The Lancashire Police mounted section says its “hearts have grown one horse bigger”, thanks to its latest equine recruit – who has chosen her own police name.
A six-year-old Clydesdale formerly known as Blossom has been undergoing her training with the branch, and was officially named on 4 April. Many of the branch’s horses are named after places in Lancashire, so in keeping with this, the 16.3hh mare was offered the choice of three buckets of feed. These were labelled Whalley, Langho and Cottam and she chose Cottam.
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A Lancashire Police spokesperson told H&H PH Cottam, who came from a home in Yorkshire where she enjoyed hacking, is very friendly and “great to have around”.
“She is progressing well through the early stages of her police training,” she added.
PH Cottam will continue her training, visiting different places in the county, “taking in all the sights and learning the ropes from our other esteemed equines”.
“Our hearts have grown one horse bigger,” the police spokesperson said.
“As she continues her training at our mounted division, our newest recruit received her ‘police name’ yesterday and as she’s described as ‘a mare who knows what she wants’, it was only right that we let her choose it herself.”
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Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.
