Houston Mounted Police and Fountain Drink
Lead a horse to water and if he’s thirsty. This photo was taken in downtown Houston, TX. The mounted officer led his horse to a fountain in front of the building known as “1100 Louisiana”. On a hot summer day in Texas, man and beast suffer from the heat. What better place to water your steed than a bubbling fountain in the heart of downtown. Mounted police can be intimidating due to the size of their mounts, but they also attract the attention of children and horse lovers.
I see these guys on a regular basis in town and both the officers and animals seem to enjoy their duty. According to the United Mounted Peace Officers of Texas, there are 102 mounted units in 254 counties in the state of Texas. Many of these units are sheriff’s posses and search and rescue units. Read here to learn about the Houston Mounted Patrol Unit.
Mounted police units are uncommon, but widespread worldwide. Many countries have urban units but the mounted officer is especially useful in areas that are less accessible by more mechanized units.
In the USA, mounted units are found in a few major cities, including New York, and Houston, but the largest contingent of mounted officers are attached to The United States Park Police. It is one of the oldest established police equestrian units in the United States. The US Border patrol also has a mounted unit. Most of these are employed along the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona.
The downtown business district and Hermann Park are the primary focus of the Mounted Patrol, so, if you’re in Houston, don’t be surprised if you see the Houston Mounted Police watering a mount at a convenient fountain somewhere in the city.
For another view of the duties of the Houston Mounted Police, there are a few images during a downtown rally available here in this collection of Street Photos