State police looking for a few good horses
The Pennsylvania State Police are always looking for a few good men and women to serve in its ranks.
It also wouldn’t mind a few good horses.
Residents statewide are being asked to donate horses to the Pennsylvania State Police to keep its stable in Hershey well-stocked. The state police typically keep 28 horses at its academy in Hershey, and the agency is “always looking for good horses,” according to Ryan Tarkowski, a state police spokesman.
Making a donation would “help the community and the state police,” he added. Owners donating horses would have to check if there is a tax benefit that comes with donating a horse, but he noted that “some people’s circumstances change. It’s a lot of work and expense to take care of very big animals.”
The state police relies on donations for its stable of horses, and uses them for crowd control, security, searches and patrols in remote areas, and in community events like parades.
There are specific types of horses police are looking for. First, they must be between the ages of 5 and 15, and stand about 16 hands to 18 hands tall – that would be about 5 feet 4 inches at the shoulder. Thoroughbreds and other “hot-blooded” horses that are geared more to speed are not preferred, while work horses like draft and draft-crosses are. Horses must be able to get along well with their equine peers and have a quiet, calm disposition.
A veterinarian will examine each horse, and horses will be accepted on a 120-day trial basis to make sure they are appropriate for the state police to deploy.
When the horses reach retirement age, the original owners can have the horses back if they want; otherwise, the state police will look for homes for them.
For information, contact Cpl. Carrie Neidigh at 717-533-3463. She can also be reached by email at cneidigh@pa.gov.