Woman bitten by King's Guard horse sends warning to others ahead of the coronation

A woman who was bitten by one of the King’s Guard horses has issued a warning to others who might want to have a pose and a picture with the animals.

Here's a video of what can happen if you get too close and the horse takes a turn:

Putting aside entirely the fact that they are working horses, and you probably shouldn’t be sticking your hands next to the mouth of any horse unless you’re happy to be bitten, there are also rules protecting these specific horses.

There are rules for the soldiers who make up the King’s Guard, but also rules for people who want to get close to them and their steeds, chief among them seemingly being - leave them alone as much as possible.

There’s even a sign warning you that they might bite or kick, if you needed further advice.

Don’t touch them if you can avoid it, they’re not props, nor are they actors, they’re actual honest-to-God horses, and - like all horses - you just might get a nip on the hand for your troubles.

That’s what happened to Kirsty Curtis, anyway.

Kirsty Curtis/Nigel Curtis

A few years ago, the 43-year-old was by one of the horses on Horse Guards Parade - where else? - when she decided to pose for a photo taken by her husband.

Instead, the horse snapped a bite at her arm at the crucial moment, meaning that there’s some very specific evidence of what happened to her.

While the bite did hurt and cause a bit of bruising, she didn’t ultimately end up having to go to hospital for it.

It left her with a warning to others, though.

She explained: “We had taken my father Peter to London to see where he lived, as he used to live in Walthamstow.

“We went to Parliament to see PMQ’s with David Cameron and decided to have a walk through Whitehall afterwards.

“My husband decided to take a picture of me in front of the horse, but suddenly it bit me. It was shocking and did cause pain, but it is our fault.

“The soldier looked down at me and I could see by his face he thought ‘another one!’

“I am an animal lover and we have to consider that these horses are just doing their job.

“If you get too close, you can pay the price.

“I would say to people who are coming to London for the coronation, not to fall in the same situation that I did. Be careful and keep your distance.”

Rik Hamilton/Alamy Stock Photo

This picture resurfaced after Kirsty’s husband Nigel spotted another story about a woman having her ponytail - ironically - chomped by a King’s Guard horse, sending his own photo into MailOnline.

So, let that be a lesson to you, if you’re travelling to London for the coronation, to protest against the coronation, or to go to watch Charlton Athletic - some people honestly do - then just remember, the King’s Guard horses aren’t there for your entertainment, and they are still horses.

Horses can bite you.

It's that simple, really.