Mounted Police Day

They are so high in every sense, so dignified in those uniforms, and their horses follow their commands as if to music. I feel like a child watching them, I just want to honor them by beating them. I'm ready to greet them, to follow them, to fulfill my childhood dream of being on a horse, with a gun, chasing the bad guys... I shake and remember my weapon - the camera. Ah! Not to mention, I'm in love with all the women - Mounted Police.

The division with the current name "Forces" for prevention and protection of the Metropolitan Police Directorate has a 40-year history. Security Police Department. Mounted Police are extremely important and are a distinct part of the Preventive and Security Forces. The main tasks of the unit are the protection of public order at mass sports, political and public events on the territory of the capital. In addition, as mounted policemen, they patrol and control the observance of public order in parks and gardens.

Here are a few questions I was able to ask a mounted policeman:

• What are the names of your employees who are actually riders?
• They are police officers first and mounted police later. About 50 people with 50 horses. Everyone has a service animal that they personally take care of - feeding, cleaning, training.

• What qualities must horses have to be in your "service"?
• Breeds selected to cover criteria such as: height, correct exterior, with a suitable temperament, to tolerate mass events, people around them, to withstand side irritants. Figuratively speaking, poised and calm for a dynamic environment. And in the training itself, we stake it as a probability of it happening to them. The training itself is conducted in this direction, extreme environment and conditions. For example, we have special classes to get used to thunder, fire, flags, posters, drums, shouts...

• How do you train young horses for stressful situations early on?
• We start with weaker and go to stronger stressful situations. Thunder and they get used to it.

• And the qualities necessary to join you, for those who want to be mounted policemen?
• Must have an attitude, love animals. There are many willing, but it is very difficult without prior preparation. Already acquired riding skills are improved here. There are schools, one of 9 months for a police officer, then for a mounted policeman. If they actually have a good level of riding training in advance, they can quickly enter within a period of 5-6 months and be up and running. Their level of training affects their work as mounted police. Especially in mass riots or when guarding football matches and other sporting events, it is important for the policeman to master the horse as much as possible, to protect people and to carry out the tasks under these conditions.

• Who cares about the health of horses?
• We have veterinarians who carry out the health control of the horses. We have an engine mode developed. When people are engaged to us for other events, we have provided an alternative option for keeping them in shape - free movement, trainings, etc.

• Do you exchange experience with colleagues from Europe? Are you checking your watch?
• I personally went to Frankfurt in 2012, I am familiar with the work of their mounted police. In 2014, colleagues from Munich came here, then our colleagues returned their visas. I dare say that our level is very good. We give up only on the criteria of the pits. Our stable is old, from the 60s, but we manage it well.