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Dashing Through The Square: The Story Behind Oxford’s Police Horses
Oxford, Mississippi’s Mounted Patrol on duty with their horses at the 2016 Oxford Christmas Parade
If you’ve been to the Oxford, Mississippi Square on a big game weekend, you have probably seen the police officers on horses. Or, you may have seen them all dressed up like reindeer at the recent Christmas parade. But what you may not know about is the ‘Friends of the Mounted Patrol’ and all of the training the horses must go through to become service animals on the force.
The Friends of the Mounted Patrol is a non-profit organization that benefits the department’s mounted unit. There is a total of eight service horses in Oxford, two of which are owned by officers, while the other six are stabled on South Lamar at Nancy Dabney’s barn. However, the only time you will see all eight horses out at once is when they go out full force, which doesn’t happen often. The service horses in Oxford only go full force during the Christmas parade, Double Decker, and big game weekends.
Dabney was approached by the city and was asked if the service horses could be moved to her barn on South Lamar to be closer to the city. Too much time was being spent transporting the horses from the previous barn in Batesville.
Oxford Police Department drew inspiration from the biggest Mounted Patrol in the South, which is located in New Orleans. The department saw how effective a mounted patrol could be for crowd control on the Square. Friends of the Mounted Patrol became part of the Oxford community in 2012.
“There is a saying that says an officer on a horse is equivalent to 10 officers on foot,” Dabney said.
An officer on a horse is so high off of the ground, they can see over crowds to see trouble before it happens. Also, pedestrians are more likely to get out of the way of horses, which helps police officers get to their destinations much faster.
The horses must go through extensive training to become service horses. David Misenhelter is the officer in charge of the unit, and he does most of the day-to-day training. But, four or five Oxford police officers must go to Mardi Gras school every year in Mobile, Alabama, for annual training. If the officers and horses pass the training, then they patrol Mardi Gras in New Orleans to pass the ultimate test.
For the horses to pass training in Mobile, they must withstand various stimuli. For example, the horses must be completely still while a helicopter hovers directly over them. They must remain calm during gunfire and be able to walk through smoke among many other similar obstacles.
Below, see photos of Oxford’s Mounted Patrol in training and meet the team:
Meet the Friends of the Mounted Patrol, where each horse is unique in its own way to the force!
Della: Della is the biggest horse on the Oxford force. She is a Clydesdale weighing 1,800 pounds. Della is six years old, and she came to the Friends of the Mounted Patrol when she was four. Being a draft horse, she is one of the calmest horses on the force.
Frankie: Frankie is the oldest at 19. He was abused by his former owner and rescued to become part of the Friends of the Mounted Patrol. Frankie has been on the force for three years.
Jax & Gunsmoke: Jax was trained in a prison mounted unit and was picked for his ability to learn. Gunsmoke was a local donation. Since they were desensitized to different surfaces, loud noises and flashing lights, Jax and Gunsmoke have been a great part of the team!
Reggie: Reggie is a quarter horse, and he is also the herd boss. Reggie was given to the Mounted Patrol by a local donor and has been on the team for five years. Before joining the team, his previous occupation was Eventing.
Lamar: Lamar is a Percheron, Thoroughbred cross. He came from Angola Prison in Louisiana two years ago, and he is 9 years old. Lamar really adds some humor to the barn!
And last but not least, meet Zeke. Although not owned by the police department or Friends of the Mounted Patrol, this donkey is the force’s secret weapon.
While the horses help Oxford Police tremendously, someone has to help the horses.
“The horses demand a lot of attention,” Dabney said. “Someone always has to be here taking care of them, feeding them twice a day.”
And, that is just what Dabney does.
Why not give a holiday gift to the horses? or, consider making a donation in someone’s name to help the horses! Friends of the Mounted Patrol Oxford is a 501(c)3 organization, which benefits the Mounted Unit of the Oxford Police Department. Tax-deductible gifts can be made to: Friends of the Mounted Patrol Oxford and mailed to PO Box 1171 Oxford MS 38655.
*Friends of the Mounted Patrol” is separate from the police department. It is a non-profit organization that benefits the department’s mounted unit.
Alex Kitchens is the social media editor of HottyToddy.com. She can be reached at alex.kitchens@hottytoddy.com.
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