The use of ‘Police Greys’ by South Australia Police is unique amongst mounted police units across the world.
Although South Australia Police used some grey coloured horses in the late 1800’s, it was not until the First World War that their use became more prominent. This was because the Australian Army procured most of the available darker coloured horses within South Australia; preferring not to use the lighter coloured grey horses for military purposes. As a consequence the majority of the only horses available for purchase by SA Police were grey.
However, it was not until the establishment of the SA Police Mounted Cadre in 1951 that it became official policy that police horses were exclusively to be ‘greys’.
