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Horse from Kentucky’s Renowned Asbury University Joins UMPD Mounted Unit

August 22, 2024 Community

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Noble pictured with (from left to right): Sherly Gomerez (Animal Science ’26); Sandra  and Richard Johnson; and Hannah Lydotes (Equine Barn Manager)
Noble pictured with (from left to right): Sherly Gomerez (Animal Science ’26); Sandra and Richard Johnson; and Hannah Lydotes (Equine Barn Manager).

The College of Natural Sciences’s Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (VASCI) recently announced the arrival of Noble, a four-year-old Percheron x Thoroughbred gelding, who will be joining the ranks of the UMass Police Department (UMPD) Mounted Unit. 

In early 2022, members of UMPD and VASCI traveled to Asbury University in Wilmore, KY to evaluate horses from Asbury’s Service Mounts Training Program. The UMass team selected Noble, who then completed his training at Asbury over the course of 2.5 years before coming to UMass. Now fully trained, Noble recently made the trip from Kentucky to Massachusetts alongside fellow trainee Nikon, who joined the Hampden County Sheriff’s Department.   

The purchase of Noble was made possible through a generous donation from Richard and Sandra Johnson of Williamsburg, VA. Richard is an alum of UMass (’69 SBS Political Science), and both he and his wife are animal lovers and volunteers with the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. The Johnsons have also established a needs-based scholarship fund for UMass Animal Science and Pre-Vet students, relieving some of the financial strain these students carry as they pursue their academic journey.  

When not on patrol, Noble will earn his hay by serving as a teaching horse for VASCI classes, including: Intro to Animal Science; Intro to Animal Management; Equine Management I and II; Equine Behavior and Learning Theory; Equine Diseases and Health Management; and Large Animal Nursing. Each semester, over 300 Animal Science, Pre-Vet, and Vet Tech students utilize VASCI’s equine teaching herd to gain essential knowledge and skills relevant to their future careers. 

“We commend Asbury University on their horses and their program, which has laid a solid foundation of the skills necessary to be a successful police (and teaching) horse,” said Detective Jessie Liptak, UMPD. “Noble graduates from their program as his student trainer—who dedicated the last four years to Noble’s development—graduates from college. Congratulations on a job well done!”

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