A Woman’S Job Is Never Done: Memoirs of an Equine Veterinary Surgeon to the Philadelphia Police Mounted Patrol

By M. Phyllis Lose and Deborah L. Fritz

Dr. Lose is the first woman equine veterinarian in the United States. She paved the way for all woman veterinary surgeons caring for large animals. Dr. Lose was asked to be the veterinary surgeon for the Fairmount Park Guard, which was later merged to become the Philadelphia Police Mounted Patrol (PPMP). Her tenure with the police was from 1961-1980
The second chapter describes how Dr. Lose became the veterinarian for the PPMP. Two chapters are devoted to the police inspector at that time and to Mayor Frank Rizzo. One chapter describes a brief history of the FPG/PPMP. The remainder of the chapters are stories about individual horses and their police officer partners. The stories are inspiring, sad, humorous, and encouraging.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Apr 14, 2016
• ISBN: 9781514458655

Book preview

Copyright © 2016 by M. Phyllis Lose and Deborah L. Fritz.

Library of Congress Control Number:   2016902164

ISBN:                Hardcover            978-1-5144-5867-9

                           Softcover               978-1-5144-5866-2

                           eBook                    978-1-5144-5865-5

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

The information presented herein represents the perspective of the authors. Many of the names of the police officers were changed for privacy. Some of the events were also altered. Please note that many of the photographs were professionally done. The majority can most likely be attributed to the Philadelphia Police Department as official photographs. The ones without attribution in this book are most likely copies in our possession of which we are unable to verify the photographer. Please note that every attempt was made to give attribution to all photographs; however, due to their age (most are between forty to fifty years old). Please note that the Copyright Act of 1976 went into effect January 1, 1978. Most of the photographs and information were prior to this date. M. Phyllis Lose, VMD, holds all rights to No Job for a Lady, so any reprinting from this book has been approved and permission granted. Not all of the photographs represent or correspond with the subject matter. While every attempt has been made to verify the information provided in this account, any omissions of people, animals, or organizations are unintentional.

Rev. date: 04/13/2016

Xlibris

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

727040

Contents

Foreword

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Prologue

Chapter 1 Machete!

Chapter 2 Veterinary Surgeon to the Philadelphia Mounted Police Patrol

Chapter 3 Brief History of the Philadelphia Mounted Police Patrol

Chapter 4 Inspector Charles Turner

Chapter 5 Glenn, Ambassador of Goodwill

Chapter 6 Mayor Frank Rizzo, Colorful and Controversial

Chapter 7 Cliff!

Chapter 8 Remembering Officer A. John Heatlie and Sonny

Chapter 9 Commissioner

Chapter 10 Chubby’s Fright

Chapter 11 Elaine’s Visit

Chapter 12 Foreman’s Growth

Chapter 13 The Almost Collision

Chapter 14 Exodus

Chapter 15 Jo-Jo

Chapter 16 Handsome Huey, the Hero Horse

Chapter 17 Colic Medicine

Chapter 18 Deacon

Chapter 19 The Akhal-Teke

Chapter 20 Bristol’s Bump

Chapter 21 Jerome, the Bravest of Horses

Chapter 22 Search Me

Chapter 23 Marvin’s Malady

Chapter 24 Traveler

Chapter 25 Danny’s Mishap

Chapter 26 Sansirmac

Chapter 27 Angel

Chapter 28 The Unthinkable

Chapter 29 Chester

Chapter 30 Firebelle

Chapter 31 Pete

Chapter 32 The Stanley Cup

Chapter 33 The Flying Horse

Epilogue

Appendix A Letter Regarding Jerome

Appendix B Accomplishments of the Show Team, the Color Guard, and the Drill Team

Glossary of Terms

References

Notes

To all the brave men and women in blue who serve this country, along with their equine and K-9 partners. The greatest honor and respect goes to all those who have sacrificed their lives.

