… unless his name was Brigadier and he wore the badge of the Metro Toronto Police department mounted division and was a champion in police force equestrian competition.

I’m glad I wasn’t the only one who was moved by this story. The short version is that an idiot in a minivan deliberately ran-down a police horse in Metro Toronto last weekend, breaking both of it’s front legs. Despite a brave effort that included a horse transport unit escorted by six cruisers in attempt to get Brigadier medical attention, it was finally decided that he had to be put down. A sniper from the special forces division put him down with two shots.

And now. There are so many people who have expressed condolensces for this brave animal that they have had to move the memorial service to a larger venue… like say… the 2400 seat Ricoh Coliseum on the grounds of the CNE?

I can’t believe people are calling for the disbanding of the mounted unit because of this. “Horses and modern traffic don’t mix”, they say. Well duh. You don’t see guys on horseback patrolling the 401. The mounted unit serves a very specific purpose in the downtown core. For crowd control and patrolling downtown paths and alleyways they are second-to-none.

“Brig” by all accounts, was a champion. I think I may just hop on the GO Train and go to that service. I suspect there will be more than one long face at that service. And I think I may just take my camera too.

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