Police horses return to force after 26-year gap

Police horses returned into use in the West Midlands on Monday

Police horses have returned to the streets of the West Midlands for the first time in 26 years.

Five horses, Belgravia, Bruce, Yonkers, Yve, and Yvonne arrived to join the new mounted unit last Wednesday and went out on their first patrol on Monday.

West Midlands Police said they would be useful in controlling crowds at football matches and would be an "excellent tool in increasing trust and confidence".

The unit will eventually have 12 horses ridden by two sergeants and 12 PCs, and a new stable is due to open in the Edgbaston area in the spring.

The force started using horses in 1840, but the last police horse to serve in the West Midlands retired in 1999 when its mounted unit was disbanded.

West Midlands Police said it had been learning from the experience of other forces with police horses and Assistant Chief Constable Mike O'Hara said their return was "a moment in history".

The force said police horses were bred for their size, intelligence and gentleness, and were trained to remain calm in challenging situations.

It added: "Their height gives their PC riders the ability to see over crowds, while their size, speed and agility means they can easily move between obstacles and disperse large groups of people quickly."