From its beginning as the Bow Street Horse Patrols founded in 1742, the Mounted Branch of London's Metropolitan Police has proved its worth many times over

The First Horse Patrols

London in the 1760s was a dangerous place. After nightfall the approach roads were infested with robbers and footpads who made every form of travel a dangerous undertaking. The Bow Street Magistrate, John Fielding, persuaded the Government of the day to fund a Horse Patrol to police the main routes. Eventually ten mounted officers without uniform patrolled at night for a six month experimental period. They were enormously successful and by early 1764, travellers could move about in safety. But the funding ran out and after only a year, the experiment was discontinued. (This initiative was distinct from the Bow Street Runners, who were a team of detectives established earlier.)

Riots and Robbery

Between 1780 and 1829 there were eighty one riots in London of varying seriousness. In the absence of a properly organised police force, the Army was sometimes used to bring order to the streets and in the Gordon riots of 1780, troops opened fire on a mob attacking the Bank of England and at least 250 rioters were killed.

The Patrol Resurrected

Against this background, the Bow Street Horse Patrol was revived in 1805. There were two Inspectors and fifty two Constables – all ex-cavalrymen. They wore uniform of a double-breasted blue coat with gilt buttons, top boots and a scarlet waistcoat together with a black top hat. They were nicknamed ‘Robin Redbreasts.’ Significantly, they were each armed with pistol, sabre and a truncheon. Once again they were astonishingly effective in reducing crime and this time no-body complained about the cost.

Metropolitan Police Horses

Robert Peel’s Police Act of 1829 brought about the founding of the first properly constituted Police force in London. The Horse Patrol formed the embryo Mounted Branch which at its peak was over two hundred strong.

The Rght Type of Horse

A good police horse is a Heavy Hunter type; three-quarter bred ( three parts Thoroughbred and a quarter of a heavier breed), stands at least 16 h.h. and is up to carrying in excess of 14 stone. Importantly, its feet and legs must be able to withstand long hours on the hard road. By temperament and training it has to be good in traffic and, together with its rider, steady in adverse conditions such as noisy crowds, the sound of gunfire, explosions, smoke, flame and general mayhem.

On Patrol

Unless deployed on ceremonial or crowd control duty, the London Mounted Police officer will normally patrol the streets for three or four hours each day. He or she is a highly visible representative of Law and Order and has all the powers and responsibility of a colleague on foot.

Fluctuating Numbers

There are currently only 120 Met Police horses but there are signs in other parts of England that the cost benefits of using Mounted Police are being rediscovered and in the county of Essex the previously disbanded Mounted Section is soon to be reformed.

Here to Stay

Although police horses are often seen as a soft target when economies have to be made, there is little doubt that when a hostile mob gets out of hand, the sensible deployment of Mounted Police is the only effective solution.

Sources:-

The Queen’s Peace – David Ascoli. Hamish Hamilton (London) 1979

The Police Journal April 1985