Brave horse who led Queen's funeral procession awarded the OBE
ok.co.ukA horse named Lord Firebrand, who led the procession of Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall on 14 September 2022 has been awarded the PDSA Order of Merit, the animal equivalent of an OBE.The horse, who is known by the nickname Yogi, received the award in recognition of his outstanding devotion to society, that included his role in the funeral procession and other royal occasions.
Yogi is a military working horse, and was part of the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery in Woolwich up until his retirement in December 2023.The PDSA, the UK veterinary charity, said he had provided “unique emotional support” to his riders during his prestigious career and had appeared at official ceremonies including the state opening of Parliament, the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, state visits and Trooping the Colour.
His rider, Captain Amy Cooper said: "Yogi is always the first choice for any parade commander," and that the horse was the only one she could trust to deliver “such a high profile parade, under such scrutiny and pressure.” The director general of the PDSA, Jan McLoughlin, said “Yogi went beyond his general role and responsibility by supporting his rider during high-pressure occasions." The PDSA has a variety of special awards for animals, beginning with the Dickin Medal that was launched in 1943 to acknowledge outstanding acts of bravery by animals serving in the armed forces, that is deemed equivalent to the Victoria Cross and is named after PDSA founder Maria Dickin.The medal was awarded 54 times between 1943 and 1949, to 32 pigeons, three horses, 18 dogs and a ship’s cat.
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