The Swedish mounted main guard

The mounted main guard in Stockholm is carried out by Livgardets Dragoner. In accordance with the traditions of the state ceremonial, it participates in parades and processions on national days, royal days of celebration and at state representations.

Location: Stockholm

Uniformsklädda ryttare på bruna hästar i rad på slottsgård.

Photo: Marielle Andersson Gueye.

Mounted guards have existed in Sweden since 1536, but the main guard, in its present form, dates from 1906 in the heydays of the cavalry.

The duty of the guard is to protect the Head of State and his family by guarding the royal palaces. The guard is regularly relieved by a new force marching through the city under ceremonial forms, the guard parade. During the summer months, this is carried out on certain occasions by a mounted force, where both horses and riders are traditionally equipped as cavalry military in the late 19th century.

The Swedish mounted main guard has few counterparts in the world and parades together with mounted music band, the Life Guard's Dragoon Music Band. The riders soldiers trained both in traditional horsemanship and martial arts, among other things saber drills. The Föreningen för den Beridna Högvakten sees as its most important tasks to preserve the cavalry’s traditions, know-how and tasks in the state ceremonial as being an example for riding-interested Sweden in terms of horse training, horse riding and horse welfare. The horses are carefully selected for their traditional task both in terms of exterior, race and temperament.

Uniformsklädda ryttare på bruna hästar i parad på slottsgård.

Photo: Marielle Andersson Gueye.