Reggie, the horse, has a very bright personality. (PHOTO BY:ARIEL COBBERT)
Reggie, Jax and Della mostly work weekends. With colleagues Murray, Frankie, Lamar and Gunsmoke, they provide a little horsepower for one of the Oxford Police Department’s tougher jobs.
David Misenhelter, the officer in charge of the Oxford Police Department’s mounted unit, believes these horses provide a valuable vantage point for policemen on the Square.
“The presence of horse-mounted officers has statistically proven a reduction in crime,” Misenhelter said. “The horse-mounted officer does not go unnoticed by citizen or criminal. To put that in perspective, I can stand at an intersection downtown and see four blocks in any direction. They provide quite the deterrent for criminal activity.”
Last weekend, the mounted patrol was able to respond and capture a suspect involved in an auto burglary.
Misenhelter credits this arrest to the mounted unit and its mobility and presence in a setting that may be difficult for a vehicle.
“They are highly mobile in a congested setting,” Misenhelter said. “They are able to get through crowds and traffic. This is useful in a situation where the mounted officer may have to capture a fleeing criminal, such as recently.”
After its implementation in 2009, the mounted unit has gained popularity among University students and members of the community.
“Having the horses on the square provides a commanding presence to the chaos of Oxford nightlife,” said public policy leadership major Cheney Thomasson.
“The horses have been put through extensive training to be prepared to control a crowd in the case of an emergency,” Thomasson said. “I definitely feel more safe when I see them on the Square.”
The horses usually have four- to six-hour shifts, with breaks depending on the weather or events around town. There are currently five horses on the department budget and four horses funded by officers on the unit.
“In addition to uniform patrol responsibilities, the officers rotate shifts at the barn, tending to various things such as feed, grooming, stable chores, etc.,” said Misenhelter.
The officers receive a wide spectrum of equine training, including horse health management, stable management, safety, equitation and crowd control tactics. The training takes approximately 80-120 hours, depending on how much experience the rider has prior to service.
“The most difficult aspect, by far, is equitation (horse riding),” said Misenhelter. “We teach the ‘balanced seat.’ All officers arrive with a seat, but not all arrive with balance!”
The officers are responsible for their horses and they rotate shifts at the barn. Working so closely and frequently with the horses allows connections to form between mounts and officers. This represents important bonding time with the service animals that trust the officers with their safety and well-being.
Ole Miss Equestrian Club member Selby Entrekin commented on the relationship between the horses and their riders.
“The mounted unit is very passionate about their job and their horses,” Entrekin said. “Good police horses are hard to come by. Therefore, they treat them with utmost respect and would risk their lives as if they were one of their fellow officers.”
Misenhelter said he can feel the mood of his horse as soon as he walks into the barn, which determines how much interaction the officers allow the horses to have with bystanders while on patrol.
“If Reggie is picking fights with Jax, biting at him and such, I do not want to reward him,” Misenhelter said. “So if someone comes up and asks to pet him, I have to say no because he is acting up and he would consider the pet a treat.”
Misenhelter said there is never a dull moment in the stables or on duty with the horses. While observing Reggie scratching his rear on the stable door, Misenhelter admitted the behavior was not uncommon for the Clydesdale. He also mentioned the occasional drama amongst the horses, like this past week when Jax was overly interested in the only mare, Della, while in the field.
“It is pretty interesting working with service animals,” Misenhelter said. “Feeding dewormer paste to a 1,700 pound Clydesdale mare who is in a foul mood is not for the faint of heart.”
Although the patrol is a budgeted unit of the police department, the budget only covers common expenses of horse ownership. That is why the federally recognized nonprofit organization Friends of the Mounted Patrol was founded.
“The non-profit helps us acquire new tack, equipment, training, and things hard to predict like veterinary procedures,” Misenhelter said. “The nonprofit is a huge asset to us in helping our horses get the most out of life.”
