It says a lot about our turbulent times that we’ve started seeking omens in random events
to a standstill. Five working animals from the Household Cavalry, based at Hyde Park barracks, were on exercise when they were spooked by noises from a building site and dramatically broke loose.
The equine escapees caused chaos bolting through the capital, colliding with vehicles and startling pedestrians. They galloped for six miles, making it as far as Limehouse in the East End.. Two horses were left in serious condition. The footage was mesmerising, the images indelible. It elicited a giddy mix of fear and excitement, reminiscent of when a bird flies through an open window.
The saga of the fugitive nags gripped the nation. All day, #horses was a trending topic on social media, as if this was ye olde days. One ingenious Londoner swiftly mapped out a tribute pub crawl, following their route. Some speculated that the steeds were recreating the London Marathon, or relocating east for the buzzier social scene and saner property prices. Even a certain toff troubadour got involved.
What does it say about us that we’re now prepared to indulge these thoughts? In these turbulent times, we see signs of catastrophe everywhere. Similar feelings were sparked by this month’s. Since the Covid pandemic, itself a sort of medieval plague, we’ve become more prone to interpreting random events as portents of disaster. High winds, hailstones or rampaging bloodied horses, suddenly it all feels like the end of days. If the ravens leave the Tower too, we’re really in trouble.
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