Police Horses

[Kate_13]

A random post, but I work in london and I have the pleasure of bumping into police horses regularly.

I am so amazed at how well behaved/ trained they are. We roar around on blue lights and sirens and they don't move! (I turn my sirens off but my non horsey colleagues sometimes forget!)

If an ambulance went past my horse on sirens and lights I would be needing the ambulance!

How do they get these horses so well trained? Might pop into the police station and ask!

 

[_basil_]

http://www.met.police.uk/mountedbranch/training.htm try this for some info. Amazing though how bombproof they get them isnt it?

 

[debbielinder]

my horse isnt fased by them either has jumped once or twice when theyve come up quickly behind her but doesnt usually bother tho most of the police by us turn their sirens off when they see us, tho a policeman once pulled up[ and told me we shouldnt be riding on a road! mad give him an earfull

 

[Baggybreeches]

Mine have never bothered with sirens and blues, wouldnt it be great to get in their heads!

 

[wizzi901]

our yard owner always has ex police horses, the last three she has had their names have begin with a Z!!! Apparently they name them in turn and go through the whole alphabet.

 

[Christmas_Kate]

they choose horses for their laid back temperaments, and work on them. They have to pass loads of tests before they go to work for the force.

 

[apkelly01]

Hi,
Two words can sum up why these horse are sooo well behaved.........Irish Draught!!

Irish Draughts are desired as police horses because of their excellent temperament, bravery, trainability, excellent soundness and down right sensibility.

I have owned an Irish Draught and I haven't done any of the intense training police horses have received, yet she has passed objects that would send other horses running! On a road hack, on one stretch of road they were constructing a new house and gates. First I pass a huge artic lorry with A-frames for roofs on it trailer. It was followed by a huge crane type truck to unload the first truck's cargo. She passed it as if it wasn't there! After them, on the same stretch of road I met a guy cutting stone with a grinder thingy. Sparks and dust were shooting across the road. He didn't see me and couldn't hear me as I asked him to turn off his equipment so I decided to pass anyway. She walked through the sparks/dust and was more interested in what the man was doing then scared of him!

It's a shame they are a rare breed (only 2000 registered mares worldwide!!).

Sorry for spouting on, just proud of the breed and always trying to promote them!!

 

[mandycrosby77]

My mother used to be the seargent of a mounted section,and some of the horses are not as good as others,they had a couple of horses that were not bombproof,like some one else said they go for irish draught types, and alot of training, many horses fail,at our yard a 17.3 irish draught x went to greater manchester police on trial and he came back as he would not go down a dark tunnel,i think there is a long process to get the amazing horses we see on our streets, the only down side is if a horse fails it can then have many problems when its returned.

 

[Chex]

At PC camp we went to a police horse stables. They told us about all the bombproofing they do, they spend ages getting them used to every eventuality. They gave us all tennis balls to throw at the horse and rider (across the school, not from a foot away!) to show how bombproof they were, which I thought was a little cruel lol.

 

[evsj]

[ QUOTE ]
our yard owner always has ex police horses, the last three she has had their names have begin with a Z!!! Apparently they name them in turn and go through the whole alphabet.

[/ QUOTE ]

The army do the same. I think they source their horses from the same area of Ireland. I love watching police horses at work, fab looking animals and you can see them watching all the goings on with great interest.

Just a shame they have to get involved in ugly scenes such as football riots where some get injured.