A number of military horses, including one covered in blood, ran amok on the streets of central London and injured at least four people on Wednesday.

The bizarre scenes unfolded in the heart of London, near Buckingham Palace and the seat of the British government, with the runaway animals galloping past bewildered Londoners going about their morning commute.

“A number of military working horses became loose during a routine exercise this morning. All of the horses have now been recovered and returned to camp,” a British army spokesperson said in a statement.

“A number of personnel and horses have been injured and are receiving the appropriate medical attention.”

Medical authorities said four people had been taken to hospital after being injured. Television images showed one saddled white horse seemingly covered in blood running through the street alongside another, black one.

London’s Metropolitan Police had said initially that authorities were working to locate “a number of horses that are currently loose in central London”, before confirming later that the animals had been all been accounted for.

The horses belong to the Household Cavalry, which acts as the British monarch’s official bodyguard and takes part in ceremonial duties. They are garrisoned at Hyde Park barracks, less than a mile away from Buckingham Palace.