Foreword

Dr. M. Phyllis Lose was one of the first women to dedicate her veterinary practice to horses. She was well-known for expertise in equine reproduction and developed a thriving practice caring for horses in the area of southeastern Pennsylvania in which she lived. When Dr. Lose accepted the position of veterinarian to the Philadelphia Mounted Police, she added a new dimension to her practice, not realizing what a large part in her life this assignment was to become. She was on call 24-7 and found herself traveling to the city of Philadelphia to treat horses injured in the line of duty, as well as performing routine care for approximately sixty horses stabled in various sections of the city.

In the late 1860s, the City of Philadelphia acquired the Wissahickon Creek and its immediate surroundings in order to protect the quality of drinking water for the city. The Fairmount Park Guard was formed to provide a mounted patrol for the widespread city park system. When Dr. Lose accepted the position of veterinarian to the mounted unit, the headquarters was located on West River Drive in Belmont stable built by the WPA. One unit was stationed at the Monastery Stables in Wissahickon Park, while others were stationed in Pennypack, League Island, and Cobbs Creek Parks. In the course of her duties, Dr. Lose traveled to all these locations. The horses came from diverse backgrounds: trail riding, fox hunting, carriage driving, the show ring, and sometimes New Holland auctions. The police horses were often donated and came with varying degrees of training. They learned to walk unafraid through traffic, to accept service revolvers being fired from their backs, to be effective in crowd control, and to stand quietly for long periods, often closely surrounded by the adoring public. Some horses became members of the color guard, leading parades or the show unit, which competed successfully against other police departments at the Devon Horse Show and the National Horse Show in New York.

Dr. Lose quickly came to admire the gallant horses and dedicated men who patrolled the park trails and city streets of Philadelphia. In this book, she shares her experiences as equine veterinarian to a big-city mounted unit, giving a behind-the-scene view of an important part of Philadelphia history.

Dr. Lose and I first met when Dr. Raker, a faculty member of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, brought his class to my stable to diagnose, treat, and study an unusual skin condition on my horse. When Dr. Lose graduated in 1957 and started her practice, I became her client, starting a professional association of twenty-plus years, which has continued as a fast friendship to this day.

Audrey Bostwick

Acknowledgments

With humility and gratitude, we acknowledge our indebtedness to the following: Abba Adonai may this book glorify You.

Dr. Lose’s awesome, loyal, extraordinary, and humorous sister, Norma. She has dedicated her entire life to Dr. Lose’s work, for which Dr. Lose is deeply grateful.

Dr. Lose’s wondrous, beautiful, dedicated, and very brave niece, Margaret. Dr. Lose will always be indebted to her blessed niece

Dr. Lose’s loyal, hardworking, and faithful cousin Nancy, who is also Deborah’s loving, amazing, and wonderful mother.

Our awesome, brilliant, compassionate, and beautiful friend Audrey Bostwick. Without her, this book would never have come to be. She and her family propelled the FPG. Audrey really should be a co-author of this book, however, Dr. Lose specifically appointed her to write the Foreword. Thank you for all the vital information and editing. We are indebted to you.

Our loyal, dependable, brave, and wise friend Lieutenant Joseph Philbin. He exemplifies a true mounted police officer. His photos and information have been invaluable. We know you have a virtuous heart, and you are a true horseman. Thank you for all you do.

Dr. Lose’s dedicated parents, Lloyd and Margaret Lose, posthumously.

Officer John Heatlie, posthumously. A kind, wise officer and horseman as well as being a true gentleman. Officer Heatlie, paired with Sonny, left a Philadelphia legacy.

Officer Socks Malone, posthumously. An interesting character and true horseman who made an impact on the FPG.

The entire Philadelphia Police Mounted Patrol, past and present.

The Philadelphia Police Department.

The Philadelphia Fire Department.

Sergeant Harry Christman.

Elaine Hopkins, VMD, posthumously.

Mayor James Hugh Joseph Tate, posthumously.

Mayor Frank Rizzo, posthumously. Never was there a mayor like you. You were the model of the hard-work ethic.

Inspector Charles Turner, posthumously. A distinguished, truly honorable leader.

