Snodgrass clops off

ONE of Greater Manchester’s favourite police horses is retiring to new pastures.

Eighteen-year-old Snodgrass will spend his days at The Horse Trust’s Home of Rest for Horses in Buckinghamshire after 15 years’ service.

The 17hh bay roan gelding was involved in high-profile police work such as patrolling crime hotspots and crowd control at football matches — including Manchester United’s homecoming parade after the team won the Treble in 1999.

Chief Insp Lynn Roby, head of GMP Mounted Unit, said Snodgrass was one of GMP’s most reliable and best-loved horses.

She said: “Snodgrass is the sort of horse that takes everything in his stride — he is so laid back. Nothing phased him, even the Manchester United homecoming in 1999, which was the noisiest event a police horse could be involved in.

“Everyone in the mounted unit adores him — we all went to say our goodbyes when he left and there were quite a few tears.”

Snodgrass also featured in the Mounted Branch television series on Animal Planet channel and was used as a model by artist Gwon Osang for an exhibition at Manchester Art Gallery last year.

Snodgrass has been on a waiting list to retire at The Horse Trust for 18 months after problems with his foot meant he could no longer be ridden.

Paul Jepson, chief executive of The Horse Trust, said: “We have had to close our doors to new horses temporarily, but didn’t want to let Snodgrass down after his many years of loyal service to GMP.”

l The Horse Trust is currently making an urgent appeal for donations to enable it to re-open its doors to needy cases. Just £5 would feed a small horse for a week. To donate, visit www.horsetrust.org.uk.