Brave horse who led Queen's funeral procession awarded the OBE
A 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. A special version of the medal was awarded in 2014 to all the animals who served in World War I.
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The PDSA Gold Medal was added in 2002 as an animal equivalent to the George Cross (for gallantry not in the presence of an enemy) and in 2014 the PDSA Order of Merit was first awarded for animal devotion. More than 12 horses and 20 dogs have received the award, and the first pet to receive it was Max, an English Springer Spaniel who was a therapy dog who helped his owner, Kerry Irving, recuperate from serious injuries after a road traffic accident. Max became a social media star during the pandemic after Kerry created the online page Max Out in the Lake District and streamed their daily walks, which became hugely popular and helped Kerry raise large sums of money for charity.
