Call in the cavalry! British army brings back war horses as it tests camouflaged steeds in summer training camp

The British Army could be set to bring back war horses after soldiers were seen testing them during military training.The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment has been photographed trialling camouflaged horses during its annual summer camp at the Longmoor Training Area in Hampshire.The Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed soldiers were experimenting with using the animals for covert trekking across harsh terrain for potential use in military operations.A spokesman said: 'Soldiers are exploring mounted reconnaissance, mobility in difficult terrain, concealment, sustainment and equine welfare, drawing inspiration from allied nations that continue to employ horses in operational environments.'The MoD added that the US maintained an expeditionary mounted and pack-horse capability for potential deployment in harsh environments.The British Army revealed earlier this year that it was considering 'bringing back the war horse' as it looks for new ways to move troops across difficult terrain. Military chiefs said horses could prove valuable in thick forests, bogs and other areas where tanks and armoured vehicles can struggle. The idea was partly inspired by around a dozen volunteers who formed a horse-mounted unit within the Estonian Defence League. 'Their idea is simple but bold: in thick forests and boggy ground where heavy military vehicles get stuck, horses can go anywhere,' an Army spokesman said.'They say horses can outperform armoured vehicles in certain tough terrains. The British Army could be set to bring back war horses after soldiers were seen testing them during military training The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment has been photographed trialling camouflaged horses during its annual summer camp at the Longmoor Training Area in Hampshire The Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed soldiers were experimenting with using the animals for covert trekking across harsh terrain for potential use in military operations A spokesman said: 'Soldiers are exploring mounted reconnaissance, mobility in difficult terrain, concealment, sustainment and equine welfare, drawing inspiration from allied nations that continue to employ horses in operational environments''It sounds mad. But the British Army was listening. The lesson from Ukraine and the Middle East is clear: modern warfare demands creativity, adaptability and, sometimes, going back to basics.'If the terrain demands it, the cavalry will be ready.'The Army said horses had once been inseparable from soldiers before the arrival of modern military vehicles largely consigned them to history.'For hundreds of years, horses and soldiers were inseparable. From ancient battlefields to the muddy trenches of the First World War, the cavalry charged into history together.'Then came tanks, armoured vehicles and helicopters – and horses were left behind,' it said.'But here's the thing: they might be making a comeback.'But using horses on the modern battlefield would not be entirely unprecedented.American special forces famously rode into battle in Afghanistan in 2001, just weeks after the September 11 terror attacks.A 12-man team of Green Berets from the 5th Special Forces Group's Operational Detachment Alpha 595 travelled on horseback across Afghanistan's rugged terrain while fighting alongside local forces against the Taliban.The mission marked the first time American troops had ridden horses into combat since 1942 and the men later became known as the 'Horse Soldiers'.Their exploits inspired the 2018 Hollywood film 12 Strong, starring Chris Hemsworth. The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, best known for its appearances at ceremonial events including the King's Birthday Parade, has meanwhile been putting greater emphasis on military skills on horseback.It recently introduced a mounted navigation exercise into its annual Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup competition.For the first time, soldiers must navigate across the Barossa training area at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst using only a map and compass.The 77-year-old competition tests troopers on their fitness, marksmanship, navigation and combat resilience, as well as their riding and ceremonial skills.The winner is presented with a silver cup by King Charles at the Royal Windsor Horse Show in May.Lt Col Ben McNeil, the regiment's commanding officer, said: 'A cavalryman is platform-centric whatever that platform is – a horse or an armoured vehicle.'If you can navigate while riding an unpredictable, powerful animal, you're exercising every part of your brain at once, and if you can keep calm in all that chaos, you can be a formidable force to reckon with, whatever the context.'