U.S. Park Police Horse Stables & Education Center: What to See + Tips From a Volunteer

Updated: April 16, 2026 (now includes behind-the-scenes insights from my weekly volunteer work at the stables)

The U.S. Park Police Horse Stables & Education Center on the National Mall opened in 2023 as a rare behind-the-scenes look at the mounted unit. When I first visited, I was drawn in by the chance to see the horses up close. Now, I return every week as a volunteer—and the experience is even more compelling from the inside.

Most visitors walk right past this stop between the Lincoln Memorial and the Tidal Basin. That’s a mistake. This is one of the few places on the National Mall where you can watch the horses play in their paddocks as well as learn about the daily rhythm of care, training, and preparation that keeps the mounted unit running.

This is still a hidden secret even for locals. I have people walk into the facility and ask me when it was built! The state-of-the-art and sustainable facility is located next to the Korean War Veterans Memorial. As you glide past the Wall of Remembrance, you will spy horses in the double-fenced viewing paddock.

Volunteer Perspective

Volunteering at the facility allows me to welcome visitors from across the United States and around the world. I love taking children to the interactive center, where they can brush a (fake) horse’s mane, examine the horse’s food, and stroke its leather saddle. The international guests are excited to tell me what places they will visit in Washington, D.C.

If I am lucky, there are always one or two horses in the paddock when I arrive for my 12 noon shift. I always walk up to the fence to say hello. Horses are very curious. I think they like to have their photograph taken.

Meet Our New Horses

Four new horses recently joined the U.S. Park Police Mounted Unit.

I met Buck during one of my volunteer stints. Purchased from a farm in Pennsylvania, Buck is a Belgian Paint Draft Cross. He measures 16.3 hands high. The horse is 13 years old. “Buck has been the fastest graduate of our Horse Mounted Program in the last 10 years. He is ultra brave and bold.”

Buck likes to roll around on the ground and lift his legs up in the air. He usually has his head buried in the pouch on the fence that holds his feed. Periodically, he stomps his feet and then strolls around the paddock to look at the visitors.

The other new horses include: Cash (a thoroughbred acquired from a racing training camp near Annapolis, Maryland); Oden (a Belgian quarter horse cross purchased from the same farm as Buck in Pennsylvania); and Yaro (a Fresian purchased from the Netherlands).

Once the horses have shed their winter coats, new flipbooks and flip cards will be produced in 2026.

Getting to the Venue

The stables are located on the National Mall on Independence Avenue, SW, at the intersection with West Basin Drive.

The Education Center is only open four days a week (Thursday through Sunday). The operating hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Inside, you’ll get to see interpretative panels, video exhibits, and tactile displays featuring equipment and tack.

There is no guarantee of a time when the horses will be in the paddock. Visitors are not permitted to tour the horses in the barn.

Weekends bring more visitors, so the Education Center can get crowded. Weekdays often give you a front-row seat to watch the two videos (“Day in the Life” and “History of the Mounted Unit.” Children will also have an easier time exploring the interactive area on a weekday visit.

If you arrive during non-operating hours, you can watch two outdoor video displays and flip through a book featuring photos of the horses.

A Dog-Friendly Venue

My dog Parker was fascinated by the large limbed creatures staring at him through the fence. We met three horses (two chestnut and one cream-colored) from the U.S. Park Police Horse Mounted Patrol (HMP). I believe the brown horse’s name was Sibbell. You can bring your dog into the Education Center as long as he is on a leash (and well-behaved).

Feel free to say hello, sing a song to the horses, or just act silly. They may be the friendliest furry ambassadors that you’ll meet on the National Mall. Stare into the eyes of a horse, and you won’t be able to turn away. The only thing you can’t do is pet the horses because they are on their “break” from work.

A Special Bond

My favorite exhibit was entitled “A Special Bond.” The two photos showed a close-up of a female park officer off duty with a horse, as well as a close-up of an officer racing his horse in Rock Creek Park.

The exhibit explains the partnership between the Park Police horses and their riders.

“After more than 400 hours of training, a horse understands a human’s intentions and commands.”

U.S. Park Police Horse Stables and Welcome Center

During officer training, they focus on riding skills and caring for their mounts.

What I didn’t know is that the officer and the horse work together as a team. “After being paired together, an officer and a horse are on the job for seven to eight hours a day, forming a special, lasting bond.”

Tour of Education Center

You definitely should try to find time to visit these horse stables on the National Mall.

New public features include: 

• A welcoming education center with a self-guided tour, educational information on the horses, and a history of horse-mounted patrol operations on the National Mall.
• Two public viewing paddocks with double fencing for visitors to safely observe horses.
• A new entrance and pedestrian path to enhance accessibility.
• A permanent and accessible pathway that replaces the former dirt path to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial.

Special Gear

The horse’s special gear, or tack, keeps both the horse and the rider comfortable during a long day at the job. Proper-fitting tack also helps the horse interpret the rider’s commands. Children (and horse-loving adults) will love to stroke the “touchable” leather saddle.

There is also an exhibit on “Protective Gear” for the rider. It features the park policy’s horse riding helmet, ranger hat, leather jacket, and tall boots. The Mounted Patrol officers must wear specialized riding gear. “Tall boots prevent leg chafing while helmets protect the head in case of a fall,” according to the plaque. “While parading, officers may sport wide-brimmed flat hats as a nod to the historical tradition of the U.S. cavalry.”

Caring For Horses

While visitors can only tour the Education Center, they can look through large windows into the grooming stall to see the officers groom their horses. They might see an officer brushing his horse’s mane or back.

Visitors can also watch videos about this elite equine Mount Patrol.

The facility features 14 stalls, including a medical stall and a medical paddock, and a heated wash and tack room, all built to ensure proper airflow and space for the horses housed on-site.

The horses now have their own private turnout, with proper space to exercise.

Oldest Equestrian Unit

The Mounted Unit is one of the oldest and most beloved equestrian units in the U.S. It all dates back to 1934, with just one horse rented from a local stable. Over the next 20-30 years, the unit expanded to provide a “friendly equine presence” on the National Mall.

The venue is also a touchpoint on the “Path of Hope,” connecting to the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial on the Tidal Basin.

U.S. Park Police Horse Stables Funding

This facility was built by the Trust for the National Mall in partnership with the National Park Service (NPS) and the U.S. Park Police. It replaces the original horse stables that date back to 1976 for the bicentennial. The new facility was built as part of the Trust and NPS preparations for the semi-quincentennial—the celebration of America’s 250^th anniversary—where the National Mall will play center stage.

The venue is open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. It is staffed with volunteers from the NPS and the Trust for the National Mall.

I love that the hard-working members of the U.S. Park Police horse troop now have such a fine home on the National Mall. They deserve it. Like the hard-working shepherd dog, the horse does its duty without complaint.

I think of the beloved book that I read to my children when they were little. In Black Beauty, Anna Sewell describes the horse who reaches his “retirement”:

“My troubles are all over, and I am at home; and often before I am quite awake, I fancy I am still in the orchard at Birtwick, standing with my old friends under the apple trees.”

Black Beauty

Well done, Deliah, Dresden, or Cleo. You deserve this well-appointed horse stable on the National Mall.

Nearby Places to Visit

The U.S. Park Police Horse Stables & Education Center is easy to combine with other stops on the National Mall. Walk north to the Lincoln Memorial, or head toward the Tidal Basin during cherry blossom season. If you’re planning a full day, pair this visit with the nearby Smithsonian museums for a mix of indoor and outdoor experiences. You can also walk down the National Mall to catch a free bus to visit The Wharf.