Inspector Charles Turner’s sons.

Dr. Raker, a brilliant and kind professor at University of Pennsylvania.

Our entire immediate and extended families, living and deceased, especially Ron Vautard, George Vennell, Betty Pearson, and William Fischer. To Shirley; Richard; Caroline, Ken, and family; Alvaretta, Joseph, and family; John and family; George Vennell Jr. and Lloyd; and all those on Dr. Lose’s and Deborah’s maternal and paternal sides.

Dr. Lose’s entire medical and surgical staff, living and deceased, especially noting the following: Dr. Donna Franchetti, Barbara, Suzanne Jenkins, Coopie, Anna Lamp, Lee Wood, Janie Lucine, Shirley, and all the others who have helped and been part of the practice.

Farrier Don Levy, Farrier Stoaks Kenner, as well as other invaluable farriers we have known, living and deceased.

Deborah’s devoted, loving, compassionate, supportive, and patient husband, Warren.

And beautiful, caring, compassionate, and brilliant daughters Sarah, Kimberly. We are so proud of you! You honor God in your lives.

Deborah’s extraordinary, thoughtful, caring, and loyal sister, Wendy, and her beautiful family.

Joseph Saraco and his family. He is dedicated, kind, sincere, hardworking, compassionate, caring, and tenacious. He has provided us with invaluable help these past years. We do not know where we would be without him. Also to his beautiful family. He is a fantastic friend to Warren as well.

To the brilliant and kind Sarah Erush, her husband, and Knight Officer Earl James, Val, and the Academy Stable.

To gracious Officer Bob, who allowed Deborah the privilege and honor of riding his special horse, Guido.

Dr. Lucine, posthumously.

To brilliant, caring, compassionate, Elaine Lack, thank you for your recommendation and help.

To very perceptive, insightful, intuitive, and kind Jill Claire Light Wing whose input regarding the cover has been invaluable.

To my very good friend Elaine Lack, who is brilliant, loyal, kind, and compassionate. Thank you, Elaine and your family, for your support and invaluable advice.

Each and every one of our extremely special four-legged and winged friends, who have enriched our lives and have left a legacy, both living and deceased, including Cassadol and Oscar, Sandy, Lucky, Spot, Ben, Jerry, Trouble and friend, Sunny, Duke, Lolly, Digger, Gretchen, Woolly, Jellybean, Danny, Happy, Tommy Hawk, Sha-Sha, Matilda, Haley, Piper, Treasured Moment, Hank, Guido, Sam, Buttercup, Jason, Challenger, Barnaby, Wyatt, Sweet Pea. Moses, and to each and every one of the police chargers. It is an honor to have each one of you in our lives.

To anyone we may have accidentally excluded, please forgive us with our deepest apology. Our omissions certainly were not intentional. We are grateful for all you have done and how you have touched our lives.

Introduction

The recorded history of humanity presents a lovely and exciting revelation of the simple bonds of affection between people and horses, established well before the birth of Christ. This very special partnership led to the development of incredibly complex societies. It is difficult to imagine how different these societies, ours among them, might have been without the contributions of the horse. They have carried us to new frontiers, to battle; they have plowed our fields, helped deliver our mail, and bore the weight of needed supplies. Accounts of individual teams of horse and rider are legion. Perhaps more astounding is the thought of the masses of ordinary people and animals who aided in the plodding, painstaking evolution of a new way of life. Even today, horses perform vital services to humanity, and the simple bond of affection is as evident as it was hundreds of years ago. As a practicing horse doctor, I was aware of the importance and longevity of the relationship between man and horse. I was startled to learn that early in the fifteenth century BC, four clay tablets were written in cuneiform characters, The Training of Horses (actual title), and illustrating an amazing understanding of the needs of the working equine. The clay tablets not only describe the necessary balance of food and exercise in the horse but also stress the importance of grooming, foot care, and reduction of body fat for conditioning. They even warn of the perils of bruised bars in the horse’s mouth! Every person involved in any kind of horse activity today would do well to follow the basic advice of these early experts for it appears to equal our current fundamental husbandry practices. During the four centuries preceding the Christian era, the use of the horse progressed until it reached its full potential in service to humanity. Accounts of outstanding horses began to appear. Their achievements were notable, perhaps, because fate had coupled the right person with the right horse at the right time.

