Brave police horses take a well-earned break at The Horse Trust
By Katy Islip
General news
08 February 2012 16:49
Two Metropolitan Police horses have arrived at a horse charity’s sanctuary to put their hooves up and relax.
Chiswick, whose stable name is Daniel, will spend two to three months resting at The Horse Trust’s Home of Rest for Horses, in Buckinghamshire, after travelling from the Met’s Hyde Park Stables.
He was accompanied by fellow service horse Brigadier, who has been permanently retired as he can no longer be ridden due to arthritis.
Shirley Abbott, yard manager at The Horse Trust, said: “We are thrilled to provide a well-earned rest for such a brave horse as Chiswick and also a permanent, gentle retirement for Brigadier after his many years of faithful service, and who will need special care and medication as he suffers from Cushing’s disease as well as his arthritis.”
Chiswick’s holiday sees him take a break from operational duties which have included patrolling London’s royal parks, controlling football crowds and acting as a ceremonial escort to the Queen’s Life Guard and the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace.
The 17.3hh gelding showed his courageous nature during the 2010 student riots, where he bravely jumped burning barricades while helping restore order, and his striking black colour and confident nature has seen him join the Black Escort, a group of horses used for state funerals where the Inspector of the Mounted Branch leads the procession.
His rider, police officer Mick Wass, helped settle Chiswick in at The Horse Trust.
He said: “I can think of no better place for Chiswick to spend some down-time than in the care of the staff at The Horse Trust. I am really pleased he is being given this chance of a holiday and is being rewarded for the long service he has given over many years.”
Diminutive Brigadier, who stands just 16hh, more than made up for his smaller stature in his bravery in a range of situations, including policing Notting Hill Carnival and football matches at Wembley Stadium, during his 14-year career.
The 19-year-old was most recently based at the Met’s training centre, Imber Court, where he helped train other police horses and riders, but was retired after he suffered degenerative changes in his hock joints.
As the pair arrived at the sanctuary, they crossed paths with fellow police horses Verdun and Alderman, who have now returned to work in the Mounted Section after spending nine months resting and recuperating, in time to help police the Olympic Games.
Jeanette Allen, CEO of the trust, said: “Whilst we welcome our new arrivals we will sincerely miss the two boys returning to work as they have become very special characters here.
“Verdun is a stunning and gentle creature who played the role of Black Beauty at the charity’s recent presentation to an audience of thousands at the London International Horse Show at Olympia in December 2011 and Alderman, also known as Storming Norman, is a small horse with a huge personality.”
The Horse Trust depends on the support of the public to offer retirement to working horses. It costs the charity an average of £12 per day to look after each horse, which includes the costs of grooms, forage, farriery and veterinary care.
To donate visit www.horsetrust.org.uk, or contact the charity on 01494 488464 or by emailing info@horsetrust.org.uk