ALMOST HUMAN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22402, 24 April 1936, Page 2 (Supplement)

ALMOST HUMAN

WONDEE POLICE HOBSE VETERAN OF GREAT WAR WOUNDED IN SOMME BATTLE Colonel Sir Percy Laurie, Assistant Commissioner 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 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, 1916, until the British Army of Occupation went to Cologne. He went through the ordeal of Ypres and was wounded in the battle of the Somme. Then, when victory came, he was with the army that marched into Germany." Walking Up Stairs Sir Percy was drafted home in 1919 and joined the Metropolitan Police. He at once applied for Quicksilver, and the warrior joined the force. His training was easy to Quicksilver. They made him jump through a ring of fire. He didn't mind. They waved flags in his face, blew bugles and put grotesque dummies in hiy way. He didn't mind. So Quicksilver passed his test and qualified for his new job The horse walks up and down stairs with ease, and more than once has tried to follow Sir Percy up the steps to his office. He has walked up the steps of his master's home and followed him through the street door several times. One of the most difficult feats a police horse is taught is "passaging," in which the animal walks "crab-wise," crossing one fetlock over the other. Master's Car Picked Out Horses are taught this step for use when dealing with large crowds. Walking "crab-wise," they push their way into the crowd without injury to the feet of men and women there. Quicksilver can perform the feat 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: "Ho is the most wonderful horse I have ever ridden." A horse always knows his master, but Quicksilver knows the colonel's motor-car, too. Recently Quicksilver was in the Row in the charge of his groom. Suddenly the big white gelding pricked up his ears, glanced round and gave a curious whinnev. A few moments later a motorcar drew up, and Quicksilver gave his master a joyous welcome. Understands Everything "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 Field-Marshal said of him: "This is the most astonishing horse I have over seen. Why, ho knows all that is going on. Ho is a marvellous animal." "He must bo twenty-seven years old now," concluded Colonel Laurie, but he 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."