The Mounted Division of the New Orleans Police Department received a donation of 20 saddles, bridles and other equine equipment during a special presentation at the New Orleans Police Department stables in City Park on Friday, Feb. 2.

The donation was made by the American Association of Equine Practitioners Foundation, headquartered in Lexington, Ky.; the Louisiana Veterinary Medical Association’s Equine Committee, headquartered in Baton Rouge, La.; and Tucker Saddlery, located in Yoakum, Texas.

Following hurricane Katrina in 2005, both the AAEP Foundation and LVMA Equine Committee formed equine disaster relief funds to help horses and their caretakers. Veterinarians, horse owners, equine organizations and corporations from across the country answered the call and donated generously to these two groups. Since that time, both organizations have been helping horses and their caretakers through various feed and medical relief efforts throughout the Gulf Region.

“Donors from across the country should be thanked for the support and willingness to help horses,” said AAEP Foundation chairman Nat White, DVM. “We are delighted to be able to give back to the New Orleans Mounted Patrol through this donation and we thank the many partners and their donors that have helped us to be able to do this for such an important and proud symbol of New Orleans.”

Attending this presentation were: New Orleans Police Department Superintendent Warren J. Riley; Mounted Division Captain Clarence Hebert; Jay Addison, DVM, representing the LVMA Equine Committee; Gary Norwood, DVM, representing the AAEP Foundation; Joey Templat of SACS Western Store, representing Tucker Saddlery; and various human and equine officers of the New Orleans Mounted Patrol