1) | What
do your horses eat? Our
horses eat hay and grain at regularly scheduled meal times, and also have supplemental
hay when deployed on patrol. Whether at the stable or on the street, our horses
also have an abundant supply of water. All of our horses enjoy occasional treats
such as carrots, apples, and peppermints. |
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2) | Where
do you keep your horses? Our
horses are stabled at a private boarding facility in Woodbury. Each horse has
access to private stalls and exterior paddocks. Once we groom our horses and load
them into the trailer, it only takes us a few minutes to arrive in the City of
Saint Paul. |
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3) | Do
your horses bite? Our
horses, like all horses, are herd animals and can occasionally bite each other.
We discourage this behavior as much as possible. Our horses generally do not bite
humans with the intent of inflicting harm, but they can mistake body parts like
fingers and hair for possible food. Please ask us for permission to pet our horses,
and remember not to put your hands near the horse's mouth without prior approval. |
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4) | How
do horses react to hot and cold weather? Our
horses, especially the drafts, develop thick winter coats which allow them to
remain warm during cold months. Horses have a more difficult time coping with
the heat and humidity. By making sure they have an adequate diet much of the effects
of heat can be mitigated. During especially hot days when the temperature and
dew point reach dangerous levels, we cool off our horses with fans and cold water
showers. |
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5) | How
long do horses live? While
life expectancy varies with breed, horses generally live around 25-30 years. |
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6) | Do
you clean up the horse droppings? By
law we are not required to clean up after our horses while on patrol. However,
we do make every attempt to clean up when the droppings fall in unwanted areas
such as sidewalks, private driveways and yards, crosswalks, and in front of eating
establishments. If a citizen requests that we clean up droppings, we make every
attempt to do so. Horse dung has no protein in it, and is primarily made up of
hay, grain, and water. Droppings decompose very quickly. |
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7)
| How
is the height of a horse measured? A
horse is measured from the ground to its withers (at the base of the neck). The
unit of measurement is called a hand, which is equal to 4 inches. Measurement
by this means was first recorded in ancient Egypt. |
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8) | Are
your horses male or female? We
generally utilize geldings as police horses. Geldings are males that are unable
to reproduce. Geldings generally have more even temperaments than other horses. |
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9) | Can
we pet your horses? Provided
that we are not engaged in a police activity such as a traffic stop, custodial
arrest or response to a crime problem we encourage you to come and say hello to
us and our mounts. Please be sure to ask for permission before petting our horses.
Also, never approach a horse from the rear. If the horse is startled, it may kick
with its powerful hind legs and cause serious injury to bystanders. |
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10) | Have
your horses always been police horses? Do they ever "retire"? It
is a relatively extensive process in determining whether a horse is fit to be
a police horse, with consideration given to anatomical, physiological, and personality
evaluation. Most horses are several years old and "green broke" before
being considered. There is no set time period for their utilization as police
horses, but when a horse appears ready to retire we find a good home for him. |
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11) | Who
owns the horses? The
city of Saint Paul owns the horses. |
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12) | Why
do your horses wear those bands around their legs while on patrol? Those
bands are simply a reflective Velcro fabric that acts as a visibility safety feature
while working in and around traffic. They do not constrict the horse's legs, and
are not equine leg wraps. |
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13) | Do
you take care of your horses? While
the staff at our stable does an excellent job of maintaining stalls, paddocks,
and providing adequate shelter, food, and water, we take great pride in caring
for our horses. Our horses are groomed by their riders every day they work. We
monitor them for any ailments, and make sure they receive top-notch veterinary
and ferrier care. When we are on the streets of Saint Paul, we always make sure
that we have a good supply of hay and water. Bottom line: If we take care of our
horses, they will take care of us. |
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14) | How
often do you train your horses? Our
horses (and riders!) are in constant training. While we do hold formal training,
being on the streets of Saint Paul every day presents many opportunities for enhancement
of skills. Horses, being prey animals, have a strong flight response. Sights,
sounds, smells, tactile experiences...all of them can induce a horse to "spook".
We take sensory training as seriously as we do equitation and horsemanship. |
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15) | How
many mounted units are in the state of Minnesota? There
are three mounted units consisting of sworn police officers and maintained by
municipal departments. They are Saint
Paul, Minneapolis,
and the University
of Minnesota police departments. In
addition to these units, there are county-based "posses" that operate
under the auspices of respective sheriff's offices throughout the state. The Minnesota
Mounted Posse Association facilitates inter-agency communication and networking. |
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16) | Why
do you have draft horses? Do they make good police horses? Our
two draft horses are Belgians. Draft horses were originally bred to serve as war
horses. They would haul the machinery of war to the battlefield. They also served,
and still serve, as implements of husbandry. Amish farmers often use drafts to
haul plows and carts. Drafts also moved heavy loads, from trains being loaded
on tracks to timber felled in remote forests. While their size is certainly a
testament to their past, their demeanor is really what separates them from other
breeds. All of this hard labor seems to have imparted a calmness that lends itself
as a major advantage for the police horse. The
size of the draft exudes intimidation, which can be useful in crowd control and
enforcement situations. Conversely, size can also endear people to these animals
in community outreach situations. People seem drawn to them. The calm demeanor
of the draft breeds naturally lends to the overall fitness of a horse to deal
with the sometimes chaotic environments of police work. While hot bloods (such
as thoroughbreds) and warm bloods (such as quarter horses) may "spook"
at certain situations, the draft seems well positioned to be less affected by
similar stimuli. |
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17) | I'm
having an event and would like to request the Mounted Unit. Who do I contact? Please
contact Lawrence Kelly, at (612) 366-6979 or info@stpaulmountedpolice.org
for more information. |
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18) | I'd
like to support the Saint Paul Police Mounted Patrol Foundation. How can I help? There
are many ways to show your support. Let city government officials know that you
appreciate this service that the police department provides. "Like"
us on Facebook.
Purchase our
merchandise online or at our Foundation events. Volunteer
at some of our events. Become a donor and
directly impact the work we do every day.
We thank you for visiting our website! |
