the b y
C i n d y
R e i c h
This is the third in a series of articles showcasing Arabian horses excelling in activities outside the show arena. We will be traveling around the globe to highlight the versatility of the Arabian horse in ways you may never have imagined!
This month, journey with us to northern California where Arabians excel as trusty mounts in patrolling the mountain trails for two state recreation areas.
versatile
Search and Rescue T
here is a dedicated group of riders in Northern California who patrol trails in the Folsom Lake State Recreation and Auburn State Recreation areas. The majority of them use their Arabians and Half-Arabians — many of whom are former or current endurance horses. In fact, many of the patrol riders changed to using Arabians after becoming active in endurance riding prior to their patrol work. This all-volunteer group of riders has a wide range of duties that range from trail maintenance to looking for lost hikers or providing CPR to someone who has had a heart attack. The volunteers also provide information to law enforcement if they spot illegal activity within the park area. Although the riders are not rangers, they are on the trails frequently, and can get to areas on horseback that might not be accessible to rangers in vehicles. Patrol members must undergo intensive training for themselves as well as their horses (see sidebar) and must pay for their own uniforms and equipment. The Folsom Lake trail patrol group was founded over 30 years ago by Frank Herald, who was the chief ranger at the time. While in the beginning there were only 20 active members,
California State Mounted Patrol riders pictured from left to right: Sarah Konst, Leslie Bisharat, Denese Holden, Diane Dixon-Johnson, Ray Santana, and Janet Pucci, all riding purebred Arabians or Half-Arabians. 84 ▪ ARABIAN HORSE WORLD ▪ MARCH 2014
arabian the patrol group now has over 100 volunteers. They are a fully recognized volunteer program for the California State Parks and have been a model for other mounted units in other parks in California. Janet Pucci and Ray Santana were two founding members of the patrol and ride their Arabian horses while on patrol. As avid riders, they had seen problems on the trail as avid riders and felt that this was an opportunity to be “eyes on the trail” for the rangers and the Parks Department. In addition, they felt that it was a way to give something back to an area they enjoyed using. Initially they did not have Arabians, but then became interested in endurance riding and having Arabian horses inevitably followed. Ray feels that he has become a better rider since doing patrols and has forged a better relationship with his horse as well. Ray rides the Anglo-Arabian gelding Mi Ronnie Lott (Mi-Donafix x Teacher’s Pet by Nakha Sarab). Ronnie’s full sibling, the bay gelding Pets Fixsimile, is ridden by Janet Pucci.
Leslie Bisharat joined the patrol in part because she really values being outdoors as much as possible. Her horse, purebred Arabian R Sierra Sky (Indian Bey x SS Zaars Taza by DRF Azaaronek) has given her an entirely different riding experience compared to her previous two patrol horses, a Thoroughbred and a Quarter Horse. “Her agility, surefootedness, willingness, and attention to her surroundings is just amazing,” Bisharat says. “She is also incredibly trusting, which makes me feel not only that we have a good partnership, but that I’m safe on her.” Denese Holden rode Quarter Horses for many years until friends introduced her to endurance riding and their Arabian horses. “I started crewing for them on the Tevis Cup,” Denese says, “and that experience opened my eyes to the Arabian horse, their amazing athleticism and their incredible passion to move. My horse, ‘Susie,’ She’s A Steele (Remington Steele x Uptown Girle by *Aladdinn), is an accomplished endurance horse and placed seventh in the Tevis Cup in 2007.
Ray Santana with his Anglo-Arabian gelding Mi Ronnie Lott (Mi-Donafix x Teacher’s Pet by Nakha Sarab).
Janet Pucci with Pets Fixsimile, the full sibling to Ray’s gelding.
p a r t 111 How To Pass Your State Park Mounted Patrol Certification When Your Horse is Afraid of Everything by Ja e d e Mi l o s l a v i c h When I retired in 2009 from a high-tech fast-paced life, I wanted to be involved with trail advocacy, ride my horses, and in some way benefit my community in the Grass Valley/Auburn area in California. So, when my dear friend Donna Williams invited me to join the California State Parks Mounted Patrol for our local park, I said yes even before I knew what the volunteer position entailed. I went to the first State Parks Mounted Patrol meeting at the Folsom Lake State Recreation Area. There were about 75 people of all ages. Some of the older folks had been Mounted Patrol members for over 30 years. As a newbie, I was welcomed, given an instruction binder, and told what the requirements were for the group: 1. In the future, my horse and I would be known as a “Mounted Assistant Unit,” or MAU. 2. Each year we are required to have 12 patrolling rides, two work parties, and attend six out of 12 meetings. (Many Patrol members have hundreds of hours logged each year.) 3. Each patrol member should be in good physical condition, able to walk as well as ride the trails. 4. Patrol members must have current First Aid and CPR certifications for law enforcement personnel. 5. Patrol members must purchase their own uniforms, patches, name badges, and any clothing required 85 ▪ ARABIAN HORSE WORLD ▪ MARCH 2014
the b y
C i n d y
R e i c h
This is the third in a series of articles showcasing Arabian horses excelling in activities outside the show arena. We will be traveling around the globe to highlight the versatility of the Arabian horse in ways you may never have imagined!
