Young riders pass tough test as King's Troop prepare for coronation day

Young military riders have faced a critical horsemanship test which determines if they can ride with the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery in the coronation parade.

The King's Troop will play a crucial role in the coronation, firing a historic six-gun salvo, at the moment the crown touches the monarch's head.

The Advanced Mounted Gunner Pass Out is the final test that young riders must ace to be allowed to take part in the coronation.

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The King's Troop consists of about 168 personnel alongside 120 military working horses. 

Some recruits join King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery as keen riders, however, there are also many who join without having much riding experience at all.

"They've come here not riding ever in their life to now being potentially on the coronation. It's ridiculously big for them," said King's Troop riding instructor Lance Bombardier Rebecca Blythe.

"So, it's a really hard goal to work towards getting people that have never ridden before up to the standard of being on parade in front of the King."

The soldiers who are passing out would have started their training to take part in parades six months to a year ago.

"And crikey, are they doing it just in time!" Commanding Officer Major Fran Sykes told Forces News.

Nineteen-year-old new recruit Gunner Tilly Grainger is one of the lucky ones to successfully complete her pass out.

"It's such a privilege to... arrive with the King's coronation just around the corner and it's definitely something that I didn't think I'd be involved in," Gunner Grainger said.

"But here I am and I'm super excited for it," she added.

The moment the King is coronated at Westminster Abbey, a special gun salute known as a salvo will be fired by the King's Troop.

For the first time in history, six First World War guns will be fired simultaneously in Horse Guards Parade.

For the Queen's coronation in 1953, the gun salutes took place in Green Park and were not audible in Westminster Abbey, but this time they are being moved slightly closer to the site of the King's coronation – Horse Guards Parade is less than half a mile from the abbey.