Kolkata: The Kolkata Mounted Police marked a quiet milestone during Durga Puja with the induction of four young horses into its Maidan stables.
With their arrival, the mounted police now has 54 horses. This is still far below the 70-odd horses the unit had at the start of 2024, when six horses were inducted, and much lower than the sanctioned strength of 98. Senior officers are now discussing plans to bring the mounted unit back to the main Republic Day parade by 2027. Trainers also hope that, if preparations go well, at least one of the four new horses may be ready to take part in the Republic Day celebrations in Jan 2027.
Mounted police officers said the unit had rarely inducted thoroughbreds this young. Officers and trainers said turning race-bred thoroughbreds into police horses took careful training. The horses officially joined the unit on Sasthi morning. They will now have to adjust from racing at high speed to staying calm during city policing duties. Full adjustment usually takes six months to a year. The horses are now going through stable drills and exercises to help them get used to noise, movement and people. Field training in the Maidan and exposure to real city conditions will follow. The mounted police unit is also trying to return to official city parades.
The horses had earlier raced briefly at the racecourse before being withdrawn from competitive racing. Before the pandemic, the unit was a regular part of Republic Day and Independence Day parades on Red Road.