NYC Police horses

[Laurierace]

We were at the last game ever in Yankee stadium last Sunday night. When they made the last out the outfield gates sprang open and about 100 SWAT team members stormed the field followed by 12 or more mounted police. It was so surreal. At one point a guy jumped out of the stands and made a break right for the horses, it looked like he was going to grab one of them. The horse just stepped out of the way while like 20 guys pummeled him into the turf.

[Tiz]

Oh, Yankee Stadium, that makes me sad.

I love to see any horse doing their job well, from racehorses to bucking horses. Police horses, and the people who train and prepare them for that job, are in a special category.

[docjocoy]

Remember Wade Boggs in the 1996 World Series, riding the police horse around Yankee Stadium after the Yankees won?

[Mahubah]

Police horses are just wonderful animals. The now-defunct Opryland theme park in Nashville, TN, used to have a mounted patrol on Tennessee Walking Horses in the parking lot -- they said it really cut down on thefts from the cars (a mounted man can see a long way), and it helped make for good relations between the customers and the security force, since everyone wanted to pet and admire the horses and it defused any anti-cop feelings.

[Sysonby]

The first horse I ever saw live was a police horse when I was probably 4. I ran up to him and hugged his front legs. In retrospect, it's amazing I'm still around.

[Toccet02]

The first horse I ever saw live was a police horse when I was probably 4. I ran up to him and hugged his front legs. In retrospect, it's amazing I'm still around.

Oh yeah---but as I've said, they understand context and probably wouldn't have hurt you.

When I was 15, I decided to have my picture taken with a carriage horse in Central Park. I stood by his neck, and he turned his head around to give me a gentle, perhaps only curious nip. All I know is that through my shirt AND wool blazer, I felt incredible pressure and my arm went sort of numb-icy cold. I know he could have broken the skin if he wanted to.
Made me afraid of horses for years. I got over it.

[Bondama]

I found some nice photos on the net, so am posting to share them. Also found the one referenced above with Wade Boggs.

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I guess this is what they get transported in:

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I'd be curious to see their living arrangements, myself! Interesting to note, too, that the US Border Patrol has a large mounted unit....lol, that would be a fun job, wouldn't it?

[Strategic Maneuver]

If memory serves me correctly, quite some time ago, NYC almost lost their mounted patrol due to lack of funding for the horses and Ross Perot stepped in and kept it going. NOPD also has some wonderful horses that are amazing at handling the drunken crowds in the French Quarter. I am always in awe of their training and calmness.

[Toccet02]

I'd be curious to see their living arrangements, myself! Interesting to note, too, that the US Border Patrol has a large mounted unit....lol, that would be a fun job, wouldn't it?

This should answer that question and provide a chuckle.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/03/nyregion/03horse.html

[kathya11]

Remember Wade Boggs in the 1996 World Series, riding the police horse around Yankee Stadium after the Yankees won?

That was great to see -- it was the icing on the cake of the first Yankee WS win in 18 years.

I'm just sorry we missed so much of it. We came back from a commercial to see Boggs already mounted. The mounted officer was reprimanded for it, BTW.

[Lucy]

Resurrecting an old thread...last month I had a run-in with one of Boston's Finest, and got to take a couple quick photos of his horse.

Turns out the big (they are indeed 17h+) black horses I've seen around town are Percheron/TB crosses. The officer was impressed I could tell that. He was even more impressed when the horse gobbled up the strap to my camera bag, and rather than shrieking in terror, I nonchalantly stuck my thumb in the corner of his mouth to retrieve it.

[KBEquine]

. . . NOPD also has some wonderful horses that are amazing at handling the drunken crowds in the French Quarter. I am always in awe of their training and calmness.

I have a great memory of celebrating New Years several decades ago in the French Quarter. By midnight, I'd stepped out of the crowd to have a heart-to-heart with the police horse. Kissed him at midnight, too. [Still talking about the horse.]

Mounted patrols also sometimes compete for charity at horse shows. I remember teams from various police forces at the Quentin Riding Club, doing the obstacle course, which included "wino on a bench" - rattling his newspaper blanket when he sat up as the horse approached & "guy starting a chain saw".

At the beginning of the competition, the different teams paraded into the ring in dress uniforms, except one group that just looked out of place. They were largely mounted on TBs & wearing hacking jackets, etc., and looked like they'd made a wrong turn on the way to a foxhunt. We all wondered who they were.

Turns out they were the secret service.

[Toccet02]

Lucy--nice pics! But did they have the huge round hairy feet??
Doesn't look like it from your pic...I wonder what cross NYC uses. Looks like Fresian and Tbred!

[Lucy]

The feet were pretty big....definitely didn't get 'em from the TB side of the family. Not overly hairy, though.

You'll have to sneak a photo of one of the NYC critters. I'm curious too! They could also be crossing TB's with Clydes or Shires, which would be bigger, calmer, and cheaper to obtain than a Fresian.

[Toccet02]

Maybe there will be some in the parade tomorrow . . .
I'm just taking a break after baking 2 apple pies (one for the landlord), one pumpkin, the cranberry sauce (with orange and cinnamon), and real vanilla bean ice cream.
Then, housework. Then tomorrow, cook the meat and veggies!

Hope y'all have a great Thanksgiving