London Protest Police Horse which Bolted

[kgal3542]

I am not able to load the videos of what happened due to dodgy internet connection, I have seen some photos. Can anyone update on the condition of the horse? The poor thing looked looked so frightened, am concerned for the horse and it's rider. There are also conflicting reports that the horse trampled a protestor, and another that a protestor was bitten.

Yes they are'massive and trained to deal with all situations. Not having a bike thrown at them though.

That's a nasty accident. Poor woman. Glad the horse is ok.

Shiny, are they being used as weapons? Are they trained to bite then? Or to kick? Are they being used to trample the protestors?

@Destroyedpeople

It will be fine they have extensive 'desensitization' training . Shouldn't use animals as weapons tbh.

Well ‘desensitisation’ training won’t be of much use if some thug physically hurts it.

Yes police horses have always been used as weapons.

But exactly how is that, Shiny? You need to back up your statement.

Police horses are generally good at crowd control as people generally back off / away .

Why on earth do police use horses anyway? The most jumpy animal in the planet?

I've got no sympathy. Stop using horses for police animals.

Look the horses are used as weapons as in if you ride a line of horses into a crowd the crowd will have to back off.
Therefore there is a risk involved to the animal and that risk has been assessed and calculated.
Part of that calculation is the special place that horses hold in brits' hearts and how if one gets hurt everyone will go..

.'ooh the poor horsie...what horrible thugs'.

As it's well known that agent provocateur s are active at this kind of thing perhaps the use of animal as weapon should be stopped.

Exactly banana. Time for a change perhaps.

Thank you Destroyed. Having read your explanation, I think your use of the word 'weapon' is incendiary and slightly over dramatic. A weapon is something which is used to hurt someone. Can you, hand on heart, say that the police horses are used to hurt people?

are horses used often?
frightening.

There’s always horses at Chelsea football matches - no aggro though ( not towards the equines anyway ) .

Actually trebletheclef most weapons aren’t Used to harm, merely to intimidate. UK police can be armed with batons, tasers and guns but they rarely use them; and when taser and guns are fired it’s a big deal and automatically triggers an investigation. The use of police horses and dogs are similar - they are animals which can injure people but are mainly used to control a situation.

Hurt ...hmm ....Yes if someone didn't get out if the way quick enough

Perhaps 'intimidate ' would be better.

Also Horses are unpredictable even with extensive training.

That's why all the riding schools have shut down they cost too much to insure.

Well we shall have to agree to disagree with your use of the word weapon.

What other methods of crowd control could they use I wonder? I worry that if they don't control the crowd, and someone gets killed, they will be blamed for not controlling the crowd,

Water cannon ...tear gas ...officers with riot shields

...rubber bullets. They've been employed in the uk for a long time.

God, imagine them running back to their stables, the poor buggers. They must have been terrified

Radio 4 news at 9am this morning actually said the police officer was in a 'stable condition'. They said it in a straight faced way... but it made me smile...

Destroyed, would you really advocate those three methods at the moment? Do you not think that would cause even more upset? Water cannons and tear gas??! Really?!? Can you imagine how that would be received?

Well it was good enough for Ireland...or is that different....

You'll need to explain the reference to Ireland, I'm afraid.

@BananaChocolateLump

Why on earth do police use horses anyway? The most jumpy animal in the planet?

I've got no sympathy. Stop using horses for police animals.

I think you'll find that's kangaroos. HTH.