Bucephalus, personal mount of Alexander the Great, was rejected as a yearling by the cavalry inspectors of Philip, king of Macedon. Alexander, however, assumed the cost of the colt, broke him, and trained him as a warhorse. Bucephalus grew old in Alexander’s service and dropped dead in battle at eighteen years of age. So strong was the bond between Alexander and his mount that the horse was buried in an elaborate tomb on the banks of the Hydaspes River, and then, in his honor, a city named Bucephalus was founded.

Julius Caesar was an expert equestrian from early childhood. As a young Roman general, he bred, broke, and trained an unusual colt. The unique animal was strong and fast, but he possessed a strange aberration: his hooves were split, so that they resembled toes. This characteristic represented a genetic throwback to the prehistoric ancestor of the horse, Eohippus, who had natural toes on all four limbs instead of hooves. Caesar’s unusual horse remained extremely sound throughout many years of valuable service, and when the horse died, Caesar erected a statue to honor him at the Temple of Venus.

Joan of Arc was the earliest female equestrian of note. The Maid of Orleans was presented with a fiery black charger by Dauphin Charles. The massive animal survived the maid and lived on to sire many useful offsprings. This stallion proved to be one of the forebears of the heavy draft horse of modern times.

Equestrian statues displayed in almost every country emphasize the prominence of the teamwork between man and horse, both in the development of countries and the conquest of nations. Our own history tells us that from the early exploration of America by the Spanish through modern times, we have fostered our share of renowned fellowships between horse and man. It is difficult to know whether great leaders made great horses, or whether it was the other way around! Perhaps they inspired each other.

Captain Myles Keogh rode Comanche, a tough little bay, in the famous Battle of the Little Bighorn. Of the two hundred horses and men who rode into battle that day, there was a single survivor—Comanche.

General Sheridan turned a disorderly retreat of the Union forces into victory in the Shenandoah Valley at Cedar Creek by galloping his big black gelding twenty miles to rally the men and turn the tide of the battle.

A deep, well-known friendship existed between General Robert E. Lee and his beloved gray, Traveller. (Spelled correctly for General E. Lee’s horse.) The horse reacted to the man’s voice or whistle as promptly as a dog. After the war, Lee rode his favorite horse daily. Traveller was made prominent in the Confederate general’s funeral.

After the battles come the more mundane tasks so necessary to the development of life, and horses have been central to the performance of these tasks. Our earliest fire trucks were pulled by horses, who often responded to an alarm with more alacrity than the firemen.

When thousands of miles of canals were constructed for inland access, the canal boats were pulled by horses. For many years, agricultural achievements were largely attributable to the hard work of the horse. When the time came for the westward spread of our nation, the horse willingly explored the new frontier. The westward movement cost many human lives. A trail of dead horses also marked its progress.

Until the gasoline engine achieved success and popular acceptance, we were dependent on the horse for nearly all land transportation. A large variety of horse-drawn cars, wagons, buggies, and coaches were used through the country, privately and commercially, for the conveyance of people and their necessities.

Horses have also been featured in the entertainment world as performers in circuses and rodeos, fairs and races, a revolution in entertainment. But the old standby, the horse, continues to figure prominently on the screen, inviting vicarious relationships.

The cooperation, empathy, and understanding between horses and people are well-documented in the sports arena as well. Outstanding equine competitors date back to the LIV Olympiad in 564 BC, and they continue to appear in polo matches, horse shows, and racing ovals.

And of course, from the mounts of the knights and shire-reeves, through the Western sheriffs’ posses, to the mounted police of today, the horse was and is an indispensable aid in the enforcement of law and order.

When the Greek historian Herodotus declared, "Not snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night