CE072 ‘The Life Guards Drum Horse HECTOR’

Although the vast majority of the Life Guards mounts are midnight black in colour the exceptions are the horses of regimental trumpeters and drum horses.

While Trumpeters are normally mounted on a white horse, the Drum Horse is the most powerful horse in the regiment. Each animal carries 300 pounds of equipment in the form of two steel kettle drums and, of course, the drummer himself.

The Drum Horses traditionally have been ‘Clydesdale’ crosses and are specially bred for their ceremonial parades.

Carefully selected by the Household Cavalry’s own ‘Riding Master’, each chosen Drum Horse must have a good temperament and stand at least 16.3 hands high, be strong and obviously fit.

It takes some 18 months to fully train a Drum Horse and there is always another Drum Horse in training as a potential replacement.

This first Life Guards Drum Horse has been ‘christened’ “HECTOR”.