Greater Manchester Police has a long standing tradition of naming its police horses after characters created by the great Victorian novelist Charles Dickens. To celebrate the 200th anniversary of the writer?s birth, we thought you might like to meet one of the few horses ever to be named after a real person, the author himself.
Say hello to Dickens who was for many years one of Greater Manchester Police?s best known and loved horses.
Almost 12 months ago to the day he retired to The Horse Trust's Home of Rest for Horses in Buckinghamshire. He continues to live a happy and peaceful life in retirement.
He was one of the force's best police horses, according to Mima Manning, Stable Manager at Greater Manchester Police.
"Dickens was one of our toughest and bravest horses," said Mima. "He had a cheerful temperament and always went to work with a smile on his face. He gave a lot to Greater Manchester."
While most police horses have a working life of eight to 10 years, Dickens worked for the Force for an impressive 15 years. In his time with the force, Dickens was involved in all types of police work including crowd control at public demonstrations, football matches and concerts, and patrolling crime hotspots.
The Horse Trust depends on the support of the public to look after retired working horses such as Dickens. It costs the charity an average of £12 per day to look after each horse at the sanctuary, which includes the costs of grooms, forage, farriery and veterinary care.
To donate to The Horse Trust, please visit www.horsetrust.org.uk, or contact the charity on 01494 488 464 or info@horsetrust.org.uk
For more information about our horses at work please visit our website. www.gmp.police.uk
I mean, last year New York got hammered! So maybe Mother Nature decided to balance things out a bit this year??
We got snow in October, and then this Jan. 27th....it's been crazy tempetures here, one day 60 next 45 degrees.(tomorrow is going to be 52?) I think the lowest we have been is 28 degrees and that was at night! I am not complaining.....although (and don't kill me! lol) I do miss it..I mean not crazy storms like last year, but just some pretty snow ( a little bit) to play in, shoot...etc. :)
Anyway, this is up in Walden, NY. It was about 32 degrees out grey, and very windy about 11 am.
