Rome is renowned as an exciting city, always buzzing with traffic, incredible sights and sounds, and crowded with people. However, on Friday, May 29, the streets were even busier than normal as 30 loose military horses ran amok after someone set off fireworks, causing panic outside their temporary stables at the Baths of Caracalla. <\/p>\n
The Carabinieri horses were there to rehearse for the Festa della Repubblica parade on June 2 when this happened. It was at 11:30 pm<\/a> that the horses\u2019 riders had dismounted following their training sessions, with bridles left loose on several of the animals at their temporary stables next to the Baths of Caracalla.
<\/p>\n Suddenly, drunken motorcyclists close to the site launched fireworks with no warning, and this reckless act sent the horses galloping off in a panic, through the heavy traffic, with no riders to keep them in check. The horses charged onto Via Cristoforo Colombo in full, panicked flight.
<\/p>\n As reported by Reuters<\/a>, some of the horses covered some 13 km (8 mi) before they were recaptured. Meanwhile, one artillery piece from the Voloire unit abruptly halted when its cannon swung sideways, blocking its attached animals. While the panic continued, many locals took videos of the surreal sight of the beautiful horses, making their way through vehicles, while police and soldiers gave chase on foot and on horseback.<\/p>\n Translation: #wild #carabinieri horses galloping down Cristoforo Colombo amidst the cars. I barely dodged one. It could have been a massacre. Madness in #roma.<\/p>\n One horse was injured after colliding with a Smart car during the panicked escape. Meanwhile, around fifteen people in the city center were injured, some seriously. Among them were at least one mounted police woman and two army soldiers who needed medical attention from falls and collisions in the mayhem created by the panicking horses.
<\/p>\n Due to the chaos, veterinarians were called in from several military units to treat the horses that had suffered trauma in the mad race. One of the horses reportedly suffered potentially lasting damage. Besides the people and the horses themselves, a number of vehicles suffered scrapes and dents after colliding<\/a> with the fleeing horses.
<\/p>\n It didn\u2019t take long for the Italian Special Investigations officers from Digos to identify the suspects linked to the sudden firework display. According to evidence, the drunken motorcyclists set off the fireworks close to the military rehearsal area in the city. What was supposed to be a routine preparation night for the upcoming parade quickly turned into a major incident in one of Rome\u2019s major streets.
<\/p>\n Once calm returned, officers from the Carabinieri, army regiments, and state police gathered together, with anger among the riders over the panic of their mounts. However, most were determined to resume their training sessions immediately to prepare for the upcoming national celebration<\/a> in the city.
<\/p>\n The Carabinieri mounted teams consider their horses true working partners, rather than ceremonial additions. During the day, their service faces unique obstacles, calling for close coordination between the riders and the horses. Meanwhile, the riders speak of an irreplaceable bond with their horses which makes their role distinct from other equestrian units.
<\/p>\n Following the incident, riders and horses are focusing their efforts on preparing for the celebrations on Tuesday, June 2. Authorities in Rome are also making efforts to prepare for future events in order to prevent similar disruptions.
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