Taking to the Saddle for the City
Throughout the world, there are Metropolitan Police Departments that use horses on a daily basis to go about their duty. One of these departments are called the Mountain Police. At first glance, it would appear that the description is wrong. The reason for the name "Mountain Police" is because of the stature of the Police Officers sitting high enough to see beyond a traffic jam. It is like they are sitting on top of a mountain with the best view imaginable! The real mission of the Mountain Police is to help protect pedestrians during high traffic times such as the mornings and afternoons when people are going to and coming from work. The horses act as a phycological barrier to keep pedestrian foot traffic on the walkways, directing them to cross at intersections when it is safe to proceed.
The officers have high regard and respect for the saddled horses. They are very well trained and are harmless to pedestrians. These animals are very well cared for by Groomsmen who are Police Officers as well. The horses' day begins at 4 AM when the Groomsmen pour fresh water for the horses, followed by a light meal of grain and hay. At 6 AM each horse is ridden for a two-hour ride through the city. Because of the horse's chief duty of slowly walking the streets and standing still with the officers observing the traffic, this exercise period is necessary to keep the horses in good health and also to keep them from getting lazy.
The officers respect the horses as they will refrain from relieving themselves until there is fresh hay put down in the stalls. Horses are intelligent creatures indeed. Most of the day, the horses are in their stalls milling around and partaking in five different meals of grains and grass. At 4 PM the traffic reaches peak levels. The horses and Police Officers are stationed strategically in high traffic areas or near footbridges to keep pedestrians from jaywalking. These locations help to keep foot traffic where it should be, on the sidewalks.
The horses and Officers leave the stalls in pairs. They see each other close by and are calm, allowing the horses to respond better to commands and handle high-stress situations better.
Even with advancing technology, the Police department is still dependent on horses because they are more effective at achieving the goal of keeping the vehicle traffic separate from the foot traffic. The horse is a large animal and quickly catches the eyes of pedestrians. Then they see the officer sitting on top, custom saddle and all, and know what they are expected to do, stay on the sidewalk and cross at intersections. The horses were introduced in the nineteen-fifties when vehicle traffic was only a growing problem. They have stood the test of time and are still around because they are the most effective solution to the problem.
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