TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - Forty-eight horses will help control crowds during the Republican National Convention.
    
The Tampa Bay Times (http://bit.ly/PqCtDg ) reports the horses are outfitted with riot gear for facing off against people protesting the event, which will take place from Aug. 27-30. The horses will wear padded leg gear, chest shields and face masks with bands covering their noses. Their shoes are made of rubber and plastic to protect them against nails or glass.
    
All Florida horses, they came from as far away as Key West. Two are from the St. Petersburg Police Department. Ten work for Tampa police and five for the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.
    
Outfitting the horses cost about $38,000, plus $24,000 for food and lodging. The money came from a $50 million federal grant to pay for convention security.

(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)