This is the shocking moment a Kingsguard horse bit a tourist after she touched the animal as she posed for a photo.
Video footage, which has gone viral on social media and has been viewed more than 855,000 times, shows the woman placing her hand on the horse’s neck as she poses for a photo.
The horse then swings its head towards the woman before clutching her sari.
She stumbles back in shock after being bitten and nearly falls over, but steady herself by placing her hands back on the stone wall.
The animal, ridden by a member of the Household Cavalry, was mounted next to a sign warning visitors: ‘Beware! Horses can kick or bite.’
The tourist can be seen placing her hand on the horse’s neck as she poses for a photo
The horse turns its head around before clinging to the woman’s sari
The tourist stumbled back and almost fell over, but grabbed the wall for support
Despite being considered tourist attractions by many, the Kingsguard is made up of elite serving soldiers tasked with protecting the life and property of the monarch.
The Kingsguard are generally not allowed to interact with the crowd, but may shout if they get too close or present their bayonets if they become aggressive.
The soldiers must allow nothing to distract them from their duties – with toilet breaks banned during two-hour shifts – and will march through everyone.
While tourists can take photos of them, armed police stationed nearby will intervene if they get too close or behave disrespectfully.
A sign next to the guard warns spectators that horses may kick or bite and tells them not to touch the reins.
This is the latest in a series of incidents where tourists have been bitten by a guard horse on duty.
Earlier this year, a female tourist who went looking for a photo with one of the famous security guards got much more than she bargained for when he bit her jacket and wouldn’t let go.
In a video clip, the young woman can be seen aligned with the horse’s head, ready for her photo opportunity.
While a sign next to the guard warns onlookers that horses can kick or bite, the woman can’t resist raising her hand in an attempt to pet the animal as it tilts its head to nuzzle her.
But as she does so, the horse bites the arm of her black puffer jacket and quickly pulls on it more and more aggressively.
Even as the woman tries to free herself from the horse, it remains attached to her jacket and, moving its head back and forth and up and down, pulls her back and forth with force.
While the woman showed signs of fear on her face, she seemed more shocked and bewildered by the experience than shocked.
In one incident, when a woman went to pet the horse’s face, it bit the arm of her jacket. Refusing to let go, he tugged at the coat, pulling her back and forth and up and down before finally letting go.
The tourist is seen trying to get away from the horse after it clung to her coat, but to no avail
When the horse lets go of her jacket after about five seconds of pulling, she looks noticeably relieved before giggling.
What seems to shock her most, however, is the hole in her coat that the horse bit into to reveal the stuffing.
A passerby asks: ‘Is your coat completely torn now?’ to which she replies with a sheepish “Yes.”
In September 2023, another tourist got a little too close to a King’s Guards horse and was shot by the soldier.
In the video, a crowd of tourists can be seen shouting for a mounted guard from the Horse Guard parade in Westminster.
In another video, a man was seen touching the reins of one of the horses
This caused the Royal Guard to shout, “Don’t touch the reins!”
Several nervous tourists are seen approaching the mounted pair, respecting their distance and posing for smiling photos.
Some brave souls are seen hesitantly placing their hands on the flanks of the huge horse, which the mounted guard graciously allows.
However, one tourist exceeded the limit and while trying to touch the horse, he tampered with the reins, causing the Kingsguard to shout, “Don’t touch the reins!”
The tourist is clearly shaken and backs away from the horse, raising his hand apologetically, as the crowd chatters nervously.