A tourist was left hurt and shocked after being bitten by a King's Guard horse while posing for a picture in Whitehall.
The footage, which has now gone viral across X (formerly known as Twitter) and TikTok shows the woman wearing a black baseball cap with a Pink Floyd band T-shirt as she cries out in pain.
Despite not touching the horse, the animal then swung its head, bit her right arm and held on for a moment.
The woman quickly ran off to a crowd still showing her pain before crouching down to the floor.
Visitors of the Household Cavalry Museum were checking over the woman and her injuries that did not look serious before she suddenly passed out.
Women bit by King's Guard horse
King Charles’ guard horse bites tourist who got close for a photo. pic.twitter.com/TIh5bzupp1
— Pop Base (@PopBase) July 22, 2024
Tourists are warned that horses may bite and not to get too close as a sign next to the station and the King's Guard reads: "Beware, horse may kick or bite. Don’t touch the reins, thank you."
Following the video, the Army shared a statement, sharing: "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.”
It's not the first time a King's Guard horse has bitten a tourist, as recent videos show the horses on duty swinging their heads toward guests getting photos.
Speaking to the Standard, Horse behaviour expert Suzanne Rogers said: “These horses are highly trained but they are made to stand in a small area for long periods of time.
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“So it might not be what the tourists themselves did - it might be the result of a lot of triggers.
“It’s interesting because there’s a sign directly next to the horse that says the horses may bite or kick and ‘please don’t touch the reins’.
“Maybe they should say ‘please don’t touch any part of the horse’, because it’s being in that close proximity to multiple people over a long period that the horses can, feel very uncomfortable with.”
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