Some half a million people were there to watch a bright cavalcade of horses and riders make its way through the streets of London as part of the annual London New Year’s Day Parade.
Organised by Caroline Marsh, the All The Queen’s Horses element of the annual procession is going strong decades after its inception, this year featuring 30 horses, their riders and companions, in beautiful fancy dress.
Participants make their way from the Ritz, taking in Trafalgar Square and Whitehall, and passing Downing Street, to finish in Parliament Square.
“You can’t describe it,” Caroline, who has been running the equestrian element of the parade for over 10 years, told H&H. “You see the newbies do it, and when they come back, they’re absolutely mesmerised.”
Picture by Equipassion UK
Other participants in the parade include marching, concert and samba bands, choirs, dance groups, cheerleaders and carnival performers, not to mention dinosaurs.
“There are usually about 500,000 people on the route,” Caroline said. “They’ll be 10 to 15 deep, hanging out of windows, it’s massive.”
Anyone can apply to take part in All The Queen’s Horses, but there are strict criteria on the horses that go as they must be happy with the huge crowds, the noise and all the stopping and starting involved. The group came by its name as Caroline’s first time organising it was 2012, the year of the London Olympics and the late Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, and in honour of Her Majesty’s lifelong horsemanship.
One thing Caroline particularly enjoys is seeing the reaction of Londoners who may never have seen horses so close before.
Picture by Equipassion UK
“One little girl had never seen one,” she said. “I say to all the riders that as long as they’re careful, people can stroke the horses and it means a lot to me that people who aren’t as privileged as us – we can take it for granted – can engage with them.
“I was having emails at 2am the next day from people wanting to come next year. Everyone who comes wants to do it again.”
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An equine encyclopedia-worth of horses featured in this year's New Year's Day Parade in London last week (1 January) —
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