Mounted and Riot police...

Cadfael&Coffee

Cadfael&Coffee

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Just watching the footage from Tottenham, and although I fully support the use of horses to dispel riots etc, I can't help but think that they don't have very much protection, especially down their flanks and chests.

Is this a practical/ time thing? Or is it just not something which they feel is required? Obviously they have head protection, but is that really enough?

:):)
 
Legs and heads fully protected the rest relies on muscle mass to protect the horse. Not sure how you could practically protect the rest of the horse.
 
In theory I agree with you, but where do you stop? Someone determined could injure a horse by stabbing it in the belly or heart, hamstringing it - the possibilities ae endless. But the horse needs freedom of movement and some manoeuvreability in order to be able to do its job. You can't really encase them in armour.

I've had a little bit to do with police and police horses in the past, and a thing I was told on several occasions is that people who have attacked police horses often find the crowd turns on THEM - a very satisfying thought!
 
Haha should bloody hope so!!!

And Tbf, a lightweight but reinforced full exercise sheet would more than do the job, but again, if it's not needed then indeed, why bother.

I suppose as well, most city thugs will be terrified of horses!!!
 
Kevlar excercise sheet maybe - but then you have people pulling them off and they cause more potential hassle than nothing... its an interesting question.

Suit of armour I suggest :D
 
Cadfael&Coffee said:
Out of interest, does anyone know if any horses have sustained injuries in riots and such in the past, and what kind of injuries etc?

I've not thought about it before, but am very interested!! :):)
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Never heard of any horses been injured, but i remember watching the riots in london last year and saw an officer being dragged from his big horse by some of the protestors, left me a bit stunned, couldnt beleive what i was seeing.
 
BoolavogueDC said:
Kevlar excercise sheet maybe - but then you have people pulling them off and they cause more potential hassle than nothing... its an interesting question.

Suit of armour I suggest :D
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Yes I was imagining some sort of Camelot style horse armour :D

The noise would be tremendous clanking down the high street.
 
CaveCanem said:
Seven, actually, probably before you were both born :o and not long after I was...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/july/20/newsid_2515000/2515343.stm
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Am very sorry my history isn't quite up to scratch, I knew at least one was killed. And you're right, it was about 20 years before I was born, but we did study it in school for 2 years (and very oddly for NI, our history had a neutral stance...) which I know is not quite living through it but is the only "experience" I have of it.

Big T little t, tbh I would rather the little t as some people place a lot of emphasis on what has happened instead of moving forward (not aimed at you btw :) ) as a general observation. Musings of an undergrad :p
 
Wasn't being snarky, sorry if it came across like that - I do recommend a book called Lost Lives, if you haven't read it already - grim reading but very informative and in a format that you can leave for weeks and months if you want and go back to, or go to certain times and dates :)

Sorry for going OT :o
 
I worked for several years for the Police at a station in London where the police horses were stabled. My OH is a serving Police Officer, so I am in no way, anti-police, but I don't agree with the use of police horses whatsoever in any situation, sorry. Never have, never will.
 
I think they are well protected and luckily there's no recent incidents to suggest that need further protection, i.e stabbing etc...

I agree with the use of them but HATE seeing scumbags (sorry but they aren't protestors!) throw objects at them or hit them in any way, shape or form.

I think any further protection would be too heavy and hot, but mainly because it gives something for them to 'grab' onto I guess... If their brave enough to get that close :p

I've been lucky enough to spend some time working at a mounted branch and have seen the kit which is pretty impressive and protective.

I just hope all the officers and horses involved in tottenham remain safe and not seriously injured.
 
Holly Hocks said:
I worked for several years for the Police at a station in London where the police horses were stabled. My OH is a serving Police Officer, so I am in no way, anti-police, but I don't agree with the use of police horses whatsoever in any situation, sorry. Never have, never will.
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that's an interesting stance, may i ask why? especially since you have such close experience :)
 
Cadfael&Coffee said:
that's an interesting stance, may i ask why? especially since you have such close experience :)
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Hi. It's probably because I prefer horses to have a more "natural" lifestyle. The place I was stationed at in London had the stables at the back of the yard, in a totally enclosed building. They were stabled 24/7, apart from about the bit of exercise they had that day. I went out with one of the mounted officers for a while, and was friendly with all of them, but I didn't like their attitude to their horses - they were just a piece of police equipment to them, like the baton or cuffs. I also feel that problems made by humans should be sorted by humans, not using animals as their shield.
I also saw some pretty shoddy behaviour by Police dog handlers towards their dogs as well - not in London, but in the rural force I moved to afterwards. Some prisoners were brought in and their car had been seized and was in the yard of the station. The car had two dogs in. I offered to go and get the dogs out and put them in the kennels. The first dog came out fine, but the other one was shaking and whimpering on the back seat, and clearly terrified. It was only a little dog - looked something like a maltese type. I was trying to coax the dog out when an obnoxious dog handler told me to get out the way and he would deal with it. He reached in and grabbed the dog by it's scruff and dragged the poor thing shrieking from the car, and then threw it on the ground....I still feel totally bitter that I never had the guts to report him.
 
highlandponygirl said:
Never heard of any horses been injured, but i remember watching the riots in london last year and saw an officer being dragged from his big horse by some of the protestors, left me a bit stunned, couldnt beleive what i was seeing.
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Those photos were a bit shocking, but were actually caused by the rider in question not tightening his girth :o

Luckily no horses were actually harmed during those riots last year, although they had a hell of a job getting the paint off them that some idiots threw at them :(
 
Not all yards are like the one described above

Kirkley Hall is round the corner from me and the police horses there have acres of turnout.

I wonder if police horses are alternated?
 
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