Even if you know almost nothing about horses, you probably know what they eat. Hay, grass, carrots, apples, and lumps of sugar are all used as part of their diet. .But what about a cup of tea with two lumps of sugar?
A horse in Liverpool, U.K., gained a reputation for a fumy ritual: his morning order of tea.
Look, everyone knows that getting up and at ‘em every morning can be a challenge. Sometimes, you just want to lay in your bed — or stall, as the case may be. For some of us, the answer lies in a steaming cup of coffee.
But not for Jake.
The 20-year-old police horse refuses to start his daily duties unless he gets a cup of tea. But not just any old cup. He wants a cup of black tea with skimmed milk and two servings of sugar.
“Jake is one of 12 horses we’ve got at the stable working with us,” said Merseyside Police Mounted Section manager and trainer, Lindsey Gaven. “I’d definitely describe Jake as a horse with a lot of character. We’ve all learned his tea order — he’ll deal with one sugar, but is definitely happier when you remember to give him two. If you’re at the side of the stable and he sees you with a mug in your hand, you can guarantee he’ll trot on over to try and steal a slurp.”
So how did Jake’s love for his morning brew begin?
It all started when his trainers would take him for a morning ride and arrive at the grounds with a cup in one hand. Jake noticed them enjoying their morning cup of Joe and started stealing tastes for himself.
But believe it or not, Jake isn’t the only horse who’s gained attention for his love of tea.
In fact, a 10-year-old gelding named Sydney in Norfolk loved tea so much that he was given a highly unusual gift.
“I’ve known horses drink tea before, but never with Sydney’s burning desire,” said his owner, Nikkie Wheetman. “Every time a tray of tea is nearby, the look on his face is hilarious. If we’re having it, he wants it too.”
It’s not surprising that both Jake and Sydney hail from the United Kingdom.
There, tea beats coffee out as the morning drink of choice. Like Jake, Sydney got hooked after he stole a cup from a farrier.
After his obsession developed, he became known far and wide at local horse shows as the gelding who had to have his tea.
“The crowds marvel as café owners bring over a cup of tea for Sydney when he’s in the line-up,” said Wheetman.
After Sydney went viral, Tetley Tea promised to keep him supplied with his beverage of choice for the rest of his life. Considering that horses can live up to 30 years, they may be sending him tea for a long time.
As for Jake, he’ll be retiring in the next year from the police force. Hopefully, whatever his retirement plans are, they include a lot of time for tea drinking.
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Source: Upworthy, Horse and Hound
