How the NYPD’s finest horses prep to patrol the city

Marcus Martinez Jr. joined the City of New York Police Department as a horse farrier back in 2008. For him, it’s a labor of love that takes place at an indoor stable in Hell’s Kitchen right below a luxury apartment building.

News 12 Staff

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Apr 19, 2022, 2:38 AM

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Updated 968 days ago

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Marcus Martinez Jr. joined the City of New York Police Department as a horse farrier back in 2008. For him, it’s a labor of love that takes place at an indoor stable in Hell’s Kitchen right below a luxury apartment building.

Martinez comes up with a game plan, then it’s time to get to work.

Hoof by hoof he gives the horse a brand-new set of shoes, but it’s not as simple as just nailing on a new horseshoe.

Each one is heated until its red-hot then shaped and sized over and over until it’s perfect. Then it’s time to cool it off, nail it on and repeat the entire process for each foot.

While Martinez says the process takes two hours, for the dozens of horses that patrol and protect the city each day, he says it’s what they deserve.

When all is said and done, these horses can return to Martinez for new shoes in about four to five weeks.

The NYPD mounted unit also has troops in the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens.

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