Bravery and Bombproofing
December 3, 2012
What happens when a smoke grenade unexpectedly sets off the fire alarm during the public demonstration at the Seattle Police Department’s Mounted Unit barn?
Tiger’s not happy.
He’d done really well, for the new kid in the barn, up until that point. But now his patience had worn thin; the smoke was acrid and everywhere, the sound was deafening and his senses were overwhelmed.
Earlier in the demonstration, he stood still while bands of pretend protesters holding big signs pushed against him then lobbed tennis balls at him. He calmly walked around something on fire and through dense smoke. But the wail of that alarm was not something he’d heard before and the rapid-blinking light was a little too close to crazy-makin’.
But he didn’t move. He didn’t bolt, rear, kick or evacuate the building.
Tiger earned his stripes.
Do you or someone you know have a story about a horse that inspires? Please leave a comment below to let us know or share on Facebook!
Great piece – and fantastic photographs, too. Tiger IS an incredibly brave horse. The trust between Tiger and his partner is inspiring…
Thank you, D’Arcy! It was really heartwarming to see how much those police men and women loved their horses. The unit has been on the chopping block a few times with budget cuts, but in 2011 a foundation that raises funds through donations stepped in to save it for 3 more years. A lot of people love seeing those horses on their routes around the city. Turns out I remembered his name wrong. Or they changed it. He’s now listed as Tiger on the Foundation’s site.