Veteran police horse to enjoy retirement
George, diagnosed with arthritis, called a ‘natural leader’
In a few weeks, one of Bethlehem’s most beloved police horses will go barefoot.
“King” George, the imposing Percheron/Morgan cross with the famous white mark on his forehead — that if you squint maybe resembles the Moravian star — will have his shoes removed the next time the farrier visits the Quadrant Private Wealth Stable Facility on East Langhorne Avenue.
And as the nearly 16-year-old horse finally gets the chance to grow out his black and chestnut mane over the span of several months, officers and visitors to the stable will get to see just how wild and free retirement can look.
After about a decade on the force, the herd boss of the mounted unit and one of the first horses to join back in 2010 has led his last city patrol. After a veterinarian detected the start of arthritis in one of George’s hind legs, the police department decided to take George off the streets and into early retirement.
Officer Al Strydesky, George’s last partner, said the pronouncement by the vet was tough to hear.
“My voice cracked on the day the vet told us,” Strydesky said. “Everyone got a little choked up at first.”
George’s longtime sponsor, Maria Rodale, has agreed to continue to pay for his place at
the stables, and so the beloved equine will live out his days with his brothers-in-arms in Bethlehem.
George isn’t the first of the department’s original three horses to be retired. The previous herd boss, Raven, retired in 2014. Pharaoh, now the oldest in the herd at 17 years, is the last of the old guard still on the force.
The city’s mounted police officers must learn to ride all of the horses, but each is paired with a regular partner. For his first 5½ years on the job, George was paired with the unit’s commander, Lt. Michael Leaser. Sgt. Eric Waldeck rode him for a few years before Strydesky took over in 2017.
Leaser described the horse as a natural leader who could intimidate with his size, but more often was an ambassador for the city known as an unflappable “gentle giant.”
After George stepped into the role of herd boss when Raven retired, the other horses looked to him for his steadiness on patrol. The unit’s newest horse, 3-yearold Casper, was paired frequently with George. Casper’s sense of security is unmistakable when he’s with a leader like George, Leaser said.
Little could phase George, even whenheandLeaser were hit by a vehicle while on patrol in 2014. The incident injured both horse and rider, and George earned a national award that year for his dedication to the job.
Strydesky said officers feared the accident would cause George to become skittish around traffic, but the king lost none of his poise.
George, a Canadian carriage horse in his previous life, has always been the one to set the pace, Strydesky said. And more often than not, it’s a little too fast for the others.
“He’s always our fastest walker,” Strydesky said. “The other horses have to stick the pedal to the metal to keep upwith him.”
George’s demeanor and professionalism ensured his career was a storied one. In addition to his usual duties, George was requested for plenty of out-oftown details as well, including Pope Francis’ 2015 visit to Philadelphia.
In the Christmas City, Leaser said, George has done it all: patrolled just about every festival imaginable, been on hand for traffic stops and medical calls, and even galloped after suspects.
“The only thing he probably hasn’t done is transport anybody,” Leaser said. “It’s a one-seater.”
George’s final patrol downtown was Nov. 21. It was an emotional six hours, for the riders, if not the horse. Strydesky rode him for the first three and Leaser returned to the saddle for the latter half of the patrol.
George seemed to have no sense of the day’s importance, and he was ready to work and do the job the best he could, as always, Strydesky said.
Now that he is at the paddock full time, officers say, George seems a little miffed when the other horses leave. But he can’t be too broken up after he realized some of the perks.
For one, there are less-frequent baths and more time for his favorite treats — like apples, which he devours core and all. And during a recent photo shoot, George gobbled mouthfuls of sweet green grass without any reprimand.
“This is usually not allowed,” Strydesky said with a chuckle as George helped himself, clumps of grass falling from his mouth has he chewed. “But since he’s retired, why not? He’s earned every bite of this.”