattle graze the dunes and are great for helping the biodiversity of the area. I don’t mind walking though them in the dunes, something I’d never do in an enclosed field.The ones I like are the ponies they graze at Wicken Fen ( I can’t remember their name).

We're lucky enough to have two groups of Exmoor ponies living in an almost 'wild' situation not too far from us. I have a soft spot for Exmoors as I learned to ride on one and so did my daughter. The groups near us are owned by a trust which looks after this endangered breed, and they carry out conservation grazing in the two areas (as well as elsewhere in the UK). It's lovely to see them living in such circumstances and how they interact with one another.

Most horses are kept in unnatural circumstances. The only ones I can think of that aren’t are probably moor ponies or American mustangs but the latter are periodically rounded up and sent to kill pens if they can’t be rehomed. Now that horses/ponies are no longer used for war or transport ( or mining) they’ve reinvented themselves for sport and leisure. I would imagine the stallions used to produce these beautiful black horses are chosen for both temperament and conformation. I love seeing them in ceremonial parades such as the Queens funeral. I was always surprised when we had our fully turned out pony that hated being in a stable how happy the thoroughbreds were in their stables, although I must admit that they were big enough for them to lie down. Even then there’s the worry that they’ll get cast. Very good at injuring themselves are horses.

The spokesperson on Vine made the point these hirses are carefully bred for their role

You can't breed out the flight instinct, though.

Nor can you breed in tolerance of being kept in very unnatural conditions most of the time without them reacting to a bit of freedom to move. . Those stalls really bother me

Apologies - predictive text took retrieving from water to retrieving from earth

The spokesperson on Vine made the point these hirses are carefully bred for their role
I rode a retired race horse for a couple of years. Huge skittish thoroughbred but very kind. You couldn’t take the race out if him though - he was at the front of any canter or his instincts took over
My Labrador loves nothing more than retrieving from earth. Thst spaniel flushes birds at any opportunity. My previous German shepherd guarded us - gently, the most loyal dog x

merlotgran I know nothing more than anyone else but if it’s a working area with traffic, people, and workmen is it the right place for horses to be exercised or even walked out you really can’t expect the city to stop work to let the horses through every day
It’s very very sad but I can’t see how you can blame workman who were probably doing what they were there to do and did every day It seems no one particular was at fault it was one of these horrible things that happened

Rising to the occasion would have been a better way of putting it.

How daft

I heard a royal commentator (didn't get his name) on the Jeremy Vine radio show today. The discussion was about the run away horses. He was waffling on about the UK's wonderful traditional regiments and declared that horses are filled with pride to be part of such esteemed traditions.

Now, I don't know much about horses but I find it hard to believe that horses are actually filled with pride to serve in the army.

Serves me right for listening to Jeremy Vine I suppose.

GrannyGravy13

MaizieD

P.S I'd be slightly happier if someone could tell me that the horses are kept in loose boxes. They can at least move around freely in a loose box. They can't in a stall.

In a field they are on the move, grazing, for a large part of the day.

I thought they were in loose boxes.

They are exercised early mornings along Rotten Row

I am sure that there were several automated horse walkers at the barracks/stables.

I am not entirely sure that the reports of them being in their stalls 23 hours a day are correct. Especially when you factor in grooming, tacking up, indoor arena training and riding out.

From vagansrock's post

Heard an ex cavalry officer on the radio saying these horses are in their stalls for 23 hours a day and only get a 6 week break a year.

I don't think that grooming and tacking up really counts as any form of exercise. Arena work, yes, but I wonder if 250 horses would have one hour's road work daily plus work in the arena?

But, speculation....

It’s sad if that really the only exercise they get in a day. Standing in stalls all day is also not good.

We only have one horse now but she is quite happy on her own. Has two huge field shelters to go in if it’s too cold or too hot and a couple of acres to roam around in. We fence parts off while the new grass is coming through. She is checked on and fed and watered twice a day, groomed once a week and gets plenty of fuss. She is a pampered old lady now and is barefoot now but gets regular foot trims by farrier.

Having looked at the stables on YouTube (filmed long before this incident) it does appear they are kept in very narrow stalls so it’s difficult to see how they would be able to lie down or turn around. I’d still like to know if they have any turnout area.

BlueBelle

But how do you know the builders even saw them coming merlotgran they could have been in a different part of the yard, machines whirring, heads down getting on with their daily work. I ve no idea and nor have you They may have been negligent but they also may not have been
Are the horses always exercised daily in these main roads ? Sounds awful

What yard, Bluebelle?

The footage I’ve seen shows a lorry parked at the side of the road with rubble descending noisily down a chute - at intervals. The horses would have had to move into the centre of the road to pass it. The lead rider would have presumably indicated to traffic that they were about to do that when the sudden unexpected noise startled the horses.

It doesn’t look as though there are any builders monitoring the situation.

I would like an unbiased review of how the 250 horses are kept before I jump to any conclusions.

The stables are on two floors with heated slopes so that they do not ice up in winter.

There is stabling for 273 horses, but usually only 250 are kept there at any one time.

I don't think that you are allowed to gallop horses all over Hyde Park. Or any other of the London Parks.

Well that's a shame, but surely Buckingham Palace has a few acres they could spare.

My 'speculation' is not uninformed; I've had horses for years.
Yes, I know, I don't think it was aimed at you.

No problem nightowl I can understand waiting but still withholding her name several months later

She blew the whistle a while back - it’s only just now being given some prominence.

But how do you know the builders even saw them coming merlotgran they could have been in a different part of the yard, machines whirring, heads down getting on with their daily work. I ve no idea and nor have you They may have been negligent but they also may not have been
Are the horses always exercised daily in these main roads ? Sounds awful

Sorry Anniebach I think I’m replying to one of your earlier posts, trying to multitask here and it’s not working

Maybe she tried Anniebach - I speak as someone who tried to whistleblow on my employer whilst in employment and met with a brick wall. I couldn’t afford to just leave my job without another to go to.

merlotgran

BlueBelle

I also have read about them not being treated well it’s certainly an unnatural life and to the poster who said sue the builders that’s utter nonsense they were just doing their daily job I don’t supposed they said ‘oh the horses are coming let’s all shoot the concrete out and spook them’ perhaps whoever is ‘exercising them ‘ if riding in London is exercise, should be more careful about their routes

Surely it’s common sense to wait for horses to pass by before doing something which is likely to startle them?

The riders are as entitled to use their planned route as cyclists or pedestrians. They couldn’t have known what was about to take place or they would have asked to be allowed to pass by first.

Whatever’s happened to consideration?

Not in the same category but DH stopped to drop me off in the main street a couple of weeks ago and just up from there builders were at work up on scaffolding, renovating a small shop. Debris was being chucked down, aimed at a skip in the road (no chute) and they were just glancing to see if anyone was walking underneath before throwing down old window frames etc. And sometimes missing judging by the mess on the pavement.

BlueBelle

I also have read about them not being treated well it’s certainly an unnatural life and to the poster who said sue the builders that’s utter nonsense they were just doing their daily job I don’t supposed they said ‘oh the horses are coming let’s all shoot the concrete out and spook them’ perhaps whoever is ‘exercising them ‘ if riding in London is exercise, should be more careful about their routes

Surely it’s common sense to wait for horses to pass by before doing something which is likely to startle them?

The riders are as entitled to use their planned route as cyclists or pedestrians. They couldn’t have known what was about to take place or they would have asked to be allowed to pass by first.

Whatever’s happened to consideration?