When the levees broke and flooded New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, the city’s mounted police unit stables in City Park had been evacuated, but a majority of the unit’s tack and equipment was left behind.

On Feb. 2, the American Association of Equine Practitioners Foundation (AAEP, Lexington, Ky.), the Louisiana Veterinary Medical Association’s Equine Committee (LVMA, Baton Rouge, La.), and Tucker Saddlery (Yoakum, Texas) presented 20 saddles, bridles, and other items to the unit at the Department’s stables.

The AAEP Foundation and the LVMA Equine Committee formed equine disaster relief funds in the days and weeks following the storm. According to the AAEP, veterinarians, horse owners, equine organizations, and corporations from across the United States donated generously to these groups, which have been helping horse owners throughout the Gulf Region. (Read more stories about Katrina recovery at www.TheHorse.com/2005hurricanes.)

Attending this presentation were: New Orleans Police Department Superintendent Warren J. Riley; Mounted Division Captain Clarence Hebert; Jay Addison, DVM, representing the LVMA Equine Committee; Gary Norwood, DVM, representing the AAEP Foundation; Joey Templat of SACS Western Store, representing Tucker Saddlery; and various human and equine officers of the New Orleans Mounted Patrol