KHP MOUNTED POLICE YOUNG HORSE TRAINING ACADEMY

The Kentucky Horse Park has started a new program called the Mounted Police Young Horse Training Academy. This program is designed to start and lead the young horse down the path of becoming a trained mounted police horse. 

The Mounted Police Young Horse Training Academy currently has three yearlings enrolled in the program. The yearlings are three boys, and their names are Koda, Henry, and Parker. Koda is a big bay percheron cross and was born March 5, 2015. Henry is a brown and white spotted draft and was born April 5, 2015. Parker is the littlest one and also a spotted draft who was born April 26, 2015.

These yearlings are big boned, durable but athletic in build. They will easily carry the weight of a police officer and their equipment. Over the course of the next few months, the yearlings will be introduced to various everyday tasks such as grooming, leading, picking up their feet, fly spray, baths, clippers, and most important, manners. We will start introducing groundwork to them and teach them to move away from pressure, go over poles, tarps, a mattress, and other obstacles that they would encounter while on routine patrol.

The Kentucky Horse Park Foundation will gladly accept donations to the KHP Mounted Police Fund to help care for and train these yearlings. To make a donation, please go to the Foundation page and select "KHP Mounted Police Fund" in the campaign dropdown or call 859-255-5727.

Meet the Yearlings

KODA

Koda is a dark bay percheron cross born March 5, 2015. He is a gentle giant and hasn’t quite figured out where to put his feet. He is like a bull in a china shop and a fuzzy black bear all wrapped up into one. He loves drinking out of a regular water bottle and his favorite spot to scratch is his hips.

HENRY

Henry is a red and white spotted draft born April 5, 2015. He is sweet with a kind eye. He seems more mature physically and mentally than his buddies. He prefers a light touch and is a little more sensitive in nature. He is the herd leader of the group. His favorite spot to scratch is his withers.

PARKER

Parker is also a spotted draft, dark bay in color, and was born on April 26, 2015. He is sweet, cuddly and is becoming more independent. He loves people and will walk from all corners of the paddock to greet you. His favorite place to be scratched is his shoulder/neck area. He loves his milk bucket and will leave you smelling like sour milk.

The yearlings are from Last Chance Corral in Athens, OH. Last Chance Corral is a rescue organization for nurse mare foals, as well as, unwanted horses.

They have been wonderful in helping us through the adoption process and are so happy to see these yearlings (adopted as foals) go out in the world to promote their organization, as well as becoming great ambassadors to the Kentucky Horse Park.

The yearlings will be raised and trained to become future police horses at the park. We will start with halter training them and progress to everything from clippers, bath, tarps, and other sensory type obstacles. Groundwork will start immediately and continue throughout their career. When they are two and three years of age a rider will be introduced to them.

Look for frequent updates and pictures on their progress and how they are learning to police the grounds of the Kentucky Horse Park. To make a donation, please go to our foundation page and select "KHP Mounted Police Fund" in the campaign dropdown.