WORKING HORSES

Canals

A horse pulling a canal boat was able to move fifty times as much weight as one pulling a cart.

Every few hundred yards set in the side of London's canals are slopes that rise out of the water. Their top ends join the canal side towpaths. These were built because horses used to provide the power that enabled barges to be moved along canals. Once in a while one of the animals would fall into the water. It could then be led along the waterway to one of these inclines, where it would be able to walk back up onto dry land.

There were three sites along the Regent's Canal where canal hauliers could change over their horses: Hampstead Road Lock in Camden Town, City Road Basin in King's Cross, and Old Ford Lock by Victoria Park.

Haulage

During the 1960s horses were still used extensively for haulage in East London.

Reg Dwight's middle name Hercules was from the Steptoes horse rather than the Greek demi-god.

The London Harness Horse Parade

The London Harness Horse Parade

Website: www.lhhp.co.uk

Military Horses

The Household Cavalry

Hyde Park Barracks's officers mess is at the top of the complex's towerblock (which is on the western side of the site). There is an urban legend that the building's lift is large enough to take a horse up to the 36^th floor bar. This probably derives from the barracks stables (at the eastern end of the site) having a lift.

In 2008 only about 10% of new cavalrymen had ridden a horse before joining the regiment. They received six months of training before going on mounted ceremonial duty.

Location: Knightsbridge Barracks, Knightsbridge, SW7 1SE (blue, purple)

See Also: THE ARMY

Website: www.army.mod.uk/who-we-are/corps-regiments-and-units/royal-armoured-corps/household-cavalry-regiment www.householddivision.org.uk/hq-hcav

Marengo

Marengo was a grey arab stallion that Napoleon (1769-1821) acquired and named after his victory at the Battle of Marengo (1800) in Italy. Following the Battle of Waterloo (1815) the animal was taken to Britain. Following his death in 1831 his skeleton was put on display at the Royal United Services, which the 1^st Duke of Wellington had founded. In the 1960s it was moved to the Royal Army Museum.

Location: 83 Royal Hospital Road, SW3 4HT (purple, pink)

Website: www.nam.ac.uk/explore/marengos-makeover

Queen's Life Guard

In 1982 an I.R.A. bomb killed four members of the Queen's Life Guard and seven horses.

The horses were being ridden in two parallel lines. Those on the side of the blast were killed instantly, those in the other line had their legs either blown off or maimed. A legless horse was in such a state of shock that he contentedly grazed on the grass in front of him.

Sefton was the most damaged of the horses. He became a national icon for endurance.

Echo was the second most injured horse. He was a sweet-natured, white-coated with dark, thoughtful eyes. The vet who was assigned to operate on him sought to administer a local anaesthetic before operating doing so, knew how needle wary horses were and expected him to react. However, when he inserted it he realised that the animal was so traumatised that were was no need for pain relief. Over two lbs. of nails and bolts were removed from his body. He was so traumatised that he became wary of people, however, he remained sweet-natured. He was retired to The Horse Trust's home for retired working horses in Speen, Buckinghamshire.

While the horses were being operated there was the sound of a second explosion. The device exploded at the bandstand in Regent's Park. It killed seven members of the Band of The Royal Greenjackets, taking to eleven the total of soldiers who were murdered on that day.

Location: South Carriage Drive, Hyde Park, SW7 1SE (blue, pink)

Website: https://horsetrust.org.uk/sefton-passes-onto-greener-pastures-at-the-horse-trust www.householddivision.org.uk/queen-life-guard www.rgjband.com

Packhorses

Chiswick High Road used to be one of London's principal arterial roads along which goods were brought to the metropolis on packhorses.

Location: The Packhorse & Talbot, 145 Chiswick High Road, W4 2DT.

The Old Packhorse, 434 Chiswick High Road, W4 5TF

Website: www.oldpackhorsechiswick.co.uk www.greeneking-pubs.co.uk/pubs/greater-london/packhorse-talbot

Worple Ways

Many of the railway lines were built along bridle paths. Thus, a number of Worple Ways run next to railway lines.

East of Mortlake Station, there is a North Worple Way north of the track and a South Worple Way south of it. They stop at White Hart Lane. North Worple Way is continued for a while as Railway Side.

Location: North Worple Way, SW14 8PR

South Worple Way, SW14 8PA

Police

Wembley Stadium

In 1923 thousands of fans spilled on over to Wembley Stadium's pitch. They were coralled back into the stands by P.C. George Scorey, who was riding a white horse called Billy.

Location: South Way, HA9 0WS

Website: www.wembleystadium.com

David Backhouse 2024