Army

Army looks at bringing back the war horse – in ways that should silence any naysayers

Mike Morton

14th September 2026 at 1:10pm

The camouflage netting applied over this horse makes a good comparison with the heraldic caparison worn by a medieval knight's war horse

The camo does work quite well and would look even better in more autumnal terrain, with the main visible tells being the reflection of the stirrups and the soldier's hands

It's hard to develop a one-pattern-fits-all camouflage scheme, with MTP being an excellent exception, however the netting works even better here in different lighting conditions

The bespoke camouflage covering was developed by Household Cavalry soldiers as part of their experiments into concealment techniques for future operational environments

In addition to experimenting with camouflage, the HCMR soldiers got the chance to learn and put into practice their equine first aid skills

The Household Cavalry soldiers and their horses got to take part in a mounted navigation and reconnaissance challenge during their time at Longmoor

Map reading from the saddle will be a vital skill to master should these soldiers ever have to carry out a mounted reconnaissance mission in wartime

After working hard at Longmoor Training Area, the horses and their riders were redeployed to nearby Hayling Island where they could take a break on the sandy beach and splash in the sea

If you were to mention the British Army and cavalry horses being used in war, you might immediately think of the massed cavalry charges at Waterloo, or horses being used on the Western Front in the First World War.

But the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment has been exploring future operational roles for horses in a modern war, expanding on an earlier mounted navigation exercise that was part of the Princess Elizabeth Cup.

Soldiers from the HCMR used their annual summer camp on Longmoor Training Area to test how horses and cavalry skills could support future military operations.

Saddling up for modern warfare

They explored 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 exercise culminated in a 24-hour mounted navigation and reconnaissance challenge designed to assess the effectiveness of horses in contemporary battlefield conditions.

Among the countries actively using horses in niche operational roles are India for patrolling and border reconnaissance, Chile, where the mounts are used for high-altitude scouting, and Russia for frontline logistics.

Meanwhile, France, Estonia and Finland are some of the other nations exploring the horse's tactical potential.

The United States also maintains an expeditionary mounted and pack-horse capability for potential deployment in austere environments.

Following the 9/11 attacks in 2001, special forces deployed to Afghanistan to conduct missions against the Taliban on horseback.

All images supplied courtesy of the Ministry of Defence.