Forces TV.

The recent unveiling of the War Horse Memorial was covered by Forces TV.

A War Horse Statue Is Unveiled In Ascot.

A national memorial dedicated to the millions of horses, mules and donkeys which died during World War One has been unveiled in Ascot.

The bronze statue took four years to make; people came from all over Britain and as far afield as New Zealand to show their support for the sacrifices the animals gave during the conflict.

The bronze war horse weighs 1.5 tonnes and stands on a three-metre high stone plinth, in the middle of a roundabout in Ascot high street.

During the unveiling, a minute’s silence was held as a mark of respect.

The Guides and Brownies named the bronze horse Poppy the War house.

Underneath lies a sealed chamber which contains significant artefacts from the Great War.

The memorabilia includes medals, coins and buttons collected from across the UK and even barbed wire from No Mans Land.

Around 8million horses died in WW1.

The sculptor, Susan Leyland says the project has been “physically tiring and emotionally difficult“.

“It’s not just a horse standing there looking pretty – she has something to say.”

Colonel Barry Jenkins, Colonel Commandant Royal Regiment of Artillery said: “The Great War was pretty grubby, bloody and muddy – and actually I think she’s brought that to life with the barbed wire.”

Colonel Jenkins added that the barbed wire showed the suffering the horses went through.

“These were beautiful beasts but just look at what they had to go through.”

It’s hoped the statue will put a fresh focus on the service and sacrifice of horses during conflict and is now on show in Ascot.