This month, journey with us to northern California where Arabians excel as trusty mounts in patrolling the mountain trails for two state recreation areas.
versatile
Search and Rescue T
here is a dedicated group of riders in Northern California who patrol trails in the Folsom Lake State Recreation and Auburn State Recreation areas. The majority of them use their Arabians and Half-Arabians — many of whom are former or current endurance horses. In fact, many of the patrol riders changed to using Arabians after becoming active in endurance riding prior to their patrol work. This all-volunteer group of riders has a wide range of duties that range from trail maintenance to looking for lost hikers or providing CPR to someone who has had a heart attack. The volunteers also provide information to law enforcement if they spot illegal activity within the park area. Although the riders are not rangers, they are on the trails frequently, and can get to areas on horseback that might not be accessible to rangers in vehicles. Patrol members must undergo intensive training for themselves as well as their horses (see sidebar) and must pay for their own uniforms and equipment. The Folsom Lake trail patrol group was founded over 30 years ago by Frank Herald, who was the chief ranger at the time. While in the beginning there were only 20 active members,
California State Mounted Patrol riders pictured from left to right: Sarah Konst, Leslie Bisharat, Denese Holden, Diane Dixon-Johnson, Ray Santana, and Janet Pucci, all riding purebred Arabians or Half-Arabians. 84 â–Ş ARABIAN HORSE WORLD â–Ş MARCH 2014
arabian the patrol group now has over 100 volunteers. They are a fully recognized volunteer program for the California State Parks and have been a model for other mounted units in other parks in California. Janet Pucci and Ray Santana were two founding members of the patrol and ride their Arabian horses while on patrol. As avid riders, they had seen problems on the trail as avid riders and felt that this was an opportunity to be “eyes on the trail” for the rangers and the Parks Department. In addition, they felt that it was a way to give something back to an area they enjoyed using. Initially they did not have Arabians, but then became interested in endurance riding and having Arabian horses inevitably followed. Ray feels that he has become a better rider since doing patrols and has forged a better relationship with his horse as well. Ray rides the Anglo-Arabian gelding Mi Ronnie Lott (Mi-Donafix x Teacher’s Pet by Nakha Sarab). Ronnie’s full sibling, the bay gelding Pets Fixsimile, is ridden by Janet Pucci.
Leslie Bisharat joined the patrol in part because she really values being outdoors as much as possible. Her horse, purebred Arabian R Sierra Sky (Indian Bey x SS Zaars Taza by DRF Azaaronek) has given her an entirely different riding experience compared to her previous two patrol horses, a Thoroughbred and a Quarter Horse. “Her agility, surefootedness, willingness, and attention to her surroundings is just amazing,” Bisharat says. “She is also incredibly trusting, which makes me feel not only that we have a good partnership, but that I’m safe on her.” Denese Holden rode Quarter Horses for many years until friends introduced her to endurance riding and their Arabian horses. “I started crewing for them on the Tevis Cup,” Denese says, “and that experience opened my eyes to the Arabian horse, their amazing athleticism and their incredible passion to move. My horse, ‘Susie,’ She’s A Steele (Remington Steele x Uptown Girle by *Aladdinn), is an accomplished endurance horse and placed seventh in the Tevis Cup in 2007.
Ray Santana with his Anglo-Arabian gelding Mi Ronnie Lott (Mi-Donafix x Teacher’s Pet by Nakha Sarab).
Janet Pucci with Pets Fixsimile, the full sibling to Ray’s gelding.
p a r t 111 How To Pass Your State Park Mounted Patrol Certification When Your Horse is Afraid of Everything by Ja e d e Mi l o s l a v i c h When I retired in 2009 from a high-tech fast-paced life, I wanted to be involved with trail advocacy, ride my horses, and in some way benefit my community in the Grass Valley/Auburn area in California. So, when my dear friend Donna Williams invited me to join the California State Parks Mounted Patrol for our local park, I said yes even before I knew what the volunteer position entailed. I went to the first State Parks Mounted Patrol meeting at the Folsom Lake State Recreation Area. There were about 75 people of all ages. Some of the older folks had been Mounted Patrol members for over 30 years. As a newbie, I was welcomed, given an instruction binder, and told what the requirements were for the group: 1. In the future, my horse and I would be known as a “Mounted Assistant Unit,” or MAU. 2. Each year we are required to have 12 patrolling rides, two work parties, and attend six out of 12 meetings. (Many Patrol members have hundreds of hours logged each year.) 3. Each patrol member should be in good physical condition, able to walk as well as ride the trails. 4. Patrol members must have current First Aid and CPR certifications for law enforcement personnel. 5. Patrol members must purchase their own uniforms, patches, name badges, and any clothing required 85 ▪ ARABIAN HORSE WORLD ▪ MARCH 2014
Leslie Bisharat with R Sierra Sky (Indian Bey x SS Zaars Taza by DRF Azaaronek).
