Sefton (Horse)
Encyclopedia
Sefton was a horse
who served with the British Army
for 17 years from 1967 to 1984, coming to prominence when he was critically injured in the Hyde Park and Regent's Park bombings which killed seven other horses, and four soldiers. He recovered sufficiently to return to active service and was subsequently awarded "Horse of the Year". Sefton became one of the first horses to be placed in the British Horse Society
's equestrian Hall of Fame, and with an annual award named after him.
. This was a remarkable feat because at the time the regiment only allowed black horses ; Sefton had a white blaze
and white socks
.
, with 15 other horses from his regiment. A car-mounted nail bomb
planted by the IRA
detonated on South Carriage Drive in Hyde Park
, killing three soldiers and seven horses of the Blues and Royals
instantly. Another soldier was fatally injured; Sefton and eight of his stablemates also sustained injuries.. A second explosion two hours later in Regents Park killed another seven soldiers.
Sefton's injuries were serious: they included a severed jugular vein
, wounded left eye, and 34 wounds over his body. His rider Trooper Pederson noted that Sefton responded so compentently that when the bomb exploded there was no chance of his being thrown. After dismounting, Pederson, who was still in full state kit and in severe shock, could do little to help Sefton. Another soldier, one of many who had run down from the barracks after hearing the huge explosion, took off his shirt and used it to apply pressure to Sefton's severe neck wound.
s gave him a 50/50 chance of surviving the shock and extreme blood loss. Over the next months he made continual progress and his nurse was quoted "He took everything in his stride". . During his time in the hospital he received huge quantities of cards and mints; donations reaching almost $1,000,000 were collected to construct a new surgical wing at Royal Veterinary College
which was named the Sefton Surgical Wing.
, and with Pederson back in the saddle took centre stage at the Horse of the Year Show
, to a standing ovation.
On 29 August 1984 Sefton retired from the Household Cavalry, and moved to the Home of Rest For Horses at Speen
, Buckinghamshire
where he lived to the age of 30 before having to be put down on 9 July 1993 due to incurable lameness
as a complication of the injuries suffered during the bombing.
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
who served with the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
for 17 years from 1967 to 1984, coming to prominence when he was critically injured in the Hyde Park and Regent's Park bombings which killed seven other horses, and four soldiers. He recovered sufficiently to return to active service and was subsequently awarded "Horse of the Year". Sefton became one of the first horses to be placed in the British Horse Society
British Horse Society
The British Horse Society is a membership-based equine charity, with a stated vision of "a society which provides a strong voice for horses and people and which spreads awareness through support, training and education"...
's equestrian Hall of Fame, and with an annual award named after him.
Early life
Sefton joined the British Army in 1967 starting as a riding school horse, and he quickly became a favourite among new recruits. By 1975 he had joined the Household Cavalry Mounted RegimentHousehold Cavalry Mounted Regiment
The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment is a ceremonial cavalry regiment of the British Army. It is classed as a regiment of guards, and carries out mounted ceremonial duties on State and Royal occasions. These include the provision of the Sovereign's Escort, most commonly seen at the present...
. This was a remarkable feat because at the time the regiment only allowed black horses ; Sefton had a white blaze
Horse markings
Markings on horses usually are distinctive white areas on an otherwise dark base coat color. Most horses have some markings, and they help to identify the horse as a unique individual. Markings are present at birth and do not change over the course of the horse's life...
and white socks
Horse markings
Markings on horses usually are distinctive white areas on an otherwise dark base coat color. Most horses have some markings, and they help to identify the horse as a unique individual. Markings are present at birth and do not change over the course of the horse's life...
.
The IRA bombing
On 20 July 1982 at 10:40a.m Sefton was en route to the traditional Changing of the GuardGuard Mounting
Guard Mounting, or Changing the Guard , refers to a formal ceremony in which sentries providing ceremonial guard duties at important institutions are relieved by a new batch of sentries...
, with 15 other horses from his regiment. A car-mounted nail bomb
Nail bomb
The nail bomb is an anti-personnel explosive device packed with nails to increase its wounding ability. The nails act as shrapnel, leading almost certainly to greater loss of life and injury in inhabited areas than the explosives alone would. The nail bomb is also a type of flechette weapon...
planted by the IRA
Provisional Irish Republican Army
The Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
detonated on South Carriage Drive in Hyde Park
Hyde Park, London
Hyde Park is one of the largest parks in central London, United Kingdom, and one of the Royal Parks of London, famous for its Speakers' Corner.The park is divided in two by the Serpentine...
, killing three soldiers and seven horses of the Blues and Royals
Blues and Royals
The Blues and Royals is a cavalry regiment of the British Army, part of the Household Cavalry. The Colonel-in-Chief is Her Majesty The Queen and the Colonel is HRH The Princess Royal...
instantly. Another soldier was fatally injured; Sefton and eight of his stablemates also sustained injuries.. A second explosion two hours later in Regents Park killed another seven soldiers.
Sefton's injuries were serious: they included a severed jugular vein
Jugular vein
The jugular veins are veins that bring deoxygenated blood from the head back to the heart via the superior vena cava.-Internal and external:There are two sets of jugular veins: external and internal....
, wounded left eye, and 34 wounds over his body. His rider Trooper Pederson noted that Sefton responded so compentently that when the bomb exploded there was no chance of his being thrown. After dismounting, Pederson, who was still in full state kit and in severe shock, could do little to help Sefton. Another soldier, one of many who had run down from the barracks after hearing the huge explosion, took off his shirt and used it to apply pressure to Sefton's severe neck wound.
The recovery
Sefton endured 8 hours of surgery - a record length for horse surgery in 1982 . Each of his 34 wounds were potentially life-threatening; some included dislodging shrapnel from bone. That evening after surgery the veterinarianVeterinarian
A veterinary physician, colloquially called a vet, shortened from veterinarian or veterinary surgeon , is a professional who treats disease, disorder and injury in animals....
s gave him a 50/50 chance of surviving the shock and extreme blood loss. Over the next months he made continual progress and his nurse was quoted "He took everything in his stride". . During his time in the hospital he received huge quantities of cards and mints; donations reaching almost $1,000,000 were collected to construct a new surgical wing at Royal Veterinary College
Royal Veterinary College
The Royal Veterinary College is a veterinary school located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. The RVC was founded in 1791 and joined the University of London in 1949...
which was named the Sefton Surgical Wing.
Horse of the Year
Sefton returned to his duties with his regiment, and he often passed the exact spot where he had received such horrific injuries. That year he was awarded Horse of the YearHorse of the Year
Horse of the Year is an honor given by various organizations worldwide in harness racing and thoroughbred horse racing.Some of the awards include:* Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year* Breeders' Cup World Championships Poll* European Horse of the Year...
, and with Pederson back in the saddle took centre stage at the Horse of the Year Show
Horse of the Year Show
The Horse of the Year Show - also known as HOYS - was founded to be a culmination of the British equestrian events year. Because of this, the show needed to be held indoors, making it a unique event....
, to a standing ovation.
On 29 August 1984 Sefton retired from the Household Cavalry, and moved to the Home of Rest For Horses at Speen
Speen, Buckinghamshire
Speen is a village in the parish of Princes Risborough, in Buckinghamshire, England. It is located in the Chiltern Hills, about three miles south east of the main town.The village name is Anglo Saxon in origin, and means 'wood chips'...
, Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
where he lived to the age of 30 before having to be put down on 9 July 1993 due to incurable lameness
Lameness (equine)
Lameness in horses and other equidae is a term used to refer to any number of conditions where the animal fails to travel in a regular and sound manner on all four feet...
as a complication of the injuries suffered during the bombing.