Throughout my time photographing the Household Cavalry, I have had the honor of capturing portraits of high-ranking officers and troopers alike, from Lieutenant-Colonel Gaselee to the dedicated non-commissioned officers who uphold the traditions of the regiment. One such portrait features the Farrier Corporal of Horse, whose ceremonial axe is a poignant reminder of the practical and sometimes grim duties of the past, when horses would have to be euthanized on the battlefield. This axe, adorned with a spike, serves today as a symbolic link to the regiment’s storied history.