10/15/2026
Yesterday we welcomed Scotty and Andy to Elysium Acres! Read more about their arrival in Dave Procopio's press release below.
Retired Mass. State Police Horses Arrive at Their Forever Home
CHESTER, N.H., Oct. 14, 2026--The two arriving residents at Elysium Acres Horse Sanctuary took right to their new home today. Scotty, a 27-year-old Clydesdale/Hackney cross, immediately began chewing on a grass field, and Andy, a Percheron/Thoroughbred cross who is approximately 26 (official age unknown), got right down to rolling on his back on his new turf.
Scotty and Andy, retired members of the Massachusetts State Police Mounted Unit who served the public with distinction for years, today arrived at Elysium Acres, their new forever home. As Troopers Michael Capotosto and Edward MacDonald walked them to the paddock they will share on the sanctuary’s 26 acres, other residents of the sanctuary took notice of the newcomers.
On the side of the stable where Scotty and Andy will remain living side-by-side, Elysium Acres had hung a flag honoring police, fire, military, EMS, dispatch, and nursing personnel. It was a reflection of the sanctuary’s mission as a place for veterans, first responders, and other public servants to enjoy and benefit from being around rescued and retired horses in a peaceful, stress-free setting.
Elysium Acre’s founder and director of operations, Patti Lessard, said her entire staff is ecstatic about the new additions. “We are excited that Scotty and Andy are joining our other retirees and rescue horses and we look forward to being part of a long and rewarding new chapter in their lives,” she said.
The MSP retired the horses after careers in which they fulfilled countless public safety missions, including security posts at Patriots games and concerts at Gillette Stadium, patrols of state parks and beaches across Massachusetts, and crowd control at large venues and public events.
Scotty spent many summers assigned to the unit’s satellite barn at Salisbury Beach before being transferred to the Acton barn for daily patrols. He most often patrolled the Esplanade in Boston and Hopkinton State Park. Andy is one of the few MSP horses who have patrolled across the whole state, including Horseneck Reservation on the South Coast, Daughters of the American Revolution Park and Lake Dennison Park in Western Massachusetts, and, during the last year while stationed in Acton, daily patrols in the northeast corner of the state.
This past summer, they handled large crowds and moving traffic with ease outside Gillette Stadium during the World Cup matches. They were a favorite of the Tartan Army, the much-heralded fans of the Scottish national team.
“We would not be surprised if their pictures are hanging up in houses all over Scotland,” said Lt. Michael Sonia, the Mounted Unit’s commander. “As these horses have progressed in age and younger horses have been added to the herd, it’s time to let them enjoy their later years. While it’s cliché to say they are heading for greener pastures, these two horses now are literally living on the bright green pastures they deserve.”
While the Troopers were happy that the horses were going to a bucolic forever home where their only missions will be fun and relaxation, there was a touch of sadness in the early fall air too. They were, after all, saying goodbye to loyal partners who have served with them in all types of situations and scenarios.
“It’s bittersweet, but we’re happy to see these guys come to a loving home, where they can serve others who’ve served just like they’ve done their whole lives,” Trooper Capotosto, who has ridden Scotty for years, said.
Scotty and Andy have also carried their troopers in parades, like Boston’s famous St. Patrick’s Day event, and both also traveled to Police Week in Washington, D.C., the annual gathering at the National Law Enforcement Memorial that honors police officers who died in the line of duty.
“He got to experience a lot of things and he’s been an asset, and we’re glad that he’s leaving us happy and healthy and able to enjoy his stay here,” Trooper MacDonald said of Andy.
The MSP’s newest retirees will join seven other horses at Elysium Acres, most of them rescues from situations where they had been abused or surrendered by families that could no longer care for them. One of the MSP duo’s new sanctuary-mates is a retired Dover, N.H., Police Department mount.
For more information about Elysium Acres, please visit www.elysiumacres.org.
Video:
Chester New Hampshire Police Horses_B-Roll:
https://vimeo.com/1235973267/bd071508b6?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci
Chester New Hampshire Police Horses_1080X1920_B-Roll:
https://vimeo.com/1235973265/3d2de9561c?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci
Chester New Hampshire Police Horses_1080X1920_Talking Points:
https://vimeo.com/1235973264/56fc5ed237?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci
Chester New Hampshire Police Horses_1080X1920_Arriving:
https://vimeo.com/1235973266/7effb76e0f?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci
Chester New Hampshire Police Horses_Soundbite:
https://vimeo.com/1235973609/078dbccca1?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci
Chester New Hampshire Police Horses_Coming out of Wagon:
https://vimeo.com/1235973312/891ca4e995?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci
This is "Chester New Hampshire Police Horses_Coming out of Wagon" by Regan Communications Group on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.
