Fly de Vesquerie, the horse that helped Elodie Clouvel to a silver medal in the modern pentathlon in the Paris Olympics, is to be awarded France's Bronze Medal of National Defense, Agence France-Presse (AFP) learned on Friday, November 8, from the gendarmerie.

Fly de Vesquerie is one of four horses that will receive the medal at the headquarters of the Republican Guard in Paris on Monday ahead of the November 11 commemorations.

The Bronze Medal of National Defense rewards particularly honorable service by military personnel. Dogs, and even pigeons during the First World War, have already received such a medal, but this is the first time that horses will be decorated.

The Republic Guard made 20 horses available to the Olympic pentathletes. The other three to be honored are Dicton de Vesquerie, Dallones des Dunes and Fast du Pré.

On Fly de Vesquerie, French athlete Clouvel, who is a captain in the gendarmerie, won her second Olympic silver medal in the modern pentathlon, eight years after reaching the podium in Rio de Janeiro.