NSW Mounties Confined To Barracks.

All 36 horses stabled at the Redfern Mounted Police complex in preparation for their roll in policing the recent APEC Conference have contracted EI.

Acting Inspector Richard Martin told Horse Deals that one horse came down with the flu and the complex was locked down from the 28th August. “The complex has permanent stables for 32 horses and we had portable stables for an extra four in preparation for APEC. But we have been closed down by the DPI since the 28th August and that prevented us from operating during APEC. The quarantine period will last for 50 days, although it can be reduced at any time, but only by the DPI.

“All have had the flu and today all the temperatures are back to normal. We had none that were really ill, in fact the symptoms were not much different from the colds one or two catch each year, except all the horses had it. We have our own vet here who is contracted to look after the horses, and have been in contact with the DPI via email. Their Infectious Diseases Control Unit has been in to make sure out decontamination procedures were correct and in place with signage etc.

“We don’t think our not being there had an impact on the policing of APEC which went very well. But it was disappointing from our point of view, as we had been training for this for 18 months. Everyone in the Unit has put in a big effort to getting these horses up to the standard necessary, so it was disappointing not to be involved”.

The NSW Mounted Police have quite a history at Redfern in inner Sydney, as the mounted barracks were established in 1907. Redfern incorporates an up to date complex including stables, and indoor arena, exercise yard, sand roll and horse walker etc.