{"id":38603,"date":"2019-12-09T11:58:11","date_gmt":"2019-12-09T11:58:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jomec.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/?p=38603"},"modified":"2019-12-09T11:58:11","modified_gmt":"2019-12-09T11:58:11","slug":"christmas-time-at-the-police-stables","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/2019\/12\/09\/christmas-time-at-the-police-stables\/","title":{"rendered":"Treats, pyjamas and purple shampoo: It&#039;s Christmas at the police stables"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/jomec.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/LEAD-IMAGE-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-38606\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/LEAD-IMAGE-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/LEAD-IMAGE-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/LEAD-IMAGE-770x433.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/LEAD-IMAGE-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/LEAD-IMAGE-2048x1152.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/LEAD-IMAGE-500x281.jpg 500w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/LEAD-IMAGE-293x165.jpg 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/LEAD-IMAGE-1400x788.jpg 1400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/jomec.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/LEAD-IMAGE-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-38606\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/LEAD-IMAGE-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/LEAD-IMAGE-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/LEAD-IMAGE-770x433.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/LEAD-IMAGE-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/LEAD-IMAGE-2048x1152.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/LEAD-IMAGE-500x281.jpg 500w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/LEAD-IMAGE-293x165.jpg 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/LEAD-IMAGE-1400x788.jpg 1400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/noscript><figcaption>Mounted officers dressed up for Christmas <br \/>(Photo: SWP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<p><em>I notice his hooves first: they\u2019re the size of soup plates and could do some damage. Then I feel a nudge against my cheek. It\u2019s a nose. I look up, craning my neck to meet the big brown eyes. This is Blue: he\u2019s more than two metres tall from the ground to his ears, and he\u2019s a South Wales Police horse.<\/em>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p>IN&nbsp;an industrial estate on the outskirts of Bridgend, you will find four paddocks and nine stables belonging to the South Wales Police.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p>A lot of police training happens here and as I walk past some outbuildings, I notice two men holding guns. Then I see the sign: \u201cFirearms training in progress\u201d and walk a little faster.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p>Kat Edmonds-Daniel welcomes me to the yard. She is one of the horses\u2019 welfare officers and is responsible for their mucking out, feeding and sprucing up. She often starts work at 5.30am to get them ready for the day ahead.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p>When&nbsp;people are&nbsp;carving&nbsp;up their&nbsp;Christmas&nbsp;turkey, Kat will be at the yard,&nbsp;bathing her charges in advance of&nbsp;the Boxing Day football matches.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p>Each horse will&nbsp;then be wrestled into a set of special Lycra pyjamas&nbsp;to keep&nbsp;it&nbsp;clean overnight.&nbsp;These&nbsp;slide&nbsp;on over the ears and&nbsp;fasten with a Velcro tummy-strap: covering&nbsp;everywhere&nbsp;apart from the legs.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>When the horses awake on Boxing Day morning,&nbsp;their fur will be smooth, shiny&nbsp;and free of poo stains.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p>Four police horses can do the job of 20 officers on the ground: an advantage that makes them ideal for crowd control.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p>\u201cAlso, with missing person searches, it makes sense to have the horses when we\u2019re searching woodland because they can get where cars can\u2019t, and cover more ground than an officer on foot,\u201d Kat explains.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p>She is like the mother to a huge family of boys, as the SWP only have geldings (male horses) in their yard.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt isn\u2019t a hard and fast rule,\u201d Kat tells me. \u201cBut we haven\u2019t found the right mare yet.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p>So, what does it take to be a police horse?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p>They must be over 16 hands high (1.62m), measured to the highest point of their back, Kat explains.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p>\u201cJust to have that presence really, and obviously one of the advantages of police horses is that mounted officers can see things that officers on the ground can\u2019t. So, a taller horse has that advantage,\u201d she says.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p>They should be virtually bomb-proof: i.e. not scared of loud noises or sudden movements. Plastic bags and umbrellas are bugbears for many horses, but police horses must ignore these distractions.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe take them out onto the industrial estate, where they come across roadworks, lorries and tractors. Then we have a drum and we wander around beating it.&nbsp;We also throw tennis balls at them \u2013 really gently,\u201d she tells me.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhen we\u2019ve done the crowd control work, we take them on school visits and&nbsp;kids love it because they get to scream at the horses.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p>There are five full-time mounted officers who share riding the horses.&nbsp;Some of them&nbsp;come&nbsp;from \u201chorsey\u201d backgrounds, but&nbsp;others&nbsp;hadn\u2019t ridden a horse before joining the mounted section.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p>A one-month course is available,&nbsp;which covers the basics in riding and stable management.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p>There are eight fully operational horses in the yard, and one on trial. His name is Hamilton and he came from a private home in Surrey.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/jomec.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Hamilton-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-38607\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Hamilton-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Hamilton-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Hamilton-770x578.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Hamilton-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Hamilton-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Hamilton-500x375.jpg 500w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Hamilton-293x220.jpg 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Hamilton-1400x1050.jpg 1400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/jomec.