Susie loves her work and she transports me safely and expediently from one end of the park to the other in record time. She is a wonderful ambassador for the State Park and loves the park visitors — especially the children. I’ve been blessed to share her with many park visitors who have never seen a horse up close. Susie will stand patiently to receive the admiration and loving attention she knows she deserves from the visitors!” “I had the perfect Arabian horse,” says Rosemary Griffin. “Blue-Z’s Pride (Kabaishan Zenith G x Blu Diamond), or ‘Sugar,’ made it possible for me to give back to the California State Parks. Sugar passed on and now I have Queen Amidala (Julio Brahim x Scaramouche QCA by MS Santana), ‘Dala,’ who continues in Sugar’s place. I have ridden since the age of five and Sugar was my first Arabian. I was so privileged to experience her loyalty, athletic ability, courage in the face of danger, intelligence, and love. I would never want another breed. Their athletic ability is second to none. They are also very analytical in negotiating difficult terrain. They also relate beautifully to the families and children on the trail.”
Above: Denese Holden with She’s A Steele (Remington Steele x Uptown Girle by *Aladdinn). Right: Sarah Konst with RT Karena (Wazirs Karahty x JS Dolena by JS Padronov). 86 ▪ ARABIAN HORSE WORLD ▪ MARCH 2014
“I fell in love with the landscape of Northern California when I moved out here,” says Sarah Konst. “I wanted to go everywhere and explore it all. So I bought a two-year-old Arabian mare to raise and train to be my travel partner. Several years later and after two years of endurance racing, RT Karena (Wazirs Karahty x JS Dolena by JS Padronov) and I competed in the Tevis Cup. When I heard about the Mounted Patrol, I thought it was a logical next step. Karena’s natural instinct around children makes her well-suited for public relations! She will often lower her head to greet a child and offer a soft spot for them to pet her. A patrol horse needs to handle being around many unique situations with both people and wildlife —we’ve encountered bear, coyotes, turkeys, redtailed hawks, quail, and bobcats. Once we came across a herd of llamas out for a trek!” When Diane Dixon-Johnson moved to the Auburn area about 13 years ago, she was riding for pure enjoyment when she wondered how she could give back to the park system that gave her such a beautiful place to ride. Diane now rides for the Auburn State Recreation Mounted Patrol. Dixon-Johnson says when she goes for a ride, it is a ride! “I have almost forgotten what it is like to ride for less than an hour. When we go for a ride, it is
often for four or more hours — not hard or fast, but always moving. “Sometimes we’ll ride longer, stop for lunch and head home afterwards. There is no other breed that can handle this typical day of riding — with enjoyment — like an Arabian. Their metabolism allows them to go long distances, keep a low heart rate, and recover quickly when they are adequately conditioned. Arabians are always alert, always willing to continue, and usually handle obstacles such as rivers, rocks, steep hills, and brush with a developed trust with their rider. We have had accidents, encountered bears and rattlesnakes, been confronted by unpleasant park users, caught in rainstorms and more. My horse Sancja (Sanskrit x Potencja by DZ Bvlgari) alerts me to people — I watch his ears and he puts me on to hikers, bikers, or runners before I am able to see them. I started my horse when he was three years old by running the trails and leading him. That strengthened his confidence and scope (handling narrow trails, rocks, etc.) before I ever had a saddle on him. That was 13 years ago — I’m a lucky gal!”
Diane Dixon-Johnson and Sancja (Sanskrit x Potencja by DZ Bvlgari).
