Houston Mounted Patrol Back on the Beat

Houston’s police horses have returned to the streets!

Photo courtesy of Houston Mounted Patrol, used with permission.

While “normal” might be an elusive quality along the Texas coastline for months and perhaps even years in the aftermath of devastating Hurricane Harvey, certain aspects of life in Houston are starting to return to a recognizable state. The Houston Mounted Patrol returned to its home base on Friday, September 1 after evacuating to College Station on August 25 and mounted patrols resumed on Monday, September 4 to help the city clean up and get back on its feet.

Harvey left its mark on Houston and fifty counties in southeast and lower central Texas, dumping over 50 inches of rain in some areas when the storm stalled out over the Gulf Coast. Some refer to the storm as “500-year flood,” creating historic conditions that far exceeded expectations and predictions. The two-legged members of the Houston Mounted Patrol remained on the scene in the city, rescuing individuals in need; the 35 equine members of the patrol evacuated to College Station to wait out the storm with Parsons Mounted Cavalry.

When the horses returned to Houston on September 1, it was to find their human partners waiting with clean, dry stalls and open arms. The horses reportedly enjoyed baths and some bonding time with their human counterparts as they settled back in after the storm.

As of Monday, September 4, the horses were back on the beat, serving as peacekeeping officers while also providing what we’re sure is a huge morale boost to the people of Houston.

Fans can follow the Houston Mounted Patrol through a Facebook page “operated” by Smash, a deaf Paint horse who is part of the unit.

Go Houston! And go riding.