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Hamilton-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-38607\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Hamilton-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Hamilton-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Hamilton-770x578.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Hamilton-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Hamilton-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Hamilton-500x375.jpg 500w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Hamilton-293x220.jpg 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Hamilton-1400x1050.jpg 1400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/noscript><figcaption>Hamilton<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s actually quite difficult to find a police horse. We put an advert out on Facebook and this lady got in touch,\u201d Kat tells me.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p>\u201cShe said, \u2018I\u2019ve got a horse. I don\u2019t do much with him and he\u2019s wasted with me. Do you want to come and try him?\u2019\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p>As I stroke his face, Hamilton nuzzles in my pocket. He has been spoilt down in Surrey and is always looking for treats.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p>This is his second week on the yard, and he has four more to go. After this six-week&nbsp;trial, he will be assessed and, if he\u2019s up to scratch, he\u2019ll begin his two-year training to become a police horse.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p>In the meantime, Hamilton must follow in the hoofprints of older horses. Rubin is one such role model and at the ripe old age of 19, he\u2019s been on the yard for 15 years.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p>\u201cHe\u2019s a good nanny for the other horses,\u201d Kat explains.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p>Rubin is tucking into lunch as we approach his stable, but he pops his head out&nbsp;to say hello.&nbsp;He will be retired soon, hopefully to a private home, although Kat would love to take him home herself.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p>\u201cHe\u2019s such a great police horse. He\u2019s worth his weight in gold,\u201d she tells me, stroking his muzzle.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/jomec.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Rubin-smiling.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-38609\" width=\"420\" height=\"429\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Rubin-smiling.jpeg 840w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Rubin-smiling-294x300.jpeg 294w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Rubin-smiling-770x786.jpeg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Rubin-smiling-500x510.jpeg 500w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Rubin-smiling-293x299.jpeg 293w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/jomec.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Rubin-smiling.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-38609\" width=\"420\" height=\"429\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Rubin-smiling.jpeg 840w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Rubin-smiling-294x300.jpeg 294w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Rubin-smiling-770x786.jpeg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Rubin-smiling-500x510.jpeg 500w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Rubin-smiling-293x299.jpeg 293w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px\" \/><\/noscript><figcaption>Rubin is a great nanny for the younger horses<br \/>(Photo: SWP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<p>There are seven other horses in the section. Drummer and Bodie are on patrol in Swansea, but I meet Max, Bailey, Blue, Charlie and Marley.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/jomec.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Max-and-Rubin-1-1024x768.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-38616\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Max-and-Rubin-1-1024x768.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Max-and-Rubin-1-300x225.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Max-and-Rubin-1-770x578.jpeg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Max-and-Rubin-1-1536x1152.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Max-and-Rubin-1-500x375.jpeg 500w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Max-and-Rubin-1-293x220.jpeg 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Max-and-Rubin-1-1400x1050.jpeg 1400w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Max-and-Rubin-1.jpeg 1816w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/jomec.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Max-and-Rubin-1-1024x768.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-38616\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Max-and-Rubin-1-1024x768.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Max-and-Rubin-1-300x225.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Max-and-Rubin-1-770x578.jpeg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Max-and-Rubin-1-1536x1152.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Max-and-Rubin-1-500x375.jpeg 500w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Max-and-Rubin-1-293x220.jpeg 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Max-and-Rubin-1-1400x1050.jpeg 1400w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Max-and-Rubin-1.jpeg 1816w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/noscript><figcaption>Rubin and Max in their stables<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<p>\u201cBlue is such a friendly horse, he\u2019s great for the community work we do,\u201d Kat tells me. \u201cBut he\u2019s only eight so he still likes to chew things, like a toddler.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ve had some&nbsp;young people&nbsp;from youth offending come down. Sometimes they\u2019ve had a negative experience with the police, so for us to talk about what we do through the animals is good. They really enjoy it.\u201d&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p>Three of the horses are \u201cgrey\u201d (white, to you and me) and need a lot of scrubbing before they meet their public. How do you get poo stains out of white fur?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p>\u201cCleaning is a nightmare. We use purple shampoo, but it\u2019s mainly a good bit of elbow grease,\u201d says Kat.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p>Of course, the SWP have one dapper&nbsp;chappy. This is Max: a&nbsp;bay&nbsp;(dark brown) horse with a white moustache. Kat jokes that he\u2019s been supporting Mo-vember.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/jomec.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Max-with-moustache-in-tack-768x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-38610\" width=\"384\" height=\"512\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Max-with-moustache-in-tack-768x1024.