[4][5] Sefton was born in July 1963 in County Waterford, Ireland, as a cross between an Irish Draught mare and a local thoroughbred stallion (thought to have been called Honour's Choice).

He joined the Weser Vale Hunt, a bloodhound pack set up by Captain Bill Stringer, chasing volunteer runners.

A car-mounted nail bomb planted by the IRA detonated on South Carriage Drive in Hyde Park, hitting the formation of horses and riders from the Blues and Royals.

Echo, a "grey" Metropolitan Police horse who was escorting the troop, was hit by shrapnel and Yeti, a "Cav Black", although not physically wounded, suffered nerve damage and was traumatised by the attack.

The sound of the explosion alerted a number of soldiers still in the barracks, and many of them ran to the scene, including regimental commander Andrew Parker Bowles and veterinary officer, Major Noel Carding.

[2] Initially Parker Bowles ordered Sefton's handler to take off his shirt to staunch the horses bleeding; this proved impossible as the groom's hand had been pierced by a four-inch nail.

[2] Carding, the civilian vets, farriers and troopers managed to save all of the horses who were brought back to barracks from the explosion scene.

[4] In 2013, a statue of Sefton was unveiled at the Royal Veterinary College in honour of the retired Professor Peter Lees and funded by Lord Ballyedmond.