Boris awarded PDSA Order of Merit

Boris was purchased on the 29/10/1998 at the age of 4, He passed his initial training at Imber court with flying colours, his trainer described him as “excellent from day 1. ”His first posting was to Shoreditch Police station in Hackney and he very quickly became the horse that escorted the other horses as he was so good and wasn’t scared, fearless.

Boris was so good he was very quickly selected to do all the Queens escorts, although he was so strong only a handful of officers could ride him as he would have a habit of taking off.

Several years were spent at Shoreditch until he was transferred to Kings cross stables and issued to another officer who would take Boris on.  During his time there he was involved in many public order incidents and policed many football matches across London, always brave and fearless and always he led from the front going into disorder situations. He maintained his brave attitude and helped install this into the other horses.

In 2014 Boris was awarded the PDSA for his role in the London Riots, His rider at the time PC Copeland Described him “as brave as they come with a lovely calm nature and willingness to work.” Boris is known for his perfect knowledge of every single route back to each police stable and is always eager to return for his hay.

His last stable was Bow in the East end where he was issued to PC Soteriou, a new member of the mounted branch in 2013 to whom he “gave the confidence to do my job always without fear and was always the first horse into a situation leading the way forward for the other horses to follow.  We made such a good team, I never thought I would become so attached to a horse but I did and I was so upset to see him go.One of the bravest, well-mannered horses I have ever met, except when he is on the soft, he is so strong he would take you for a ride and boy did he take you, he never wanted to stop!”

PDSA Order of Merit Citation 2014

On 6 August 2011, the ten horses and their mounted officers were deployed to Seven Sisters Police Station, where buildings and vehicles were alight. Their role was to protect fellow officers, dressed only in their normal patrol uniforms from an encroaching crowd, armed with firework-type rockets.

The horses were surrounded by burning buildings and falling debris, with missiles being launched at them and their officers. This was a situation far more extreme than any training could have prepared them for. The horses stood their ground, despite being struck on their chests, hindquarters and, on one occasion, the head. Their unwavering determination led to a visible retreat by the crowd which enabled the foot-duty officers to do their job.

Constable Paul Copeland described Boris as “as brave as they come, with a lovely calm nature and willingness to work.” Boris is known for his perfect knowledge of every single route back to each police stable and is always eager to return for his hay.