b'HORSES IN UNIFORM character. Forgetting, for a brief second, that he was a police horse, Minister seemed to want to join the group of rac-ing Thoroughbreds. He pushed his chest out and began to pull and shuffle his front feet as if to tell me, Im game if you are!recalls Lynch, nine years later. He was a total character. What a boy he was.That was 2010, shortly before the experienced 17.3-hand Irish Sport Horse retired from his police duties. Quirky, playful, and cheeky, said Lynch, Minis-ter was also a consummate professional; he was serious, powerful, and seemingly fearless. He appeared to love his job and was ideally suitedphysically and mentallyto its inherent c hallenges. Police horses fill a special place in the equestrian world: Theyre sport horses, working equids, companion animals, CHRISTA LEST-LASSERRE PHOTOSsuperheroes, and keepers of the peace, all wrapped into one. In this article well look at the unique lives, needs, and challenges of these horses, as well as how theyre selected and trained.The Look: Big; Robust, Imposing Police horses like Viking and Csar, of the Lille mounted police force, in France, might wear physical In a way, police horses represent thesafeguards such as face shields, body armor, and leg protection.police force itself. Theyre imposing and impressiveexuding a kind of you dontcritical to make this selection from thesays Christophe Delhaye, brigadier in the want to mess with me air. Usually tallstart, or the (unsuited) horse is likely toLille mounted police force. The horses (often upward of 17 hands) and big- face serious welfare issues related to hishave really improved our relationship bodiedmany being draft crossestheyjob. with the public. evoke a sense of undisputable author- Meanwhile, these horses also must ity, says Marc Pierard, PhD, lecturer offulfill their public relations role withThe Gear: Tack, Shields, & More animal behavior and welfare at Hartpurycivilianstheyve got to be calm and easyFor daily patrolling police horses mightUniversity, in Gloucester, U.K. Their sizeto approach, even for children. Its a highnot wear much more tack than typical also has a practical purpose: It gets theirorder, getting this personality mix, Pie- sport horses, says Delhaye. Frequently, riders high above crowds and traffic forrard says, adding that improving the rela- though, horses get called in for crowd better surveillance, he says.tionship with the general public is actuallycontrol or even riot management and That size must be coupled with physi- part of the official mission statement ofneed greater protection. cal robustness capable of dealing withthe mounted section of the Federal PoliceHorses are seven times more effective significant musculoskeletal stress overin Belgium (Pierard used to work in thatin crowd management than policemen the years, says Pierard. They need a solidcountry). You want a horse whos 18on foot, so they usually get called in when and sustainable musculoskeletal systemhands tall and terrifying as hes gallopingpeople are getting rowdy, says Pierard. thats resistant to the repetitive shock andin full battle dress, but who, when hes justBut that means theyre getting exposed often quick starts and stops their jobstanding there, is actually cute. to risks of projectiles: stones, bottles, demands, he says.A 19-hand white Boulonnaiswhatever hooligans want to throw at draft horse named Viking works thethem. So they need face shields and body The Personality: Fun & Gentle 50,000-seat soccer stadium in Lille,armor in addition to armored leg protec-Police horses need to be naturally en- France, on game days. While his impos- tion that covers more than usual boots. ergetic, curious, and ready to react at anying appearance might dissuade criminalsWorking on roads requires they have moment, while not being fearfulandfrom taking advantage of the crowds,good visibility, he adds. The horses have thats often a hard match to find, Pierardhis striking image and gentle disposi- several variations of traffic outfits, all says. A fearful horse would be miserabletion make him popular among visitors.with reflective materials, says Pierard. in this field but, in horses, fearfulness andPeople come up close to see him, takeFlashing lights would be even better, but high energy often go hand-in-hand. Itsphotos with him, and ask us questions,so far thats uncommon.26March 2020The Horse|TheHorse.comPoliceHorses.indd 26 2/4/20 9:06 AM'