By Kasey Bubnash
The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate
NEW ORLEANS — New Orleans is mourning the loss of another police officer.
Ace, a horse known for carrying a human officer while patrolling — and dancing — on Bourbon Street, died Aug. 31, the Police Department said Wednesday. Ace was 20, or maybe 21.
After 16 years on the force, Ace recently developed an equine gastrointestinal disease called colic, which can lead to a variety of painful symptoms and death.
A memorial service will be held Thursday at 6 p.m in the 100 block of Bourbon, police said.
“We invite everyone to come and join us in celebrating the life of “Ace” the dancing NOPD Horse!” the Police Department wrote in a Facebook post.
Ace and his lifelong partner, officer Joseph Jones, became YouTube sensations after developing a dance routine in 2012. As they began their shift on Bourbon each day, they’d dance with the street musicians and second-line through the streets, attracting the attention and admiration of tourists and local residents alike, the Police Department said.
The horse even once made a surprise appearance at the Bourbon Street Drinkery when, overcome by the music inside, he stuck his head in the bar to jam to " Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X, before continuing his patrol.
In 2019, a video of Ace doing the Cupid Shuffle at a Police Department summer camp went viral.
A Police Department spokesperson described Ace as an insatiable ham that loved performing for crowds and posing for photographs.
“Ace is truly missed by the mounted unit and the horses he interacted with on a daily basis,” the Police Department said.
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