The Metropolitan Police loaned former News International boss Rebekah Brooks a horse in 2008, while she was editor of The Sun.
According to a statement from the Met, police often find horses a "suitable retirement home" when they reach the end of their life.
"Whilst responsibility for feeding the animal and paying vet bills passes to the person entrusted to its care at its new home, the horse remains the property of the Metropolitan Police Service. Retired police horses are not sold on and can be returned to the care of the MPS at any time.”
"In 2008 a retired MPS horse was loaned to Rebekah Brooks."
Police said the horse was re-housed with an officer in 2010.
The revelation in the Evening Standard caused hilarity on twitter with one journalist asking how to get a horse on loan from the police, as it would help with her commute.
Another person joked:
It comes a day after a memo indicating Brooks was briefed by police on the original phone hacking investigation emerged at the Leveson inquiry into the media.
At Leveson on Monday, the officer at the head of the corruption investigation, Sue Akers, said The Sun newspaper had a "culture" of illegal payments to officials in all areas of public life.
And giving evidence on Tuesday, Liberal Democrat deputy leader Simon Hughes suggested phone hacking cost him the leadership of the party.
Brooks married former racehorse trainer Charlie Brooks in 2009. In July, she resigned as chief executive of News International following the News of the World phone hacking scandal.