for Patrol. We are to wear an approved uniform, boots, helmets, and belts and provide safe and fit tack for our horses. 6. We are provisional MAUs for one year and must perform qualification rides. At the end of the year, my horse and I must pass certification exams. I had ridden the trails in the lovely Sierra Nevada my whole life and my horse did well at that job, but riding for Mounted Patrol was going to require some new skills. My good Half-Arabian gelding Magic Rabbit XY (Sylekt by Magic Dream CAHR x Snippy), was expected to be nonreactive to crowds, remain calm during noisy events, stand stock-still when children came close, not be concerned passing other trail users on narrow trails, and try not to startle at speeding mountain bikes or anything unusual on the trail. Being kind of a sensitive guy, he wasn’t great at any of these things. What to do? To make sure we would pass our State Park Mounted Patrol certification tests, Magic and I signed up for the three-day Sacramento County Sheriff Search and Rescue Sensory Training classes held for law enforcement. These classes prepare police horses for the unexpected while building confidence. The training consisted of three days of progressively more difficult obstacles and classes, including live flares and gunfire, tracking, search and rescue techniques, and stirrup-to-stirrup formation riding. I figured if he could get through that without killing us both, Mounted Patrol at our local State Park would be a piece of cake. I showed up bright and early on a Friday morning at a large arena connected to an even larger wild area along the Sacramento River. We were introduced to our team of teachers, experienced law enforcement officers who had taught sensory classes for many years. Over the next three days, my respect grew for them as they turned 60 horses and riders into incredible working teams. We started with simple arena riding so the teachers could assess each horse and rider. Even though the requirement was for experienced riders, there were a few who barely met that description. The teachers split up the class into three groups, 20 each. Our group started with horsemanship and then formation riding in the arena. Honestly, I wasn’t sure what this discipline was supposed to accomplish. But in no time, we started to look a bit like a drill team. First at the walk, then trot, then canter … riding two, three, then four abreast … circles, figure eights … closer and faster. In about an hour, the reason for this work was apparent. Each horse had begun to trust the other horses. They had ridden stirrup to stirrup and passed within inches of each other. The confidence of every horse and rider was building with each successful exercise. At the end of the morning our 20 horses had become a herd; a herd that depended on each other. In the first afternoon, we started the trail obstacles section. There were simple ones to start with, such as a bridge, poles to walk over, and tires to drag. Then each obstacle became harder as the teachers added scary things or complexity to the obstacles. If one horse had an issue, then another horse would be asked to come forward until soon every horse would follow another one of its “herd” across and through anything, becoming thoroughly desensitized in the process. At the end of the first day, we were gaining confidence over obstacles of all sorts. Not bombproof yet, but progressing. 87 ▪ ARABIAN HORSE WORLD ▪ MARCH 2014
Jaede Miloslavich and her HalfArabian gelding Magic Rabbit XY (Sylekt by Magic Dream CAHR x Snippy) participating in the three-day Sacramento County Sheriff Search and Rescue Sensory Training class.
The second morning, we again did our formation riding exercises. Unlike the first morning, our horses were much more secure and pretty happy doing anything we asked of them in progressively closer order drills. At the end, we looked like an entertainment act at the Cow Palace! In the afternoon, our teachers gave us a basic trail search techniques class, and we were sent out in competing groups with directions and clues to find an imaginary child lost in the nature area. Our close order drills made perfect sense as we rode stirrup to stirrup looking for clues in a grassy field. All our horses did well working as teams, and our group found our “child,” a stuffed toy hidden in the grass, in record time. On the third morning, we found in the center of the arena dozens of things that normally frighten horses: pool noodles, hula hoops, large diameter balls, bright ropes, plastic ribbons, boxes of empty plastic pop bottles, tape recorders playing odd sounds, anything that was colorful, reflective, large, or noisy. Everyone had the same thought: “No way is my horse going near that stuff!” The secret was that all the items were in the center. Our group of 20 were asked to enter the arena and stay on rail. All our horses shied a bit and snorted, but none of them were out of control. We continued around on the rail until our teachers asked us to start getting closer to the center. Pretty soon all the horses followed each other toward the scary things, and with repetition and more repetition became quite bold as a herd. Soon the horses were stepping over and on the pool noodles and hula hoops, pushing the balls, and having a great time with all the toys. As we continued walking the smaller circle, the teachers would toss us a soccer ball from a few feet away, then we would pass it to each other. In no time, the horses weren’t fazed by anything. But … while we were having fun, we didn’t notice that one of the teachers was setting out flares on the circle. They lit one, we all skittered past it. But, within a few passes, no big deal. They lit other flares and soon all the horses were going within a few feet of lit flares with no issues. And, then the gunshots! I jumped out of my skin at the first few, but my horse hardly moved off the circle. By the afternoon, all the horses in our group were solid. There we were, from previously scared insecure horses and riders to in just three days trotting around an arena over pool noodles, throwing balls at each other, with flares and gunshots going off! My horse was bombproof! After three days of professional sensory training, my unsure Half-Arabian had become cool as a cucumber no matter what was thrown at him. About 20 percent of the riders and horses didn’t make the cut, but everyone did in our group. When we received our certifications of completion that afternoon, I threw my arms around Magic’s neck, feeling an incredible sense of accomplishment for us both. We were ready for anything at the State Park! 88 ▪ ARABIAN HORSE WORLD ▪ MARCH 2014