“If the terrain demands it, the cavalry will be ready”.
This is the message from the British Army, as it explains why it is “bringing back the war horse”.
Inspired by a new initiative in Estonia, the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment added a mounted navigation exercise to its annual Princess Elizabeth Cup competition, an event that evaluates state ceremonial turnout and riding ability.
“For hundreds of years, horses and soldiers were inseparable,” an Army spokesperson said.
“From ancient battlefields to the muddy trenches of the First World War, the cavalry charged into history together. Then came tanks, armoured vehicles and helicopters – and horses were left behind.
“But here’s the thing: they might be making a comeback.”
In Estonia, a group of volunteers including former soldiers have formed a mounted unit in the Estonian defence league.
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“Their idea is simple but bold: in thick forests and boggy ground where heavy military vehicles get stuck, horses can go anywhere,” the spokesperson said.
“Estonia’s army uses some seriously impressive kit; Swedish armoured fighting vehicles and Finnish all-terrain carriers. But this volunteer group believes that sometimes the oldest solution is the smartest one.
Soldiers from the Household Cavalry conduct navigation checks during the Princess Elizabeth Cup 2026 at Barossa Training Area.
As the methodologies of war are being reshaped by recent combat experience in Ukraine and the Middle East, some defence thinkers are revisiting an idea once considered obsolete: the use of horses in support of frontline forces. The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, renowned for its ceremonial role on black horses during Britain’s most prestigious state occasions, historically deployed these same animals in battle with deadly effectiveness. Although warhorses were largely replaced by mechanised forces in the 20th century, modern conflicts have highlighted environments where heavy vehicles struggle to operate. In response, a small group of enthusiasts in Estonia, including former soldiers, has formed a volunteer cavalry unit within the Defence League to explore how horses might perform in dense forests and difficult terrain. Their trials suggest that, in certain conditions, horses
(Image credit: Sergeant Anil Gurung)
“After testing their idea on exercises in southern Estonia, they say horses can outperform armoured vehicles in certain tough terrains. It sounds mad. But the British Army was listening.
“Inspired by the Estonian experiment, the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment recently added something brand new to their annual Princess Elizabeth Cup competition: a mounted navigation exercise.”
Soldiers had to navigate, on horses, across the “challenging terrain” of Barossa training area, at the the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, with only compasses and maps.
“It was pretty rough at the start trying to find my bearings,” said 21-year-old Trooper Newell. “It’s a completely different experience being mounted on a horse. There was thick gorse, deep mud and dense woodland.
“The horses loved it, but navigating with just a map and a compass in that terrain was tough.”
“The 77-year-old Princess Elizabeth Cup competition has been updated to reflect what the modern army actually needs,” the spokesperson said. “Soldiers are now tested on fitness, marksmanship, navigation and combat resilience – not just their riding and ceremonial skills.
“Nobody is suggesting cavalry horses will replace tanks. But pack animals have already been used by allied forces in the mountains of Afghanistan and in the Balkans in recent times. The lesson from Ukraine and the Middle East is clear: modern warfare demands creativity, adaptability and, sometimes, going back to basics. If the terrain demands it, the cavalry will be ready.”
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Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.
