Towering, disciplined and steeped in centuries of tradition, the Horses of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment (HCMR) are as much a part of Britain’s ceremonial heritage as the soldiers who ride them. At full strength, the Regiment cares for more than 280 horses, including those fully trained and in training. To help visitors better understand these remarkable animals and the roles they fulfil, we thought we would share our top ten facts you should know about our military working horses.

1. They must be a minimum of 16.2 hands high:

This is because they are still bred to the same specifications from when the Household Cavalry were a heavy cavalry regiment; these animals were carrying fairly heavy men, clad in uniform and armour weighing from 25-30kg, along with all their weapons and equipment, and still needed to be able to gallop at speed, so they had to be built to carry a lot of weight!

2. They are required to be predominantly black:

King Charles II originally insisted the Household Cavalry’s horses be pure black, believing that black horses of such size and power charging across the battlefield would terrify the enemy. This has been relaxed due to modern day difficulties in sourcing large numbers of pure black horses.

3. There is one exception to this:

The only horses that vary from this are the horses ridden by regimental trumpeters, which are white (known as grey due to their dark skin colour), which can be seen at ‘Long Guards’ (the Changing of the Guard when the monarch is in residence in London) and at other ceremonial parades like Trooping the Colour (the King's Official Birthday Parade).

This was to make them more visible on the battlefield: it was seen as impolite to target a General’s means of communication, so trumpeters and drummers had obvious identifiers so they would be easily recognised in battle.

4. Household Cavalry horses start their careers untrained:

Traditionally, the Household Cavalry purchases the horses when they are between 4-5 years old and they should be large mares or Stallions that have been gelded (‘Geldings’).

Most of the horses have never been ridden and are treated as if it’s the first time so the soldiers can create a good/trusting mentality and help calm any bad habits or experiences.  Horses are like people - some learn more quickly than others. Ideally, the training of one of our horses takes 6 months from start to finish, but it can take as long as 18 months. They are all treated as individuals with individual needs so putting a pressured timescale on them is not encouraged.

5. Their service usually concludes when they’re 18 years old but some have served into their 20’s:

While some do serve longer, on average Cavalry Blacks serve until they’re about 18 years old. 

As they get older, some of them are less able to cope with constant trotting on the roads and long escort duties. Many of them become Band horses where they will only be walking on parade. If they are healthy, which most of them are when they retire, the regiment will send them either to an established retirement stables or to members of the public who have suitable stabling and facilities. Some of the horses go to retire with the Horses Trust. Some soldiers are known to purchase horses they’ve grown particularly fond of.

6. The Horses are named alphabetically like car registrations:

Once horses are chosen, a list of potential horses’ names are submitted to the Commanding Officer for approval. Names are often regimentally connected - such as battle honours, historic persons of note, places etc but each new Squadron Leader tends to add a personal flavour to their own selection.

The horses are named alphabetically; like car registrations, each year all new horses’ names begin with the same letter. The letter for 2025 was ‘A’, so 2024 was ‘Z’. It is good to note that HCMR does not use ‘X’, as there aren't many names to choose from and fewer Battle honours.

7. The Drum Horses of the Household Cavalry Band are the most senior animals in the British Army:

There are currently four drum horses attached to the Household Cavalry Band: Juno, Perseus, Atlas and Apollo. Traditionally they’re given names from Greek or Roman mythology and are either a Clydesdale or Shire horse. They stand between 16.3-18 hands high from hoof to withers and their size is a necessity to compensate for the weight they have to carry, which would be the rider and two drums each weighing 60lbs (25kgs). These four horses all hold the rank of Major, making them the most senior animals in the British Army.

8. There’s no set horse to a particular trooper:

Soldiers are not assigned a particular horse for the duration of their service with the Household Cavalry: they will be assigned a specific horse while on guard duty at Horse Guards, but they may be assigned to a completely different horse the next time. This is so they ‘learn to ride any horse in any circumstances. Although, of course some soldiers have their favorites to ride! 

9. The Horses have a summer holiday:

The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment has an annual ‘Summer Camp’ where for 3 weeks a year they swap the ceremonial duties in London for time in a rural location, like Norfolk. 

More than 100 horses and soldiers undergo a series of equestrian training exercises including a ride out on Holkham beach. Using the wide-open spaces of a coastal environment to practise equestrian and military skills, helps build trust between horse and rider, and improving their prowess as professional soldiers.

Major Tom Mountain added: "Bringing them to the beach exposes the horses and riders to new things, helps with their confidence, and makes them and us more able to cope when we get back to London."

They are also ‘sent out to grass’ twice a year for a well-deserved break, as well as numerous ‘long weekends off’ throughout the year.

10. Mounted Guard Duty starts at 10am at Horse Guards, but the horses’ day starts earlier:

The horses are exercised 6 days a week in Hyde Park and on the roads around Knightsbridge. Horses used to train new recruits are normally based in Windsor and exercised in Windsor Great Park. Before ceremonial parades, exercise times are increased and a hard training programme is implemented. Most rehearsals take place before 6am to avoid the traffic. Their guard duties commence at 10am at Horse Guards (typically, the horses and their riders will do an hour of guard duty on Whitehall, then two hours off) with the guards changing every hour until 4pm when their duties finish with the “Punishment Parade”.

Find out more about when you can see the Military Working Horses at Horse Guards

Visit our pop up exhibition all about the Horses of the Household Cavalry