Long-serving royal drum horse dies

Constantine, 25, a 17.1-hand blue roan gelding described by a staff member as being like a big cuddly bear, had a high-profile career working for the Household Cavalry, which is based at Hyde Park Barracks in Knightsbridge.

He took part in the annual Trooping the Colour ceremony for nearly every year of his 20 years' service and was also involved in many other high-profile state occasions such as The Queen's Golden Jubilee Celebration and the State Opening of Parliament.

"He was everything you could have asked for from a drum horse - he was always reliable and up to the mark. If you wanted to understand the prototype for a drum horse, he was it," according to army staff that worked with him.

Constantine was also one of the Household Cavalry horses that took part in an event at the Swiss resort of St Moritz to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Cartier Polo World Cup on Snow in 2004.

Constantine, who was also known as Eric by staff and visitors to The Horse Trust, retired to the sanctuary in 2007. He died of natural causes on Boxing Day.

Charlotte Pardon, head groom at the trust, said Constantine would be missed by the staff and visitors.

"Eric was like a big cuddly bear - he was gentle, obliging and well behaved. Everyone will really miss him," said Charlotte.

Eric's death comes only a few months after the sanctuary lost another drum horse - Janus, who passed away in September 2009. There is now only one drum horse left at the sanctuary - Leonidas (Leo).

"Leo had shared his barn with Eric and doesn't like to be on his own, so we have moved another horse - an ex-police horse called Dombey - into his stable. Leo seems to have adjusted to the change and is getting on well with Dombey - they groom each other and share hay together," said Charlotte.

Constantine, Leonidas and Janus in their field at The Horse Trust. The trio were inseparable.