Using Horses At London Protests Is Outdated

a reply to: Kester

With you on reducing injuries to both horses and people who have a right to protest over today's world.

a reply to: intrptr

It's the same here. The mounted police are very good at keeping two opposing groups apart, but when it's a group against police the horses become targets.

I don't know how I couldn't have seen this before. I've just realised it's the masks that caused the extra skittishness. Training now has to include Guy Fawkes masks.

a reply to: Shamrock6

There have been a whole series of incidents that led me to feel the use of police horses at protests here is now outdated.

This is Annabel, a fine and trusted horse who has protected the public and done much good work. www.newhamrecorder.co.uk...
In 2011 she was 21.

At 21 years old she is currently the longest serving Grey, she has been in the Met since 1997.

This is Annabel showing her distaste for oppression. This wasn't her usual rider. Her usual rider was mortified and pleaded for this to be seen as a mistake. It was no mistake. I've been there on my back looking up as a horse tried to stamp on my chest. This is what they do when they really want to make a point. Annabel had a very strong point to make. I salute her.

originally posted by: AlphaPred
I hope so, however I've come to believe that people are too comfy to see what's right in front of them
Would I like to see a "British Spring" hell yeah
When places like Ukraine kick off its because of he corruption apparently, when it happens here it's anarchists and criminals apparently

We are too placid and controlled to mount an effective grass roots change, kinda one reason why I'm apreciative of certain religious and cultural immigrants. They don't take s**t and know how to have an impact
a reply to: Shiloh7

That is interesting. I have been saying it is the politicians and the elite that the people from the ME and Africa will go after first. The irony of the politicians bringing in their own demise is epic.

As far as the regular citizens go, I agree. However, I believe it will get bad enough, especially if the global great depression goes into full effect. Right now the majority are comfortable with food, shelter, medical, etc. If it gets truly bad like I suspect it will be within a couple of years, the people will snap off. Especially the entitled folks who think the system owes them for some reason just because they are there. Now, the question is what is the purpose of the politicians doing what they are. I think they are playing a very dangerous game and don't know the mess they are about to reap.

As far as horses go, I feel like they have used them with a certain acceptance by the people. If the people decide the horses will be neutralized with cyan pepper bombs, or any number of attacks. This will result in an escalation, which a government today thinks they can escalate situations until they win. That is a problem that people haven't thought through clearly and probably why a lot of people have been sitting back. I will fight for freedom, but the fan is going to have to be broken and the people get off their couches before I spend the effort. It would not surprise me if they are not provoking exactly that to reduce the welfare rolls. Imagine their surprise if the people allied with the refugees and focused on the real progenitors of strife!

originally posted by: Shiloh7
a reply to: Kester

It never ceases to amaze we that we caught onto the police and MI 5 plants who often start off the trouble deliberately, so late in the day, probably because once we all had great respect for our police force. But having sat near one when he kicked off he was so obvious when he walked away through the police cordon. However,the force at which he was violent against people was horrendous.

I don't actually like animals being used for police work as they get scared however well they are trained and am glad some horses don't seem to be so enthusiastic.

A friend who lived in one of Berlin's most notorious squats in the 60's told me his awakening was when he found out the most radical among them was a cop. It was that 'always threw the first stone but never got caught' thing that gave him away. I'm hoping people are going to wake up to the provocateurs who encouraged the mass charge on the turnstiles at Hillsborough, lifting a police horse off the ground. Look at how much profit packaged, televised football made out of it. Plus the emotional weapon used in the media war against the Office of Constable. If we're scrapping the Office of Constable we need an honourable Home Guard in place before the bankers imported private security get here.

In this video at 1:39 we see a small group of horse protectors. Supporting this group is a practical way of improving the life of police animals.

a reply to: Ericthedoubter

In recent years horses have been used to push through crowds, vulnerable people hemmed in and unable to escape have been trampled. Due to public feeling aggressive use of horses will not be tolerated and will, unfortunately, lead to injuries to horses and potential mass trampling if a herd panic response is triggered. The Battle of Dunbar was lost when the Scottish cavalry panicked and trampled the Scottish infantry. I can see a regrettable home goal with the police horses turning back in panic and running over police behind them.

a reply to: corblimeyguvnor

They're independent. As Annabel showed they will only take so much. They aren't machines. That's why they can take you home safely when you're drunk. www.upi.com...
"A Louisiana man busted for drunkenly riding his horse down a stretch of highway said he believes his choices were safe because "the horse knows the way home."

Protesters? All I see are (un)organised knobheads.

I think the horses could be seen as intimidating to a point, and it does give the officers a significant higher view of what is going on....but...

When you have people setting off fireworks and throwing things at the horses, not only is their safety in question, but also the rider, I say bring out the water cannons and show these loons that their chavvish behaviour will not be tolerated.

