A Calvary guards the way home. Two Kyoto Prefecture Police horses watch over Seijin Elementary School

Translated from the original article at: http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20130606-00010000-rtn-l26

Transmitted at 4:53 PM on Friday, June 6 by the Ryoutan Daily Shinbun

Watching over children on their way home from school, Vice-Captain Kouboku and horse Daimonji

In an effort to watch over the safety of children, a mounted patrol visited an elementary school in the Metropolitan area of Kyoto, during the time period in which students return home. On the 5th, the Heian Calvary of the prefecture’s police headquarters visited Seijin Elementary School of Nakasakacho, Fukuchiyama City. (Containing 378 students, Taniguchi Tadateru is the school's president) There, at the roads leading to and from the school, the police watched over the children on their way home.

Among a group of 5 police, Calvary Vice Captain Kouboku Mahito visited the school with 12 year Atago and 19 year old Daimonji, both coming from barracks located in the ward of Sakyō. First, the children got to take in the sight of the Calvary performing training drills on the school playground.

Matching the cavalrymen’s instructions, both horses would change directions while in mid-gallop, surprising everyone. The children's eyes lit up while watching.

Afterwards, Daimonji patrolled around the school area as the children were returning home. Mounted on Daimonji, Vice Commander Kouboku gently told them "Be careful while returning home."

"The horse was huge and formidable. The way it moved precisely according to command, I thought it was amazing," said fourth grader Obata Kengo.

Original text:

騎馬隊に守られ下校　成仁小学校に京都府警から2頭

両丹日日新聞 6月6日(木)16時53分配信

児童たちの下校を見守る大文字号と高木副隊長

子どもの安全を守る活動として、下校時間帯に京都府内の小学校を訪問し、騎馬パトロールを行っている府警本部の平安騎馬隊が5日、福知山市中坂町の成仁小学校（谷口忠輝校長、378人）を訪れ、通学路で児童らの下校を見守った。

12歳の愛宕号と19歳の大文字号の馬2頭、騎馬隊の高木真人副隊長ら5人が、左京区の隊舎から訪問。初めに児童たちは、運動場で騎馬隊の訓練風景を見学した。

隊員の指示に合わせ、2頭そろって方向転換したり、駆け足になったりする姿に、みんなびっくり。目を輝かせて見入っていた。

 　

このあと大文字号が、児童たちの下校に合わせて学校周辺をパトロール。騎乗していた高木副隊長が「気をつけて帰んねんで」と、児童たちに優しく声をかける場面もあった。

4年の小畑賢冴君は「馬は大きくて、迫力があった。指示をちゃんと聞いて動いていたので、すごいと思いました」と話していた。