On the job, horses encounter things that don't usually penetrate their paddocks and barns. Children want to pet them, cars whiz by them and strange obstacles sometimes lie in their way. That's why the unit meets several times a month to practice. Riders have their own horses and transport them to the civic center in trailers. Many of the riders are horse enthusiasts who donate their time to the unit.
Some volunteers also work on desensitizing their horses while they're off duty.
When volunteer Irby bathes his horses, he dries them off with an air compressor, rather than a regular old towel. The high pressure air helps expose them to unusual sensations and noise. She joined the unit three years ago and does much of its organizing. It's something I always wanted to do. Irby, Ritter and Shevitski took third place overall for their team at the Louisiana competition.