THE Garda Mounted Unit was established in 1998, and is situated at Áras an Uachtaráin in the Phoenix Park.

The mounted unit is a national unit, which travels and works throughout all of Ireland. The unit has a maximum strength of one sergeant, 10 gardaí, two civilian grooms and 12 horses.

Facilities at the Garda Mounted Unit include a stable yard, turn-out paddocks, an all-weather arena, feed rooms, tack rooms and a farrier forge. Each garda is assigned to a specific horse, allowing horse and rider to build a working relationship. This is reviewed on a bi-annual basis.

The Irish Draught is the preferred breed of the Garda Mounted Unit. Traditionally, the Irish Draught was used on farms throughout Ireland in bygone days. A native breed to Ireland, the Irish Draught possesses the most suitable qualities required for the role of a garda horse.

The Irish Draught is renowned for its even-temperament and intelligence. They are gentle but brave horses that are people-orientated and enjoy their work. The Irish Draught horses are strong and athletic - essential traits for police work.

Potential garda horses must meet specific criteria before becoming a member of the Unit. Only geldings are considered in the selection process of potential garda horses. Mares tend to be less predictable when they in season and stallions can become distracted by mares.

We need to be able to concentrate fully on our work and this requires the horses’ complete attention and focus.

Garda horses range from a minimum of 16.3hh upwards. Horses must be between the ages of four and six years when joining, and must be broken and riding. Horses must also have a full, clean veterinary certificate.

Potential garda horses undergo a six week assessment period, in which their suitability as a garda horse is determined.

If a horse meets all the above criteria, then they are trained to become a fully fledged garda horse. Training entails introducing the horses to various situations and hazards, in a controlled environment and manner. On becoming a fully fledged garda horse, all horses are given Irish or mythological Irish names.

When looking for potential horses to join the Garda Mounted Unit we would look online to see if there are any horses which fit our criteria. But usually we would be contacted by owners that feel they have a suitable horse. The sergeant would go out to view any potential horses before we would try them out.

FUNCTIONS

Functions of the Garda Mounted Unit are as follows:

  • Crime prevention and crime detection patrols: Day-to-day mounted patrols are invaluable in the prevention and detection of crime. Mounted gardaí can monitor a wider area during their patrols given their height advantage. Mounted gardaí also assist other operational gardaí.
  • Community policing: The mounted unit are regularly in attendance at community projects and school talks.
  • Searches for missing persons: The Garda Mounted Unit have the advantage during searches of accessing terrain that can be unsuitable or inaccessible to gardai on foot or in vehicles.
  • Crowd control and public order patrols at major events: The Garda Mounted Unit are an invaluable resource at events that attract a large crowd. Such events include Croke Park matches and concert days and League of Ireland soccer matches. The Garda Mounted Unit can be deployed at public order situations, and can be an invaluable contribution in hostile situations.
  • Ceremonial Duty: The Garda Mounted Unit undertake many ceremonial duties, such as the St. Patrick’s Day parade, and other events where dignitaries are in attendance, including the royal visit of Queen Elizabeth.

    • FLATWORK FIRST

    As mentioned, prior to a horse being selected and bought by the Garda Mounted Unit, there is very careful consideration given during their six week assessment period as to their overall suitability in the role of a garda horse. The reality is that although a horse meets the criteria to initially undergo a six week assessment period at the Garda Mounted Unit, some horses just do not cope well with what can sometimes be a stressful job. These horses can most definitely have a career in another discipline, however.

    The horses that show traits of exceptional bravery, patience, even-temperament and intelligence eventually go on to become a fully-fledged garda horse.

    Despite a horse possessing all of these essential characteristics, all horses attached to the Garda Mounted Unit undergo schooling work on a continuous basis from the time that they are selected as a potential garda horse, to instil good behaviour. In conjunction with ongoing flatwork, all horses attached to the Garda Mounted Unit undergo desensitisation work also.

    Desensitisation work and flatwork go hand in hand. Before undertaking any desensitisation work with your horse, you must remember that the foundations to your desensitisation work are in fact your flatwork.

  • Ensure that you are satisfied that your horse is listening to you in walk, trot and canter, ensuring smooth transitions from gait to gait.
  • Use your voice as an aid when schooling your horse. This can be achieved initially by the correct lunging of your mount, as per the British Horse Society (BHS) model.
  • Before undertaking any desensitisation work, you want to know that your horse trusts you, more than his own instincts.

    • DESENSITISATION TRAINING

    The following are only guidelines and advice on techniques used by the Garda Mounted Unit. The Garda Mounted Unit does not suggest that the following will necessarily work with every horse, especially when taking into consideration that garda horses must meet strict criteria before being selected for such a discipline.

    At the Garda Mounted Unit, we begin desensitisation work very gradually with all our horses. This even applies to horses that show exceptional bravery traits from the time that they join the unit. The danger with over exposing a horse with too much stimulus too soon is that it can cause major or irreversible setbacks.

    At the Garda Mounted Unit, we start by building a small “Nuisance Lane”. A Nuisance Lane is an area where training items are placed, these are items that the horses might encounter on a daily basis. A Nuisance Lane may include plastic sheeting to replicate road markings, jumping poles for replication of uneven surfaces, flags, balloons, tyres, door shutters, umbrellas or any other items deemed appropriate that some horses may have issues with. The horse is introduced to desensitisation work in a controlled way. It eventually can consist of any or all of the following placed on the ground or in the immediate environment.

    Tyres, plastic sheeting and plywood can be placed on the ground for the horse to walk over. Balloons and flags can be hung around the immediate environment, which will build up your horse’s tolerance to moving objects.

    At the Garda Mounted Unit, we desensitise the horse’s entire face and body, with the slow and careful use of objects like flags and balloons.

    Horses at the Garda Mounted Unit who are beginning their desensitisation work are always worked in the company of a more experienced and established horse. Do not hesitate to allow a less experienced horse to watch a more experienced horse from a distance at first.

    Safety is paramount, so consider starting at first by leading your horse past hazards in hand. Once your horse shows signs of trust and acceptance, he can be ridden and allowed to follow a more experienced horse past such hazards and stimulus.

    Approach hazards and stimulus from different directions as your desensitisation training develops. Develop your nuisance lane by introducing more items deemed appropriate to your horse’s training. At the Garda Mounted Unit, we always ask our horse to move past any hazards or stimulus that we present at a walk, before ever allowing them to pass objects at trot or canter.

    We want the horse to accept the hazard and not to fear it. By going quicker you are allowing the horse to evade the hazard - we rather walk first because then we know they have accepted it. Natural instinct is to take flight and we want them to conquer it. We take this very slowly and never push the horse.

    The above exercises should be incorporated into your schooling programme, but it is important to remember that for lasting and successful results, such training must be consistent. We recommend that you always end your training session on a positive note, and always praise and reward your horse for coping well.