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Sunglass-wearing police horse Luna retires

Indy Almroth-WrightSouth of England
Getty Images Pale brown police horse, Luna, wearing tinted goggles standing alongside two other horses.Getty Images
Thames Valley Police said Luna looked very elegant in her "neigh-bands" - they are set to be donated to the Thames Valley Police museum

A police horse known for wearing custom sunglasses to protect her eyes from the sun due to an eye condition is set to retire.

Thames Valley Police Mounted Section said Luna stole the show at Royal Ascot last year with her "neigh-bands" created to protect her eyes due to her having equine recurrent uveitis.

Described by the force as "so brave" she also remained on duty after being punched by a man during clashes between football fans when Southampton beat Portsmouth 4-0 at Fratton Park in 2019.

After 13 years with the force Luna will go into care of The Horse Trust. Her goggles are set to be donated to the Thames Valley Police museum.

TVP Mounted Section Police horse, Luna, wearing sunglasses/goggles at Royal Ascot with her police rider on her back.TVP Mounted Section
Luna turned heads when she showed up at Royal Ascot last year wearing her custom sunglasses

Sergeant Heidi Cornick, who leads the Mounted Section at the force, said: "She is an angel and my favourite horse in the yard. Every day I come in I love seeing her little face over the stable door.

"She is so brave, so honest and has had a phenomenal career, we will miss her very much. She is very much the queen of the stables.

"Wearing her very famous 'neigh-bands' as we call them she has done Royal Ascot where she escorted the Royal Family every day... a lot of state visits and she was in Her Majesty The Queen's funeral.

"She very much deserves her retirement."

The man was filmed punching the police horse before being detained by officers

Despite having an implant, eye drops and other protective measures, the force said her eye condition - which Luna was born with - meant she was always going to lose sight in the affected eye.

Ahead of retiring the force said her eye had been removed "so she can enjoy the sun on her face without any irritation, sunglasses or masks - she can simply relax and enjoy herself".

TVP Mounted Section Police horse, Luna, lying down in a stable on a bed of shavings. She is a chestnit brown with a white blaze.TVP Mounted Section
Her recent operation to remove her affected eye means Luna can retire and enjoy the sun on her face without her bad eye bothering her, TVP said.

Thames Valley Police said Luna's recently carried out eye operation had been "a complete success and she's doing extremely well."

Charity, The Horse Trust based in Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire provides retirement and respite for the UK's police and military horses.

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