King’s Troop Horses Stop The Traffic As They Go For A Trot Around The Town

Published on: 24 May, 2014
Updated on: 24 May, 2014

It’s not often that you see up to 40 horses trotting through Guildford town centre.

Horses and their riders of the King’s Troop at the traffic lights where Parkway joins Ladymead at the junction of Stoke Road and Woking Road.

This was the scene on Saturday afternoon (May 25) as handlers from the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery took their mounts for exercise from where they are being stabled ahead of bank holiday Monday’s Surrey County Show.

The procession of horses enter Ladymead.

They left Stoke Park a little later than the advertised time of 2.30pm, and with police stopping other traffic, made they way down Parkway and Ladymead and in to Woodbridge Road. From Onslow Street the troop rode up the High Street and on to London Road and back to Stoke Park.

Passing the fire station.

With their main base at Woolwich Barracks in London, the King’s Troop is an integral part of the Household Troops. Duties include the firing of royal salutes in Hyde Park on both royal anniversaries and state occasions, and providing a gun carriage and team of black horses for state and military funerals.

Nearly back: the troop in London Road.

The troop performs the duties of the Queen’s Life Guard at Horse Guards for one month each year. Woolwich is home to 111 horses and King’s Troop men and women are trained as fighting soldiers.

The troop turn into the Burchatts Farm entrance to Stoke Park where they are being stabled ready for Monday’s performances.

At the Surrey County Show they will be performing their musical drive with gun carriages in the main arena – reckoned to be one of the most exciting arena displays in the world.

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