Why are horses used in riots?

That joke wasn't very stable.

It's a flexible asset. It has speed and agility. It's scary being on the receiving end of it.

Riot vans are slow and inflexible. You also can't charge riot lines with vans because of health and safety. Riot vans are also perfect targets for petrol bombs and other debris - they're seen as legitimate targets by rioters as their occupants are considered to be "safe from harm", whereas a horse is not perceived as a legitimate target for such behaviour.

Having read your posts in this thread, I think you're being too sentimental - these are working animals that are highly trained and looked after.

Yes they are working animals however there are different types of work, some putting their lives at risk others not, there is a difference between mentally stimulating the animal so it enjoys it's life than being in a dangerous riot situation.
Not a case of being sentimental it's about being an animal lover


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

easier to do from on top of a horse.

Are you one of these Animals >= Humans folks?

I'm sorry, but it's a proven tool that helps break up riots and reduces the risk of injury to police officers on the ground. It's a reasonable use of the animal.

I'm someone who has had horses her whole life and who before becoming a mother volunteered weekly at a local animal sanctuary
Again as I said the officer chooses to do that job and knows fully the risks they are taking the horse is forced into the situation
How can you justify that the animals life is more expendable than a van?


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

Because a van is not as good as a horse in this situation. If the two were equally capable, then obviously the van should be used, but they're not. The horse is a superior tool and thus its use is justified.

It is better to risk injury to a horse than to a police officer. This idea of forcing the animal into that situation is opening up a whole semantic argument about intelligence of animals. We've used animals for millennia to do our bidding. You ride horses for pleasure - same difference; you're enslaving the animal to do what you want it to do.

Please.

I don't think either of us want to start debating this.

Your missing my point, I have said they are working animals and in most cases enjoy it, there is still a difference between schooling a horse as there is putting it in danger when we have the technology to not need to. Police horses are used For intimidation and that has come from friends and family ranging from sergeants to comm's operators. I also don't agree with horse racing either but that's another matter


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

Would it? Horses easily get 'spooked' when they are in the wrong situation, when they get 'spooked' they buck, when they buck, they land on people. I would presume that this would be seen as unpredictability, much the same as a dog.

Well no it doesn't but whatever. Maybe they are, but what relevance does that have to the case? By using your logic a Cashier at Asda that reports their manager for sexual-harassment should be arrested because 'A cashier is just meant to cashier, not report'? That argument is totally invalid!

You can't equate a cashier to a horse or a dog.

It's a flexible asset. It has speed and agility. It's scary being on the receiving end of it.

Riot vans are slow and inflexible. You also can't charge riot lines with vans because of health and safety. Riot vans are also perfect targets for petrol bombs and other debris - they're seen as legitimate targets by rioters as their occupants are considered to be "safe from harm", whereas a horse is not perceived as a legitimate target for such behaviour.

Having read your posts in this thread, I think you're being too sentimental - these are working animals that are highly trained and looked after.

Police horses are *so* well trained, they're trained to be the most stable, trusting and alert horses out there. Yes accidents happen but horses in riot situations will be steadfast and listening to just their rider making them essentially a very trustworthy tank that you can see better from.

Not to mention that if you drive a riot van over someone, you get banged up in jail for dangerous driving/manslaughter/whatever you get for running someone over. If you ride your horse at someone I'm fairly certain there's no penalty.

As a fellow rider I hate seeing them used but they do play a vital role in our countries police force and it's a shame that the sections are largely being disbanded.

Yes you can, that is the logic you are using so surely you can apply it to anything.

Just a general question, why are horses used in riots? I have never really understood it.