Horsing Around at the HPD Barn

The Houston Mounted Patrol Stables
5005 Little York Road, Houston

Horse statue outside the stables. 

For as long as I can recall, I've loved horses. I grew up riding and I'm always happiest when I'm in a barn. My kids are also interested in horses, though still a bit young to start riding. They are also interested in police officers. As a former prosecutor, I've told them a lot of stories about police officers and have tried to instill in my children a respect for law enforcement. Given our love for horses and our interest in law enforcement, I was thrilled to learn that you can tour the Houston Mounted Patrol Stables. Since the day after Christmas fell on a Friday and we were all off for the day, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to meet the horses and tour the barn.

The barn tour is free and very casual. Visitors are asked to sign in on the visitors' log in the office. You may bring apples, carrots, or peppermints to feed the horses. Visitation occurs from 8:00-4:00 on weekdays excluding city holidays. You can also arrange for a demonstration tour, but in order to do so you need to call in advance.

When we arrived, we were greeted by a very friendly off-duty officer. He told us we could walk around the barn at our leisure and that we could give the horses some treats. Fortunately, I'd packed a bag of carrots. Unfortunately, I was ill-prepared for the number of extremely friendly horses who would hang their heads over their boxes. Most of the horses were allowed to have a piece of carrot or part of an apple, but one horse had allergies, so we couldn't share our treats with him.

The barn was immaculately clean. All of the horses were eager to meet the children and to have their noses rubbed. We also met several barn kittens. The kids enjoyed seeing the bathing stalls, though none of the horses were being bathed during our visit. After walking up and down the long hallways, we walked out back to the training arena behind the barn. In the distance we could see all of the horse trailers and tractors, the perfect added bonus for my 3 year old son.

This is the perfect activity for kids and adults alike! I can't wait to return in the future with my kids. They are already planning our next trip. Next time, we'll bring more carrots! Texas forever.

Arena behind the barn.