Dudley pupils meet West Midlands Police horses during special school visit
Police horses from the West Midlands Police mounted unit delighted pupils during a special visit to a school in Dudley, giving children the chance to meet the animals and learn about policing in their community.
Officers brought police horses Bruce and Carter to Bromley and Pensnett Primary School and Brockmoor Primary School, where pupils were able to see the animals up close and ask questions about how they are used in everyday policing.
The visit formed part of the mounted unit’s community engagement work following the return of police horses to the West Midlands after more than two decades. The animals, which first returned to patrol the region in late 2025, are used for neighbourhood patrols, crowd management and major events across the area.
During the school visit, officers explained how the horses help them carry out their duties. Their height allows riders to see over large crowds, while their size and agility mean they can move quickly through busy areas and help disperse groups if necessary.
Pupils were also taught how to behave safely around horses and were encouraged to ask questions about the animals’ training and daily routines.
After 26 years, police horses were reintroduced in the West Midlands last year after the Mounted unit was disbanded in 1999.
Police horses are typically used for general police patrols as well as football matches, targeted operations and responding to disorder. Their height gives their police officer riders the ability to see over crowds, while their size, speed and agility mean they can easily move between obstacles and disperse large groups of people quickly.
However, they are also key for engagement with the public and showing different components to policing.
