The horses of the U.S. Park Police have a new home on the National Mall, and the public can visit.
The new U.S. Park Police Horse Stables and Education Center on the National Mall opened Wednesday with a mission to serve the police department’s Horse Mounted Patrol and connect with visitors.
The facility includes 14 horse stalls and space to exercise the horses.
“You can learn about our unit, our agency, and what it takes to be a horseman, a police officer — and what it takes for a horse to be a part of our unit,” said Lt. Anna Rose, commander of the Horse Mounted Patrol.
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Students from Payne Elementary School in D.C. visited on Wednesday.
“I like the horses because sometimes when they gallop, they’re majestic,” one fourth grader said.
The stables and education center are located in a wooded area south of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. The center is open to the public Thursday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
It was funded through private donations to the Trust for the National Mall.
Living history among the US Park Police
Retired sergeant major Dennis Ayres attended the grand opening on Wednesday and spoke about the history he witnessed in his 34 years with the Horse Mounted Patrol.
“I was here when Dr. King was on the steps up there. We saw a half-million people, demonstrators, right here,” he said.
President Ronald Reagan gave him the rank of sergeant major.
“I was top man on the horse,” Ayres said.
Reagan rode every weekend, and Ayres recalled once meeting Queen Elizabeth.
“She got out of the car and came up to the horse. She was crazy about horses, talked about horses. It was wonderful,” he said.
A photo of Ayres on horseback near the queen caused a stir because no one was supposed to be above her, he said.
