b'HORSES IN UNIFORMThe Location: Big City LifeOne of New York Citys most eye -catching police horses is a Paint-draftcross. Norman was one of 10 horses working the 2019 Macys Thanksgiv-ing Day Parade, monitoring crowds as workers filled up balloons adjacent to Central Park. Although hes fairly new to the citys police department, he was calm and seemingly happy in a scene that would have sent many riding horses into a total frenzy. That might be because hes a former city carriage horse, says Pamela Corey, DVM, who has practiced equine ambulatory medicine and worked regula-tory roles in equine health in New York Citys five boroughs and Long Island for more than 20 years. He was quite slow, so he wasnt a favorite (carriage horse) for the park, but hes made a perfect mount for a beginner officer, Corey says. Hes seen everything in Manhattan alreadyparades, crowds,Rarely, police horses experience line-of-duty injuries. Diamant, seen here during a training session, traffic, big balloons. Nothing botherssurvived a collision with a Mercedes during a traffic stop. him.Police horse life is often synonymousrare occasions a horse gets loose in theThey get the horses out to run around with big city lifebut that doesnt havecity, she adds. Theres a protocol foreven during blizzards, Corey says. to mean an unhappy life, says Corey.that, blocking off intersections and usingThe Lille mounted unit rents stalls Mounted units have found that by select- police cars to corral them. for its horses in an urban equestrian ing the right horses and training themcenter shared with civilian riders. Its properly, the mounted police horses adaptThe Home Turf: Police Stables a 15- minute walk to the stadium and a very well to their environments, includ- Housing and managing police horses10-minute walk to a park where we like to ing lights, noise, bustling streets, andusually ends up as a compromise, opti- open them up and let them trot and can-concrete. They certainly experience a lotmizing the horses welfare in the contextter, so its a good compromise compared of things, she says.of their work, our sources say.to trailering them in every day, Delhaye Its easy to see theyre well-adapted,If they have to be in the city, theyvesays.she adds, referring to her units horses.either got to live in the city or get trans-They have nice shiny coats; theyre fitported in every working day, PierardLine-of-Duty Injuriesand muscular; they have bright eyes andsays. While they might have more turnoutDiamant du Jardin, a 7-year-old draft look alert and relaxed and happy. If theyspace outside a city, the related trailercross, got hit by a criminals Mercedes werent getting the right care, theyd showtransport could add unnecessary stress. in Fontainebleau, France, last October. it. And theyd probably dump their officerExtreme weather and heavy traffic inThe driver, panicking during a routine in the street! a city could make transport even moretraffic stop because of his police record, City work includes patrolling streets,difficult for the horses, making an inner- rammed into Diamant, who ended up parks, and parking lots, running trafficcity stable preferable in many cases, sayssort of sitting on the hood. The collision checks, managing crowds, and dealingCorey. But honestly, suburban stableslacerated his stifle, requiring seven staples with riots, our sources say. But it candont have sufficient outdoor exerciseand two weeks stall restbut that didnt also include taking one-of-a-kind routesspace either, she says. In both urbanstop the gelding from galloping after his no other mount but a police horse wouldand suburban cases, though, the horsesperpetrator immediately after getting take. They walk from Midtown to Timesare exercised daily by training or walkinghit. Hes toughand brave, said com-Square, says Corey. Sometimes youllaround outdoors, and this contributesmissioner and equestrian unit director see them standing there like tourist mag- well to the horses welfare needs. Samuel Ruault.nets, with people asking directions andNew York Police Department (NYPD)A month later a distracted driver in taking pictures. Sometimes theyll walkMounted Unit horses get turned out inCentral Park accidently hit NYPDs Otis. from Brooklyn to Upper Queens to man- a large paddock at the Bronx stable, sheFortunately, the horse was uninjured, the age a baseball game. Other times theyllsays. The Midtown stable in the Mercedesdepartment reported. patrol the beach at Coney Island.House skyscraper has an indoor turnoutSuch scenarios dont always end well. However, city life also means that onarea, which is ideal for bad weather.Eight-year-old Belgian cross Brigadier, TheHorse.com|The HorseMarch 2020 27PoliceHorses.indd 27 2/4/20 9:06 AM'