I honestly believe half these muppets attend these things just hoping that there is a kick off....annoys the hell out of me as it harms true peaceful protest.

a reply to: Kester

They were better trained but they've regressed. Not through training faults but through their own experience at protests. I've watched the process. Horses are honourable creatures. They have decided to make their stand. Their new unwillingness is obvious but cannot be accepted for what it is by those whose attitude is they are little more than dumb brutes.

You're talking out of your ass. I wanted to phrase it in a kinder way, but you're talking out of your ass. They're clearly not well trained. The cop that fell of the gray, LOL. That right there should be proof enough those mounted police don't know what they're doing.

That video was embarrassing, but it wasn't anything other than poor horsemanship. Don't drag the horses into politics. They don't care. Those horses went back to basics, because they were poorly trained/ridden.

Is it UK cops? Of course it's UK cops. Ticklewands and sugar kisses. Let's always train our ponies together, they should always have a friend!

a reply to: Domo1

The UK mounted police are among the finest in the world, but it doesn't matter how well you train or how well you train your horse, if some little tosser is going to set off a firework right next to your equine friend, you had better hold on.

a reply to: Domo1

Americans just go in with fully protected armoured vehicles crushing any legitimate protest and expanding the police state. We'd rather not go down that route

originally posted by: woogleuk
a reply to: Domo1

The UK mounted police are among the finest in the world, but it doesn't matter how well you train or how well you train your horse, if some little tosser is going to set off a firework right next to your equine friend, you had better hold on.

No, that is not true.

A gun was shot barely two meters away from my horse during an Extreme Cowboy Race, and all she did was flick her ears towards me to recieve information on whether I deemed it a danger. She did not flinch or move her feet. She was not the only one either.

The interplay between rider and horse, I think, is incredibly important in the performance you'll get.
Even a well trained horse, who has performed well for years, can have unexpected behaviors arise simply because of the lack of skill it's rider has.
The emotional state of the rider changes EVERYTHING. They are highly sensitive to physiological changes - they will pick up the scent of hormone changes immediately, they will feel tension in the muscles, changes in heartrate, things the person themself might not be aware of. You can lie to yourself, but you cannot lie to a horse!

So IF there is a change in the behaviors of the horses in general, I would be much more focused on the state of the riders- what their feelings and attitudes are about their work and what is going on in those moments.

Part of being a skilled horseman/woman is being highly aware of your own state of being, so you know when you don't feel confident, are unsure or doubtful, and should stay off a horse.

a reply to: Bluesma

That rings very true. Thank you for clarifying.

originally posted by: woogleuk
a reply to: Domo1

The UK mounted police are among the finest in the world, but it doesn't matter how well you train or how well you train your horse, if some little tosser is going to set off a firework right next to your equine friend, you had better hold on.

In my country people routinely "gun break" a horse. So you can be riding along, pull out a gun and fire it without the horse spooking. Police horses should be completely acclimated to loud bangs and super scary stuff like fireworks. After watching the video I don't think UK mounted police are doing all that well. One of them fell off a horse when it was just shying away.

I've only owned a few horses in my life, and doubt I could have held two of them in that situation, but I guarantee I could have hard charged that line on the sweet Morgan mare that was my first horse when I was 8. She was something special, a police horse should be something special.

a reply to: Bluesma

I have to disagree, even the calmest well trained horse can be spooked by sudden loud noises, especially in an environment where there is also a lot of other noise and aggravation.

I don't doubt your story about your horse, or the relationship between the rider and the horse, in fact I believe it....but that isn't applicable to every scenario.

Those officers will be fully trained, and their relationship with their horse will be like that of a police dog and his handler.

a reply to: Domo1

In fairness, there is no need to gun break a horse in the UK, except in special circumstances like in the country where shooting does occur.

a reply to: Domo1

The young ladies the cop was beating mercilessly when Annabel took offence are rumoured to have been possibly loosening her girth. Once the saddle was slipping she shook him off, looked carefully and went for his chest, then ran off casting a guilty glance over her shoulder. Other footage shows she ran back over the same spot a few seconds after the injured man had been moved. If a horse wants to keep you on, it will move underneath you to help you stay in place. She shook him off. That wasn't Annabel's usual rider. Using an unfamiliar rider for violent fray seems like a foolish idea.

Around the same time a number of horses refused when their riders tried to force them into a crowd of students. The defiance, and the riders confusion, was obvious.

a reply to: Domo1

I've faced a charging stallion three times. You both get time to think in the last second if it's the right thing to do. Hard charging isn't guaranteed success.

I think it's the masks that are adding the extra skittishness. Multiple masks of the same design. More training needed. Except the training will never keep up.

When you're in a crowd and you can't get out of the way.

a reply to: Domo1

The saddle slipped. Take a look.