I attended the first Mounted Patrol class last night. I found a place to board Amigo short term in Jackson for only the cost of hay, so it looks like the logistics will work out. He only needs to get clearance from the vet so that I am reasonably sure he won't hurt himself during training. Classes don't start until the end of April, so I have plenty of time to see how he's doing this spring and make sure his foot problem isn't bothering him. The meeting went well. The instructors, who are experienced mounted patrol sworn officers, seem to be nice. They went over all the requirements, what is expected, etc. The training is a total of 40 hours, two sessions a week for five weeks. Then you have to pass a test to get certified. I also need to be certified in CPR, which is this weekend. In return for the training, each student needs to volunteer at least five times throughout the summer, or as often as they want thereafter.
The one thing I am worried about is that my equitation skills aren't developed enough. Strictly speaking I am a novice. I hold my own the trail or whatever, but when it comes to equitation I am lacking. I kind of put off lessons for the sake of money. There are only a few areas I feel I am defficient in, so we'll see where I'm at next month when I show up for the first class. For some reason I still have problems side passing, and they do a lot of that stuff while riding in formation. Also, Amigo doesn't like to whoa, at least not without a correction bit in his mouth (with a correction bit I can get a 10 foot slide out of him!). In mounted patrol, much of the training takes place in a rope halter with no bit. Should be interesting. The last time I tried riding with out a bit, I fell off. But I was bare back and it was my fault so that's another story. In the mean time, I'll work on what I can.
Wish me luck this weekend. The CPR course is a law enforcement course, which means it is abbreviated and it has been 20 ahem something years since I was last certified in middle school.
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That sounds pretty cool, I'm excited for you. :-) I think it would be really neat to do something like that, but I've only ever owned horses that kick other horses!
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