Bud the police horse that was punched after football derby in 2013 has died
The 21-year-old Bay Shire cross had served for 14 years and had only entered retirement at the end of 2019.
Monday 7 September 2020 16:53, UK
A "brave, but gentle" police horse which was punched by a football thug during violence after a derby match has died.
Bud was unhurt in the incident which took place in Newcastle in April 2013 after rivals Sunderland had won 3-0. His attacker Barry Rogerson was jailed for 12 months.
The 21-year-old dark Bay Shire cross died from colic on 2 September. He had served 14 years in the police with West Yorkshire and the Metropolitan Police forces.
In October 2019, he entered retirement at The Horse Trust in Buckinghamshire where staff made sure he "never saw another football scarf".
The charity's chief executive Jeanette Allen said: "Bud had a wonderful retirement, albeit a sadly short one after being taken from us by a fatal colic.
"It is our privilege to care for these incredible animals later in life that along with their officers give so much to our communities and I personally made sure that Bud never saw another football scarf while he was with us.
"He spent his days out in our beautiful fields with fellow retirees. We just so wish we could have had him longer, such a brave but gentle boy who remarkably still loved people."
Bud started his service with police in West Yorkshire in 2005, before joining the Met in 2015.
His "skill, calmness and experience" meant he was ideal to take part in teaching police officers to ride and he helped escort new horses in training on the country's roads.
During his career, he took part in all aspects of mounted policing, including local patrols, ceremonial events, public demonstrations and countless sporting events. Bud's former riders described him as "a loyal and steady horse".