WONDERFUL POLICE HORSE

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 172, 22 July 1936, Page 18

WONDERFUL POLICE HORSE

VETERAN OF THE GREAT WAR. Colonel Sir Percy Laurie, assistantCommissioner of the London Metropolitan Police, who will retire shortly, wants to take Quicksilver, his famous white charger, with him. They have been together, in the war among gunfire and devastation, and in later years among the great London crowds and traffic jams, for 20 years. They are pals and do not want to part.

Colonel Laurie said to an interviewer: "Quicksilver joined the staff of Sir Aylmer Hunter Weston in France and was later handed over to me. He was my charger right through the war from April, 1910, until the British Army of Occupation went to Cologne. He went, through the ordeal of Ypres and was wounded in the battle of the Soinnie. Then when victory came he was with tiio army that inarched into Germany."

Sir Percy was drafted homo in 1919 and joined the Metropolitan Police. Ho at once applied for Quicksilver, and the warrior joined tlie force. His training was easy to Quicksilver. They made him jump through a ring of lire. 'I'liev waved (lags in his face; blew bugles and put grotesque dummies in his way. He didn't mind. So Quicksilver passed his test and qualified for his new job.

The horse walks up and down stair." with case and more than once has tried to follow Sir Percy up the steps to his office. He has walked up the stops ol his master's home and followed him through the street door several times. Ono of the most difficult feats a police horse is taught is "passaging," in which tho animal walks "crabwise," crossing one fetlock over the other.

Horses are taught this step lor use when dealing with large crowds. Walking "crabwise," they push their way into the. crowd without injury to the feet of men and women there.

Quicksilver can perform the leal almost at a canter, as he demonstrated to the crowds at the funeral of King George. When his training period was ended. Quicksilver was again ridden by his old master, Colonel Laurie, who declared. "He is the most wonderful horse I have ever ridden.'

A horse always knows his master, but Quicksilver knows the Colonel's motoi car, too. Recently Quicksilver was in the Row in the charge of his groom Suddenly the big white gelding prickeii up his ears, glanced round and gave n curious whiniiy. A few moments later a motor car drew up and Quicksilver gave his master a joyous welcome. "Ho understands every word I say,' said Sir Percy Laurie. "In fact, he is almost human." On one occasion he was ridden by the late Field-Marshal Lord French on his last parade. The FieldMarshal said of him, "This is the most astonishing horse I have ever seen. Why, he knows all that is going 011. lie is a marvellous animal."

"He must be 27 years old now," concluded Colonel Laurie, "but lie is still as fit as a fiddle and as proud as a real old Irish gentleman should be. A splendid fellow, he deserves a rest."