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Max-with-moustache-in-tack-225x300.jpeg 225w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Max-with-moustache-in-tack-770x1027.jpeg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Max-with-moustache-in-tack-1152x1536.jpeg 1152w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Max-with-moustache-in-tack-500x667.jpeg 500w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Max-with-moustache-in-tack-293x391.jpeg 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Max-with-moustache-in-tack-1400x1867.jpeg 1400w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Max-with-moustache-in-tack.jpeg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 384px) 100vw, 384px\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/jomec.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Max-with-moustache-in-tack-768x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-38610\" width=\"384\" height=\"512\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Max-with-moustache-in-tack-768x1024.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Max-with-moustache-in-tack-225x300.jpeg 225w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Max-with-moustache-in-tack-770x1027.jpeg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Max-with-moustache-in-tack-1152x1536.jpeg 1152w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Max-with-moustache-in-tack-500x667.jpeg 500w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Max-with-moustache-in-tack-293x391.jpeg 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Max-with-moustache-in-tack-1400x1867.jpeg 1400w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Max-with-moustache-in-tack.jpeg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 384px) 100vw, 384px\" \/><\/noscript><figcaption>Max, sporting a moustache<br \/>(Photo: SWP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<p>On their days off,&nbsp;the horses get turned out into the paddock, so they can have a roll and stretch their legs.&nbsp;Their Christmas break will have to wait until after the&nbsp;Boxing Day&nbsp;matches,&nbsp;but&nbsp;it\u2019s not all bad news.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ve actually got them a Christmas present this year. They\u2019ve all got a nice new head-collar and&nbsp;lead rope!\u201d says Kat.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p>She also plans to have a fancy-dress competition for all the officers and their mounts.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p>Out in the yard, the horses are finishing their lunch. Rubin looks out over his stable door and, as I close the gate behind me, one of them lets out a neigh of farewell.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Headcollar-for-Christmas-e1575811029592-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-38611\" width=\"384\" height=\"512\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Headcollar-for-Christmas-e1575811029592-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Headcollar-for-Christmas-e1575811029592-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Headcollar-for-Christmas-e1575811029592-770x1027.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Headcollar-for-Christmas-e1575811029592-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Headcollar-for-Christmas-e1575811029592-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Headcollar-for-Christmas-e1575811029592-500x667.jpg 500w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Headcollar-for-Christmas-e1575811029592-293x391.jpg 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Headcollar-for-Christmas-e1575811029592-1400x1867.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Headcollar-for-Christmas-e1575811029592-scaled.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 384px) 100vw, 384px\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Headcollar-for-Christmas-e1575811029592-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-38611\" width=\"384\" height=\"512\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Headcollar-for-Christmas-e1575811029592-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Headcollar-for-Christmas-e1575811029592-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Headcollar-for-Christmas-e1575811029592-770x1027.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Headcollar-for-Christmas-e1575811029592-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Headcollar-for-Christmas-e1575811029592-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Headcollar-for-Christmas-e1575811029592-500x667.jpg 500w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Headcollar-for-Christmas-e1575811029592-293x391.jpg 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Headcollar-for-Christmas-e1575811029592-1400x1867.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/Headcollar-for-Christmas-e1575811029592-scaled.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 384px) 100vw, 384px\" \/><\/noscript><figcaption>New Christmas head-collar and lead rope<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I notice his hooves first: they\u2019re the size of soup plates and could do some damage. Then I feel a nudge against my cheek. It\u2019s a nose. I look up, craning my neck to meet the big brown eyes. This is Blue: he\u2019s more than two metres tall from the ground to his ears, and he\u2019s a South Wales Police horse.&nbsp; IN&nbsp;an industrial estate on the outskirts of Bridgend, you will find four paddocks and nine stables belonging to the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":133,"featured_media":38605,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17,14],"tags":[1519],"coauthors":[],"class_list":["post-38603","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-home-lead","category-longer-reads","tag-swp-horses-bridgend-boxingday-christmas"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Treats, pyjamas and purple shampoo: It&#039;s Christmas at the police stables - The Cardiffian<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/2019\/12\/09\/christmas-time-at-the-police-stables\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Treats, pyjamas and purple shampoo: It&#039;s Christmas at the police stables - The Cardiffian\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"I notice his hooves first: they\u2019re the size of soup plates and could do some damage. Then I feel a nudge against my cheek. It\u2019s a nose. I look up, craning my neck to meet the big brown eyes. This is Blue: he\u2019s more than two metres tall from the ground to his ears, and he\u2019s a South Wales Police horse.&nbsp; IN&nbsp;an industrial estate on the outskirts of Bridgend, you will find four paddocks and nine stables belonging to the [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/2019\/12\/09\/christmas-time-at-the-police-stables\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The Cardiffian\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2019-12-09T11:58:11+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/12\/FEATURED-IMAGE.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"620\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"465\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Imogen McGuckin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Imogen McGuckin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/2019\/12\/09\/christmas-time-at-the-police-stables\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/2019\/12\/09\/christmas-time-at-the-police-stables\/\",\"name\":\"Treats, pyjamas and purple shampoo: It&#039;s Christmas at the police stables - 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