The British Army is continuing to explore whether horses could have a role in modern military operations, with the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment now trialling specially developed camouflage during training in Hampshire.
Newly released images show horses and soldiers taking part in exercises during the regiment’s annual Summer Camp at Longmoor Training Area, where bespoke camouflage has been tested as part of work looking at how horses and traditional cavalry skills could potentially support future operations.
The Ministry of Defence said soldiers are exploring mounted reconnaissance, mobility across difficult terrain, concealment, sustainment and equine welfare, while drawing on the experience of allied nations that continue to use horses in operational environments.
The latest exercises build on trials already being undertaken by the British Army.
In April, the Army revealed that the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment had introduced a mounted navigation exercise to its annual Princess Elizabeth Cup competition.
Soldiers were challenged to navigate on horseback across difficult terrain at the Barossa Training Area at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst using only a map and compass, negotiating thick gorse, mud and woodland while simultaneously managing their horses.
The Army said the exercise had partly been inspired by developments in Estonia, where a volunteer horse-mounted unit within the Estonian Defence League has been experimenting with the use of horses in forests and boggy terrain where heavy military vehicles can struggle.
While the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment is widely recognised for its ceremonial role at events such as the King’s Birthday Parade, its soldiers are also trained for operational military roles.
The Army has stressed that the work does not suggest horses will replace tanks or other military vehicles. Instead, it is examining whether mounted and pack animals could provide useful capabilities in particular environments where vehicles may be less practical.
There is also relatively recent precedent for the use of horses in military operations. The MOD points to the United States, which maintains an expeditionary mounted and pack-horse capability, while US Special Forces famously used horses during operations in Afghanistan following the September 11 attacks in 2001.
For Animalweb, one of the particularly interesting aspects of the latest trials is the inclusion of equine welfare within the areas being explored by soldiers.
Using horses in difficult terrain and potentially unfamiliar, unpredictable and high-pressure environments inevitably raises questions about their training, management, safety and welfare.
The trials remain exploratory, but they provide a fascinating example of the British Army looking at whether centuries-old horsemanship skills could still have a place alongside the technology of modern military operations.
Source: British Army – Saddle up: Why the British Army is bringing back the war horse
