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Wednesday, April 21, 2010

A USC Equestrian Team Fundraiser and The LAPD Mounted Police Force

I had the opportunity to visit the fourth annual USC Equestrian Team Fundraiser this past weekend. M always complains and tells me that banquets and fund raisers are terribly boring, but this time she was proven wrong. The USC fundraiser was a hoot! My favorite part was LAPD's Mounties' demonstration. 
LAPD badge

A nice soft breeze, a comfortable seat on mommy's lap, and the best show I could have asked for (not even counting the yummy food!). Three LAPD officers, two on horse and one on foot explained the inside scoop on this small 35-man unit, established in 1986. 

The officer in the middle is the "bad guy"
The mounties are about to arrest him


"Stop right there!" 
See the officer dismount in the back?


Officer in the left is in the process of dismounting next, once 
the other officer is pointing a gun at the suspect

We were told that LAPD mounties never shoot from their horses, and that's just in the movies, duh! However, these horses are not like horse show ones. They are so well trained that if you have to shoot a gun near them, they will stay exactly in the position they were left at. They are trained to fear nothing, especially loud and sudden noises. 


You're toast, sucka!


Busted...
Now, roll over 
(oops, I guess I'm still thinking in terms of dog training tips, BOL)

Notice how both horses haven't moved an inch? That's due to their amazing training. They are not to move one foot/hoof once dismounted. While the mounties' horses are publicly/city owned, the responsibility falls on their rider. The LAPD mountie officer said, "We are responsible for every footstep our horse puts on the pavement." He used the example of a stroller. I got it.


LAPD mountie demonstrates how well-trained the horses are
and that they simply will not move, even when pushed
The wooden "katana" hanging in front of the mountie is how they treat suspects who are too close
The suspects get hit anywhere but their heads, ideally
If somebody approached my horse with ill intentions, I'd make sure to doink him on the head

I loved learning that a strike to any of these mounties' horses is a misdemeanor whereas any visible injury is a felony! The horses can be petted in public since they are publicly owned, and the officers encourage the human interaction, unless they have a nipper on their hands. A touchy subject is the clean up. Apparently in horse country, like in the city of Chatsworth, the mounties and their horse doodoo are welcome, but at certain parts of LA, certain unpleasant issues arise. E-hem.

The LAPD mountie who acted as the perp, had a horrific story to share with us. Apparently, a man he called "a gangster" released a trained pit bull on his horse at the Venice Beach Boardwalk. The dog was ordered to go for the throat, and the mountie was bucked off. The horse was able to free himself and started running through the freaked out crowd. The police had no way of shooting at the suspect in the middle of the crowd. All I wanted to know was what happened to the horse. He recovered from his injuries and was immediately retired. Apparently he still can't be around any type of dog, even one my size.; not even a Chiweenie. Since then, all doggies are banned from  the world famous Venice Beach boardwalk.

Thank you USC equestrian team for giving us the opportunity to meet and hear from these brave LAPD mounties and to see the demonstration. For more information on the LAPD Mounted Police Unit you can click HERE.
* * *
May I have your attention please? My furiend Norwood is organizing the first ever, the one and only, the 2010 Pawdance Film Festival! Still here? Go check out the details and I dare you to compete about me. All I'm going to say for now is: You snooze, you lose. There are no losers in here, so let's go!


Twinkie




29 comments:

Pat Wahler said...

I love the mounted police unit. Sadly, the powers that be here consider it mere "fluff" and funding is always a problem.

Pat

Frankie Furter and Ernie said...

OMD OMD Twinkie you did a wonderful job of telling about your day and especially about the LAPD Mounted unit!! Wow you learned 87 million thingys and... shared them with US!!! Thanks.
I already told Norwood that I (sob, whine, whimper) can't do his Pawdance thinyg, beclaws I don't know how to do the U-Boob thingy. I only know Blogspot stufffs. BAH.

JacksDad said...

Now I did not know all of this stuff - but now I do! Thank you!!!

Two Pitties in the City said...

That was really interesting to hear about. In Chicago we have a couple in the big parks, but you don't see them that often. That is really upsetting about the dog and injured horse. I'm sad the horse got injured, and I'm also sad some guy would train his dog to do that to the horse.I also like the photo where they're trying to move the horse.

JacksDad said...

Thank you Twinkie!!! I've been looking for something like the video thing for my blog!!!

Two French Bulldogs said...

Pretty cool Twink...
Benny & Lily

D.K. Wall said...

