NASHVILLE, Tenn. — As an ice storm swept through Nashville, one Metro police officer stayed behind to care for the department’s mounted patrol horses after their stables lost power, WTVF reported.
For three days in late January, Officer Michael Douglas tended to the horses alone at Percy Warner Park, left without assistance due to downed trees and icy roads. He worked in the dark, cleaning stalls by flashlight and breaking ice in water buckets to ensure the horses could stay hydrated.
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“Horses eat and drink to produce their own body heat to stay warm,” Douglas said.
The stable remained without power for nine days, according to the report. Douglas cared for all the patrol’s horses, including his own partner, Tucker, the newest member of the unit.
Thanks to his efforts, all of the horses remained safe and have since returned to regular patrol duties. Mounted patrol horses typically join the unit around age 4 and work until about age 20.
