'Phenomenal' Army horses swim in Hayling Island sea and ride along beach before parading with King Charles III

‘Phenomenal’ British Army horses braved the waves of Hayling Island beach during an early morning exercise.

The riders galloped across West Beach on July 3 to test the animals in a different environment. They’re all part of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment (HCMR), tasked with being the sovereign escort for King Charles III and other members of the royal family.

Lance Corporal James Fisher, of Landport in Portsmouth, is one of them - assigned since 2014. The Havant resident was pleased with how the equine did.

“It’s huge for them to be out here and hearing waves,” he told The News. “It just gets them used to hearing the loud noises they’ll face when on parade.

“People shouting and screaming, bright lights, cameras in their faces. It’s stuff they’ll need to get used to. Doing exercises here helps, but it’s also enjoyable for them.”

L/Cpl Fisher’s comes from a military family, with his dad serving in the Army for 22 years. He never thought he would join the Household Cavalry, but has established a brilliant career in the force.

“It just happened,” he said. “My section commander taught me how to transfer from the engineers to this. I’ve never looked back since. I never sat on a horse before, ever.

“Turning up and being told you’ve got to sit on one, jump over stuff, and do other crazy things, was really different. Getting dressed up in uniform and meeting royalty. I never expected that at all.

“I’m lucky I met the Queen before she passed, and the King. I can’t see anything stopping me right now. Hopefully we’ll keep going.”

The four-legged powerhouses cantered along a large stretch of sand, before being formed up and coerced into the water. Some freely rode into the sea and lapped up the waves to their necks, while others were cautious and slowly reversed in.

Many of the animals would never have seen the sea before, with the shifting terrain being an ideal exercise spot. After a short period of leave, they’ll be out once again on parades with King Charles III.

Corporal of Horse Charlie Gerrish said it was one of the best drills he’s done here. Speaking while saddled on Zambezi, he said: “It was nice to see the horses getting out in the ocean and acting like themselves.

“When we’re out on exercise, you can see it in their behaviour. It’s great for them to swim and roll instead of standing still. It’s a break for them and us.

“Zambezi didn’t go near the water last year, but we were able to get her shoulder deep this year. She’s started to enjoy it since it was her second time here. She led the pack with me at the front. It was really nice.”

The Life Guards and The Blues and Royals are in the midst of their two-week summer camp. HCMR personnel go through 14 weeks of intense training to qualify, followed by further tests.

Many go from never having ridden a horse in their life to forming up on ceremonial parades in armour and acquiring elite equestrian skills that take years to learn in the civilian world.

The animals and their riders take part in reconnaissance missions and are specialised in spotting details in crowded areas - labelled as “The King’s Lifeguard”. Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin McNeil said these exercises are vital for taking animals and humans out of their comfort zones.

He added: “They’re phenomenal and it’s such a special place down here. You can see the smiles on the guys faces. They thoroughly enjoyed it.

Sign up for The Week in Defence with Freddie Webb - our newsletter rounding up the sector’s must-read stories

“It was a different experience compared to London. The challenges show them there’s a lot more possible. It also gives them a rest and they can enjoy themselves. London is a busy place. Getting out on a beautiful day today is excellent.

“I hadn’t ridden before taking the role. It’s the hardest thing I’ve done in my career, but it’s so rewarding to be qualified for ceremonial duties. We are cavalry soldiers and we’re platform agnostic. Horses are another great platform to use with a smaller signature. We’ll develop that over the coming weeks and months.”

Sergeant Chloe Field is a veterinary nurse and said she always wanted to work with animals, so this was an excellent opportunity. She added: “We tend to pair up the younger and older horses so they can learn to enjoy the sea, have a bit of a run and enjoy it. For some, it’s not their favourite thing in the world, but for 90 per cent of them, they absolutely love it.

“I love these horses and learnt all my equine skills while in the army. Being able to swim and have an extended canter means they’ll work muscle groups they might not have done before. It’s good for them to do a completely different type of exercise.”