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The horseman of Central Park stopped on a grassy plateau to survey the terrain, from the North Meadow to his left, the Great Lawn ahead and Strawberry Fields due south.

As cyclists and joggers plied the winding park drives, a nonstop stream of tourists approached the hard-to-miss horseman. They sought directions or a photograph of him and Trooper, his stately horse.

The horseman’s name is Detective John Reilly and for the past decade he and Trooper have had the rare distinction of being the New York Police Department’s only mounted team dedicated to patrolling Central Park.

“When people ask me, ‘How come you don’t have a partner?’ I say, ‘I do — he’s right here,’” he said, gesturing toward Trooper and the oversize police shield strapped to his broad chest.