Colombian police horses will now wear armor, after numerous attacks by crowds have resulted in serious injury, reported local media.
“The injuries can range from muscle contraction to cuts with knives, bottles in various parts of the bodies, as well as fractures from being hit.”” said police veterinarian Ingrid Gomez.
Authorities do not understand why these horses are being attacked. “The horses are trained from an early age for security services and not to react to violent aggressions by people and the noise of big events,” said major John Aquirre of the Mounted Police.
A police horse named “Crystal” is recovering after being hit with a blunt object during an April 14 soccer match between Equidad and Santa Fe, while another named “Tequendama” is lame after being stabbed in the leg with a bottle during the Manu Chao concert in Bogota on April 4.
The Police Museum in Bogota has a monument honoring a horse named “Termite” who died in the line of duty on February 16, 1971 during a demonstration at the National University. The heroic police horse managed to stumble away from the crowd before he fell and died of multiple fractures and stab wounds to the abdomen.