Thursday, 23 March 2017
It proved to be a playtime with a difference as Junior Girls at Bolton School got to meet not one but two police horses! Bumble and Maxwell, rode by Chris and Kerry, were delighted to meet the excited pupils and be stroked by them and showed off a number of their skills, including moving backwards, forwards and sideways.
The Police officers explained that the horses are known as general purpose horses and are often used for crowd control, regularly attending home football matches for Manchester United, Manchester City, Bolton Wanderers, Wigan Athletic and Rochdale. They are also used at other events with large gatherings of people and at disturbances and riot situations.
The girls learnt how the horses progress through walk, trot, canter and gallop stages and all about how the police officers control them through the bridle and bit. An arm movement will move them left or right, a pressure in the mouth will slow them down and a legs squeeze will move them forwards. Their favourite foods include carrots, hay, grass and oats and they are often indulged by football supporters with sweet treats such as sugar lumps, chocolates and extra strong mints!
The Junior Girls’ School has recently been working with Retrak, a charity with police links, and has built up a relationship with the local force. By sponsoring Bumble, the school will receive a plaque, an information pack and regular updates about his life.
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