Photo Credit: Newsbreak App
Law enforcement is often in the crosshairs of the public eye, for reasons both unfair and sometimes justified. That said, I think we all can agree that police horses never deserve any ire. They are the unimpeachable good guys in law enforcement, as a Scottsdale story is now demonstrating. Only in Scottsdale could a police horse named Aiden transition from patrolling Old Town’s bustling streets to becoming a four-legged therapist, and somehow, it makes perfect sense in our desert oasis where luxury meets whimsy.
After 13 years of distinguished service with the Scottsdale Police Mounted Unit, Aiden has trotted his last patrol, but this isn’t your typical retirement story. The 20-year-old Percheron and Thoroughbred crossbreed is trading his badge for a new calling: therapy horse extraordinaire at Camelot Therapeutic Horsemanship.
It’s quintessentially Scottsdale that even the police horses get premium retirement packages. Having truly “seen it all” while patrolling Old Town with “confidence, heart, and an unshakable presence,” Aiden is now channeling those same qualities into healing work, because apparently our city’s commitment to wellness extends to its equine civil servants too.
The horse was a favorite at school events and parades and “courageously worked at multiple protests” throughout his career, proving that Scottsdale’s finest come in all species. Now, he’s enjoying retirement as a therapy horse: partnering, naturally enough, with a retired police officer.
From the PGA Tour’s Phoenix Open to late-night Old Town patrols, Aiden has been part of Scottsdale’s fabric for over a decade. His transition to therapy work perfectly captures what makes this city special: the ability to reinvent yourself while staying true to your service-oriented heart.
Welcome to retirement, Aiden, you earned it!