Why are horses used in riots?

It's all to do with intimidation...in order to control riots, police must appear to have superiority and look more intimidating and they can do this by sitting high up on a horse above everyone else. I wouldn't mess with a great big stallion that could easily knock you out with a kick. I guess being on a horse also gives them a better view of what's going on. I don't agree with using horses though, animal rights etc; I don't see why police cars and SWAT vans or whatever wouldn't be as effective.

I know that they are very well trained. As a fellow rider, you may understand that when you ride a horse that isn't yours, you don't feel safe, the horse picks up on this and is on edge. Even the best horse in the world is unpredictable in the respect of getting spooked, if the rider is nervous, the horse is nervous, when something then occurs to spook the horse, it bucks.

I can understand that argument, but surely that law should be changed? What is the most likely injury if you get ran over by a van at a low speed, a broken rib, a broken arm? What about being trampled by a horse? Death?

I can tell you now that those horses are treated very very well and undergo extensive training before they are used!


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I know they are treated well and looked after properly by officers, it's just that during riots it can get very chaotic...fire, broken glass, weapons, etc, and things like this could cause unnecessary harm to the horse.

No, a person is a person. The police treat animals like objects, and there is a difference between an object that might fall on someone and hurt them (i.e. anything heavy/hard/sharp) and an object that seeks out people and hurts them.

I can tell you now that those horses are treated very very well and undergo extensive training before they are used!


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so because i man made piece of machinery which is not a living creature cant defend itself the logic is to use a horse which can die?

remember a police office CHOOSES to become a police officer knowing that they are putting themselves in a dangerous position daily, horses do not have the choice

But what happens if they are hit with a petrol bomb or a brick or something during a riot? They have no protection to that.

Have you ever met a police animal handler? Or a forces animal handler for that matter?

Their animal, be it dog or horse, is NEVER just an object. They're a part of their family, of their day to day life and they love those animals just as much as you love any animals that you have in your home.

I know many animal handlers within the police and the forces and they do their damned hardest to make sure their animals don't get hurt.

Yes their job is to go into dangerous situations, but it's the handlers job to keep an eye on that situation and withdraw when necessary to keep their animal safe, and they WILL withdraw their animal rather than watch it get hurt.

The dogs normally stay at home within the handlers family and have a normal doggy life with the family except when they're working. These dogs are some of the most obedient I have ever met, and I trust them explicitly. It doesn't matter what situation they're in 9/10 they will hear and respond to the command. I can't say that for my dog, and I've spent three years of her life working with her every day.

I assume the horses stay at police stables (it's never come up in a conversation) but I know that my friend looks after one horse, works with one horse and only ever rides one horse. Although police property, it's "her" horse. The police aren't idiots, they understand the chemistry between horse and rider and know how important it is.

I get sick of people bashing on riot police


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They do wear body armour you know. And they wouldn't be put under and potential danger by the rider


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Finally someone who actually knows something about the police! and doesn't rely on the daily mail mickey mouse facts to say how awful the police are


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No they don't,


An they are put in potential danger the second they are brought into the riot!

As for bashing riot police, they bring it on themselves!

I live in a VERY military area with raf and army bases around me and the local police force are actually very nice guys.

I have lots of friends in all three forces and the police.

Yes, there are the exceptions to the rules in all four areas of work, but the majority of them would do ANYTHING to keep their animal safe.

I know dog-handlers that have refused to send their dogs into situations because they have felt it's too dangerous. They have the right to do that. They are there to work the dog yes, but also to protect and care for it.

A local bomb finding dog (bomb retrieval? not sure of the correct terminology) died recently on his third or fourth tour in the middle east, the poor handler was devastated. So was his family, that dog wasn't just a working dog, he was the best friend of a little 4 year old girl, he'd been there every day he wasn't working, in that families life, just like any other dog.

Animal handlers don't take their job lightly. They're not looking after just an animal, they're looking after a member of their family. In most cases, the bond between animal and handler is even stronger than it is between a non-working animal and owner. The handler and animal depend on each other to keep each other safe and to finish the job, quickly and carefully.

I personally feel that the people who have a problem with the police are the people the police have a problem with. Law abiding citizens should not and do not have anything to worry about with the police. Of course there are always mistakes, but they are only human. They deserve respect for the job they do, day in, day out and because they ARE human. If you want them to treat you with respect, have the common decency to treat them with respect too. Simple.

That horse is wearing a reflective fly sheet NOT any sort of armour


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