Exclusive: Instagrammers making money from filming irritated mounts at Horse Guards
MOD sources have told BFBS Forces News that they have seen an increase in videos captured in and around Horse Guards, depicting soldiers and cavalry horses conducting their ceremonial duties.
Some content creators are monetising this footage, which can attract views from millions of people online.
Now individuals associated with the Household Cavalry say they are not happy that the duties of the soldiers are attracting so much interest from content creators, some of whom spend hours each day livestreaming footage worldwide.
One content creator spoke to BFBS Forces News at the gates to Horse Guards.
He was in the middle of livestreaming his cameras to an online audience potentially running into thousands.
"Every day I'm live at Horse Guards," 'Jon' said.
Asked if he ever captured incidents involving things going wrong, such as people being bitten by horses, Jon said that out of respect for the soldiers, he turned his cameras off when events like that happened.
"But some of my colleagues [film it]," he added.
Although there is a significant armed police presence in the area surrounding Horse Guards, the official entrance to Buckingham Palace and the Court of St James, there are no physical barriers between the soldiers and their horses, and the general public.
The type of content posted online ranges from innocent interactions between tourists and soldiers, visitors inadvertently getting into difficulties such as being bitten or shoved by the horses, and even individuals coming to the area to deliberately cause disruption.
Online content depicting injuries and anti-social or disruptive behaviour tends to be watched the most.
But one former member of the Household Cavalry, Adam Fish, says this type of video content being filmed and shared around the world online is wrong.
"A lot of these pop-up groups on social media are there to make a quick buck," the former Life Guard said.
"They're basically there to catch people out, which I don't agree with."
Mr Kemp and fellow veterans founded an online forum celebrating the work of his former regiment, called The Household Cavalry Network. But he has decided to ban videos depicting negative incidents captured at Horse Guards from across his site.
Mr Kemp said: "If you're there as a tourist having a nice day out with the family, that's your business.
"But if you're there seven days a week, with a camera in your hand just waiting for something to happen, then no... I'm sorry but the guys and girls down there have got a hard enough job as it is.
"They don't need the added pressure."
Household Cavalry Museum director Nicola Ayrton told us that the abundance of online content can be helpful, as it brings people to the site and also to the museum, but says visitors should remember that those on duty are professional serving soldiers and are due some respect.
Of the four tourists the BFBS Forces News team spoke to near the horses, three said they had come to Horse Guards after viewing online content.
Two explicitly mentioned videos of horses biting tourists.
Ms Ayrton added: "With TikTok and YouTube, it just causes more interest and it's not necessarily a bad thing, particularly for us as it drives more footfall.
"It looks all glamorous on social media, but these are serving soldiers and that's where people need to have some respect."
New signs have recently been put up around Horse Guards advising visitors not to touch the horses.
Previously, signs advised that horses tended to bite and kick, but stopped short of prohibiting contact between members of the public and the animals.
The thirst for content is a contemporary issue and one that previous generations of the regiment did not have to contend with. Soldiers have guarded this site since the Household Cavalry was formed by Charles II in 1660.
A source associated with the Ministry of Defence Police said: "The safety of people and working animals at Horse Guards is paramount – whether soldiers, police officers, members of the public or cavalry horses.
"Officers are vigilant for activity and behaviours that could compromise the safety of the public, military or the horses and will intervene where proportionate and appropriate to do so.
"Whilst every effort is made to ensure public safety, horses may bite or kick. We continue to remind the public to adhere to the very clear warning signs and maintain a safe distance."
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