notice. So the day we assigned horses I walked out to
see what was left and there he was with a sign hanging
around his neck that said psycho pony. Well, he was
the best partner I ever had, taking care of me through
many dangerous assignments and incidents. My last
assigned horse was Ebony’s Best Report “Jose’.” He is
a 17 hand horse sorrel in color and I’ve had him since
he was a two year old. He also brought me through
many dangerous assignments. Like me he is now
retired and I have him. We go trail riding nearly every
week and I still use him for training demonstrations on
occasion. He is now 21 years old and in perfect health.
not. Second is that you can move faster and safer at flat
walk or running walk than loping or cantering. This
increases patrol area and reduces response time. Third,
it’s easier to teach mounted officers to safely ride a
gaited horse since they are sitting still in the saddle and
don’t have to post and the horse and rider expend less
energy. Lastly, the Tennessee Walking Horse is a very
hearty breed with a great disposition and they love the
work.
8. When did you start holding the mounted patrol
training event? I think it was 1999. We started doing it because we could not afford to go to the other
6. What are a couple of your favorite memories from
mounted patrol schools that were being held in New
your time in mounted patrol? There are so many good Orleans and other places. We also had to honor our
ones and more than a few bad ones. One was the night agreement with the State for allowing us to use their
Joe and I talked a Jumper off the Victory Memorial
facilities at Ellington so we invited all the mounted
Bridge over the Cumberland River. I give Joe all the
patrols across the state to come and we would train tocredit, I’m not sure what he said to him but as long
gether. One of the things we needed to do periodically
as he was petting Joe’s head we were able to calm him
was Crowd Management Training and the only way
down and get him back over the railing where I could
to do that was have a crowd. So the more we could get
get a grip on him till help arrived.
to the school the better. In 2010 we hosted the North
I think my most memorable moment happened
American Mounted Units. Commanders association
towards the end of my mounted patrol career, I was
conference and had over 125 officers and horses from
working a Titan’s game and was on the Shelby Pedestri- across the US and Canada. Just before my retirement
an Bridge. Jose’ and I were doing our usual, he was let- our department decided to go in a different direction
ting people pet him while I was scanning the crowd for so I kept doing it on my own and in 2015 I partnered
trouble. I noticed a young man standing back watching with WHOA and we now serve both Mounted Patrol
us and when everyone left he approached and said
Units and Search and Rescue units across the US. We
“Sergeant I don’t know if you remember me but about
now call it service horse training to encompass all dis12 years ago you were at a neighborhood watch party
ciplines that use horses in the service of others.
in the housing projects I grew up in. I was about 14
9. How Many participants do you average and where
years old and running with a bad crowd. You asked me do they come from? At our latest training clinic we
if I wanted to pet the horse and told me it would be ok. had 50 participants and horses and several more there
I had never seen a horse up close much less touched
without horses monitoring the training. We are just
one. You then dismounted and asked me if I wanted to
ride. I couldn’t believe it, I had always been taught to
hate and fear the police but what you did changed my
perception forever.” He then pulled out his wallet and
showed me his police ID and Badge. He had gone on
to the navy and served his country and after getting
out, had become a police officer in North Carolina.
This showed me that the work I had been doing for the
last 31 years had made a difference.
7. What is it that makes the Tennessee Walking horse
such a ideal patrol horse? They make great mounted
patrol horses for many different reasons. One is their
gait. A walking horse is safer on road surfaces like
asphalt because they have a four beat gait and keep
their feet on the ground where a trotting horse does
7