Sadly, one of our beloved ‘Greys’, Police Horse Yahtzee, passed away on Monday after a short illness.
PH Yahtzee, 13, a 16.1 hh Percheron X Thoroughbred gelding, was purchased as a youngster and trained by Mounted Operations Unit to become one of our most highly qualified horses. He was very experienced and gave over a decade of service to the South Australian public. He undertook duties all over the state, including general patrols, searches, public gatherings, sporting events, Christmas pageants and ceremonial events such as police graduations and ANZAC Day commemorations.
PH Yahtzee was known as the “Little Pony”. He took new recruit riders out for their first operational patrols and was always included in the line-up for any public order response. He will be sadly missed.
Our distinctive ‘Greys’ are much-loved and valued members of South Australia Police and have been recognised as a State Heritage icon. They are a select group, they must have the right temperament – placid, friendly and inquisitive – be a minimum of 16 hands high (a measurement from the ground to the withers of 1.6m) and of course be grey in colour.
RIP Yahtzee.
