UK Military Revives Cavalry Skills for Modern Warfare

British Army Tests Camouflage for Combat Horses

23:59 12-09-2026

The British Army is testing camouflage for combat horses and training cavalry troops for reconnaissance and operations in forests, marshes and difficult terrain.

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The British military has begun field-testing specially designed camouflage for combat horses. The trials are being conducted by the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment at the Longmoor training area in Hampshire, according to the Mirror.

The military is practicing the use of horses for reconnaissance, covert movement and operations across difficult terrain. In developing the new tactics, the British Army is drawing on the experience of its allies, which has demonstrated the advantages of animals in areas where heavy military vehicles have limited mobility.

In particular, the experience of Estonian units showed that heavy vehicles can become bogged down in dense forests and marshy terrain, while horses remain highly mobile. During recent exercises at the Sandhurst training area, British cavalry troops also practiced navigating with maps and compasses on poor roads and amid the sound of gunfire.

The British military links the return to traditional cavalry skills to the realities of modern armed conflicts. Controlling a powerful and unpredictable animal in a stressful environment requires soldiers to make full use of their senses while maintaining awareness of the situation around them.

According to the military, this type of training develops a unique skill set and can turn cavalry troops into a versatile and formidable force capable of operating in harsh conditions and some of the world’s most inaccessible regions.