On the 9th of July, we remember Sefton, one of the Household Cavalry’s most famed horses of recent history, who embodied the regiment’s attentiveness to the well-being and care of its horses. Initially notorious amongst the regiment for stubbornness and bad behaviour, Sefton entered British history through horrific circumstances to become a symbol of fortitude, resilience and defiance. He became the face of awareness for equine care and treatment.

Born in County Waterford, Ireland in 1963, Sefton was purchased as a four year old and brought to England among the many horses purchased for ceremonial duty by the Household Cavalry and the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery. Assigned to the Household Cavalry, Sefton was nicknamed “Sharkey” in the stables due to his liking for biting at the faces of unwary troopers. His stubborn streak and reluctance to obey rider commands meant it took longer for him to ‘pass out’ at the regimental riding school at Combermere Barracks, Windsor. His stubbornness led to him being sent with the Blues and Royals on deployment in Germany, where he was often assigned to sports teams for racing, trail hunts and showjumping due to his speed and boldness. His temperament meant he was not given to new recruits to learn on, but a prize for the best recruits to ride. He would continue to participate in showjumping and equestrian sports upon his return to England, retiring from such competitions completely by 1980 as he reached the age of 18.

In 1975, an outbreak of strangles (a contagious respiratory condition in horses) at Hyde Park Barracks necessitated Sefton’s return to England due to a shortfall in large black horses for ceremonial duty in London. It was in this capacity that Sefton was caught up in the tragic events of Tuesday July 20th 1982: the Blues and Royals were riding down from Knightsbridge to Horse Guards for Queen's Life Guard duty when a car bomb planted by the IRA (Irish Republican Army) detonated, claiming the lives of four men: Lieutenant Anthony Daly, Lance Corporal Jeffrey Young, Staff Corporal Roy Bright and Trooper Simon Tipper and seven horses: Cedric, Epaulette, Falcon, Rochester, Waterford, Yeastvite and Zara. 

A second IRA bomb detonated at a bandstand in Regent’s Park later that day claimed the lives of seven members of the Royal Green Jackets.

Present day memorial to the soldiers and horses of the Household Cavalry who died on July 20th 1982, erected near the site of the explosion.

Of the horses that survived the blast, Sefton was the most seriously wounded, suffering 32 potentially fatal injuries. Veterinary Officer Major Noel Carding spent 90 minutes battling to stabilise Sefton. This was the first time a British Army veterinary officer had operated in wounds inflicted on a horse through warfare in over fifty years. What followed was 8 hours of surgery - a record in British veterinary terms in 1982 - to stitch his wounds and remove shrapnel embedded in his body from the explosion. Three weeks later, Sefton was moved to the Veterinary Hospital of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps in Melton Mowbray for further surgery to remove more shrapnel the initial operation had missed.

Sefton photographed alongside Lt. Col. Andrew Parker Bowles, commanding officer of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, and Major Noel Carding, regimental Veterinary Officer.

Given a 50% chance of survival, Sefton made a full recovery; his horrific ordeal made him much beloved by the British public, who showered him with cards, mints and general affection. Donations exceeding £620,000 were used to finance the construction of a new equine care wing at the Royal Veterinary College, appropriately named the Sefton Wing: a lifesize bronze statue of him stands outside its doors.

Sefton’s stall at Hyde Park Barracks stables, adorned with cards sent by well wishers during his recovery.

Sefton returned to active duty with the Household Cavalry by October 1982, participating in the Horse of the Year Show 1982 where he was awarded the medal for Horse of the Year, and remained a part of the regiment until his retirement on August 29th 1984. Sefton lived out the remainder of his life at the Home of Rest for Horses in Speen, Buckinghamshire, dying from health complications as a result of his injuries from the bombing on July 9th 1993.

Sefton photographed at the Horse’s Trust following his retirement.