June 26, 2008

The NYPD Mounted Patrol Unit is the oldest in the country. (Pet Pulse Photo Illustration by Tim Mattson)

NEW YORK – In the world’s largest city, nothing commands more respect for a police officer than a 1,200-pound partner.

The New York City Police Department’s mounted unit has long been a vital part of handling rallies, protests, crowd control and patrol in high volume areas.

“It’s so amazing,” said Officer Paul Anderson of the NYPD’s horseback patrol. “The NYC mounted unit has been around since 1871, and you would think that with all the technological advances with cars … the horse just proves to be such a vital tool.

“For crowd control there’s nothing better.”

The horses’ responsibilities have certainly increased since their original beat that included stopping runaway horse and buggy carriages. It takes a special horse to endure the rigors of the Big Apple, Anderson says.

“We’ll go thru an average of 30 horses to just get one,” he said. “A horse is not an animal with sharp teeth or claws -- all they can do is run, that’s his defense.

“So we have to find a horse that’s not too flighty – a horse that is willing to take the mayhem of midtown Manhattan.”

No horse hits the streets of Manhattan until receiving the proper training, starting with the usual fundamentals.

“When a brand new horse comes into the program we start them off with basics like walk, trot and cantering,” said Officer Nigel Lee.

Tough tests prepare the animals for New Yorks’ tough streets, Anderson says.

“We put them through various obstacles, walk them across tarps, have burning hay smoke, fire, flares, sirens,” he said. “We even went as far as firing blank gunshots so that they horse can be accustomed.

“It’s all fine and good b/c it’s a controlled environment. On average it’s a good three years before a horse becomes a fully mounted horse.”

When training is complete, each horse is named in a very special manner.

“It’s a big part of becoming a mounted horse for the horse,” Anderson said. “Most of the horses that we do have are named after fallen officers.”

Examples are the horses partnered with Lt. Walter Aanonsen and Patrolman Thomas Catanzaro.

“My horse is named Robert Mashatee, who was killed in the line of duty in Brooklyn,” Aanonsen said.

Referring to his ride, Catanzaro said, “He’s named after Joe and John Viginao. They were a police officer and a fireman killed in 911. We took their first two initials and made him ‘J.J’.”

After naming comes partnering the horses with the officers.

“One of the trainers said, ‘I have a horse you’ll like, he’s a handful but I think you can handle him,’” Anderson said. “And I saw him and fell in love with him, and said, ‘Wow, that’s sharp looking horse.”

Looks aside, though, there is also the importance of chemistry between a horse and his mount.

They say a horse knows when you sit on his back what you are all about,” Anderson said. “Because you’re basically sitting on his spine, and if you’re nervous he’s going to feel it, and he’s not going to have confidence in you.

“The biggest thing we want is to have our horses have confidence in us because we make the decisions.”


The NYPD’s horses are usually bay or black geldings, along with a range of saddlebreds, quarter horses, percheron mixes, thoroughbreds and draft horses.

“NYPD’s horses are in excellent shape, not only from the feeds that we choose but from the care that they get, (but also) the environment that they are in and the closeness between the officer and the horse,” said Det. Ronald Savarese.

About 100 horses make up the NYPD mounted unit. After working an average of 10 years, they enjoy a relaxing retirement.

“The city is very generous,” Anderson said. “They get put out to pasture, they get grain and medical benefits for the rest of their lives. It’s actually owed to them for the service they put out day after day.

After all, unlike the officers, “You know there are no vacation days for these guys,” he said.

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