Very cool, except for the part about the idiot who hurt a horse and got us pups banned from somewhere else. Always a few causing problems for the many.

3 doxies said...

Oh I feels so smart like nows. Thank you so very much fur sharing your day with us. I must say those are some BIG freaking doggies though. I can't believe hoomans gets on their backs and ride. Mum said what you said was most fascinating and they have bunches of those in Canada.
Puddles

Draco and his Mom said...

That was a fun lesson on the mounted police. Mom and Dad didn't know that doggies were banned from the Venice Beach Boardwalk, they like that place even though Mom had her purse stolen from a rental car trunk on the FIRST day of vacation one year. Dad had to buy her new cloths and everything. Now when they go to Venice, they park in the guarded parking lot. Thanks for the fun lesson and the cool pictures.
Wags,
Draco

Sagira said...

Wow, that looks like such an exciting time Twinkie!

houndstooth said...

That was one cool demonstration! You are such a lucky girl to be able to see that!

Bunny

Kate said...

You're saying these horsedogs don't play? Or gallavant around?

NUTS!

They must be paid well in chaff

♥♥ The OP Pack ♥♥ said...

What a great post, Twink! We can see why you found the demonstration so interesting. What an idiot that guy was to send in the dog to hurt the horse - hope he got his due.

We can't wait to see all the entries for Norwood's contest.

Woos - Phantom, Thunder, and Ciara

NAK and The Residents of The Khottage Now With KhattleDog! said...

Thanks fur sharing the ekhwine tips!

We khan't wait to the Pawdance entries!

Hugz&Khysses,
Khyra

Lorenza said...

Thanks for sharing it!
Happy Wednesday!
Kisses and hugs
Lorenza

Lucy-Fur, as typed by Dr. Liz said...

Really cool, Twinkster! I have seen some of those 'big dogs' fairly close up, and I really like them, even if they only seem to tolerate me! ;-)

*kissey face*
-Fiona

Scooter said...

Well, that was very interesting Twink!! I didnt know about that and that they horses dont movce once the guy has gotten off!! Thats to bad about the other horse!! Sounds like you had fun and with the good food too!!

wags
Jazzi

Unknown said...

Twinkie
That was a super cool event to see how they catch bad guys. Wow to be that cool under pressure.. huh? not me. I guess I'll stick to being a goofball. It's crazy that people trained a pitbull to do that. I'm glad the horse is "okay" but sad.

Hey thanks for the shout out! I hope it gets people to enter! I have some busy bloggers out there so spreading the world help. Especially since your famous and know everyone! I heard you have a star on the hollywood walk of fame.

norwood

Smushie Ranch said...

That's pretty cool Twink. Cowboys are so cute! Did you and Frankie go out and give them a hand?

Love, Stella

Life With Dogs said...

After moving away from a neighboring farm with a number of horses, I loved seeing this. I miss hearing those giants play!

Yas said...

Great post Twinkie, very informative!!
Me learned something new today,
Thanks for sharing!

Cheers,
Maxx

CreekHiker / HollysFolly said...

Fascinating!!! Great post Twink!!!

Kapitein Haakje said...

that was fun


Kissslobbers
El'bow & Hauwii

the magic sleigh said...

Woooos Twinkle! That was really neat. Mom loves horses although i have never been around one, I guess they are a little big and scary ...
We will have to go check out Norwood and see what this movie thing is all about.

~husky kisses~
-Kira The BeaWootiful

Nadine, Chewy and Lilibell said...

Twink, we are so much smarter now that you gave us that lesson! We have mounties in Providence too, but they only come out during big concerts and when the clubs downtown close (something about crowd control - too many drunken hoomans running about, BOL!). That is so horrifying about that horse and we feel so bad for that dog being trained that way, that is just not right!! All it takes is for one crazy hooman to ruin it for the rest of us well-behaved pups!

Waggles & Chi kisses, Chewy & Lilibell

KB said...

Very cool! And, your story reminded me that my very first dog trainer used to have me push and pull my dog while she was in a stay. Her job was to resist and stay put. It really taught her what a "stay" was. I just might try that now with my pups (gently, of course - just hard enough that they need to actively resist).

My Mind's Eye said...

Twinkie this is one fantastic PSA!!!
We have mounted police in our city too and on the campus of NC State University. We love seeing them around the city and campus.
Madi and Mom

Cyndy said...

It's great to see mounted police, but I like the "bad guy" in the white shirt and cowboy hat!
Twinkie, can you arrange a meeting, maybe???

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