Two miniature horses, Grace and Valor, have joined the Cleveland Mounted Police Unit, where they are slated for community engagement work and a planned officer wellness program.
Samantha Wilmot, a civilian horse trainer who manages the unit's stable, told Signal Cleveland she pitched the idea after seeing minis used by mounted units elsewhere in the country. Police Chief Dorothy Todd was supportive, and Wilmot selected the animals with input from the unit's veterinarian. She said the team opted for foals so staff could handle and expose them to new situations themselves.
The unit had intended to buy a single horse. At the purchase, staff learned that Valor had lost his mother and had bonded with Grace. Wilmot said Traffic Commissioner Gordon Holmes agreed the two should not be split up, and an added donation paid for the second animal. Both are less than a year old.
The horses live at the unit's stables at 1150 E. 38th St., a hilltop site above Interstate 90 and the Lake Erie shore that is also home to six full-size horses plus several dogs and cats. Their training includes acclimating to equipment and activity around the barn, such as a forklift passing through the aisle, and building confidence on a lead rope before walks around the city. School groups and adults with disabilities have already visited.
According to Wilmot, officers sometimes stop by the stable to decompress with the animals. She described Grace as mischievous, known for tipping over buckets during morning cleaning, while Valor tends to stand by and watch.