A tourist seeking a photo with a member of the horse-mounted King’s Guard in London was savagely bitten by the animal which caused her to faint.
The incident took place outside The Household Cavalry Museum in London recently with the horse grabbing the woman’s arm with its mouth and dragging her before she screams and lets go.
The woman then writhes in pain and keels over on the floor a few minutes later. The King’s Guard sitting on the horse later gestures to the man filming to go and fetch a police officer to deal with the incident.
The video was captured by Buska in the Park and the video was shared to TikTok and YouTube. The full video shows a series of tourists approaching the horse for photos and attentive viewers will notice the horse getting agitated before biting the woman.
Chloe Campbell, a qualified equine behaviorist, tells The Telegraph that social media has contributed to horse-biting incidents. It is not the first time PetaPixel has reported on photo opportunities gone wrong involving the King’s Guard.
“Biting and other aggressive behaviors are signs of stress and agitation in horses so it’s very important for the public to understand that these are horses, not statues,” Campbells tells the London-based newspaper.
“People love horses, even more when it’s the King’s Guards, but even I’ll go out on my horse, and loads of people will stop me to take pictures.”
Throughout the video, there is a sign which reads: “Beware. Horses may kick or bite.”
Nevertheless, Campbell says it is “rare” to see a horse display such aggressive behavior and wonders “Why are we putting horses in such an uncomfortable situation?”
An Army spokesman tells The Telegraph that while “every effort is made to ensure public safety, horses may bite or kick. We continue to remind the public to adhere to the very clear warning signs and maintain a safe distance.”
The guards and horses may seem like part of the British tourist experience, they are professionals who are trained to protect King Charles III and his family.
“We want to ensure all those who visit the Horse Guards have an enjoyable time,” says a spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence.
“This area is particularly busy with tourists and on occasions, the soldiers undertaking Guard duty need to shout loudly to alert members of the public if they get too close. This is for the safety of those on duty and the public.”
Image credits: Buska in the Park.
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