A Metropolitan police horse known for her bravery will enjoy her “twilight years” at the Horse Trust.
Last week the charity welcomed 15-year-old part-bred Shire mare Orla, its first retiree of the year.
(Image credit: The Horse Trust)
During her 10 years’ service Orla attended premiership football matches and took part in numerous public order and ceremonial duties including the Black Lives Matter and English Defence League protests. The 17.2hh mare was also a “regular fixture” at Buckingham Palace for the Changing of the Guard and escorted the Household Cavalry while they performed The Queen’s Lifeguard duties.
“She spent the majority of her career at West Hampstead Stables where on a day to day basis she was often the ‘go to’ horse chosen by supervisors due to her bravery and (usually) impeccable behaviour,” said a spokesman for the Horse Trust.
“In the later years of her service Orla moved to the Imber Court training establishment where she escorted young horses in training, helping them to gain confidence while on patrol on the roads.”
Orla was retired owing to lameness issues and her rider at the force described her as a “lovely, quiet dependable mare who will be “missed by all”.
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“Orla has already settled in well to life at the Horse Trust, and we can tell she is going to be a really lovely horse to care for in her twilight years,” said the charity’s spokesman.
“We can’t wait for her to catch up with her old Met Police buddies Gawain, Hadrian, Kathleen, Jedburgh, Huntsman, Boris, Duke and Normandy who are all current residents.”
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Since joining H&H in 2018, Becky has covered a broad range of equestrian news including welfare matters, veterinary studies, FEI Tribunal hearings and road safety campaigns. She has also interviewed top riders including Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to name just a few. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, as well as the Royal Highland and Blair Castle International Horse Trials closer to home. She was also a key part of the remote reporting team for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.
