To be a member of the king’s guard, you need to get around faster than walking will take you.
Since this is royalty we’re speaking of, that means a horse.
Motorcycles might be more efficient, but it’s about upholding that sense of regality – and no animal does that better than a horse.
But horses are still animals. They get tired and feel discomfort. So you’ll have to know how to meet their needs when that happens.
This member of the king’s guard was patrolling the premises atop this gorgeous, dark brown horse.
No doubt, the palace makes sure their horses receive the best of care.
If you’re curious what this place is, this is the Horse Guards building in Westminster, London.
It leads to St. James’ Palace, and St. James’ Palace itself is bordered by Buckingham Palace to its west.
So the Horse Guard’s building is a pretty important place.
Its location near two such palace buildings is strategic, and the horseback-riding guards patrol it to this day.
As the name suggests, the Horse Guard’s building houses the numerous stables, horses, and riders that work for the palace.
It was built by order of King Charles II in 1663, so it’s one heck of a piece of history to be sitting here.
The specific section we see here is the Horse Guards Cavalry Museum.
If you find yourself visiting, you might want to stick around till 4 in the afternoon.
A daily inspection of the guards happens at this time, and it’s all thanks to a centuries-old tradition started by Queen Victoria in 1894.
On an afternoon in 1894, the queen went out one afternoon and saw the guards messing around, eating and drinking instead of doing their jobs.
Naturally, she wasn’t happy with this and implemented a punishment.
That happened to be a daily inspection every 4 PM, for the next 100 years. Yes, she was that upset by it.
Those hundred years passed, and the rule expired in 1994. But Queen Elizabeth II still had them do it for tradition’s sake.
Besides, a little daily inspection is part of a lot of jobs anyway.
And speaking of inspections, it seems like someone needs to inspect this guard’s horse.
It’s looking pretty uncomfortable. Looking at it from the video, it seems like the saddle isn’t perfectly centered on its back.
That may be causing it a little bit of discomfort. But I’m not sure if the guard is allowed to dismount from the horse right now.
Oh no, what can be done? An uncomfortable horse might throw its rider off.
Plus, it’s just part of honest animal care to ensure your animals are alright.
Well, a stranger walked by at just the right moment.
A young girl took notice of the horse’s discomfort.
The horse was jittering and making awkward steps. So she came up to it and gave it some soothing pets, enough to help it calm down.
That did the trick, and this royal steed was able to get back to work thanks to her.
See this girl pull out her inner horse-whisperer skills to put a royal steed at ease below!
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