Equestrian pride

The UB Equestrian Club held a horse riding demonstration on North Campus Friday and showed off their work with the help of the Amherst Police Mounted Unit.

Club Treasurer Emily Kenny and Vice President Lauren Chin demonstrated Western and English styles of riding. They both did several laps and jumps with their horses in their respective styles.

The Amherst Police Mounted Unit joined in the demonstration to show types of horses and talk about what goes into acting as a mounted police officer.

There are currently five deputies who ride horses. The horses used are trained very carefully in order to avoid them getting scared easily or disobeying an officer, according to Wayne Wolf, training officer of the Mounted Unit. "We give every horse a chance," Wolf said. "Repetitive training over and over is important. We work very hard to desensitize the horses by getting them used to stimuli."

The Mounted Unit was founded in 1942. They were then used to patrol Buffalo and Erie County, according to Wolf.

"All of the officers own their horses and are responsible for feeding, and caring for the horses on their own," Wolf said.

The horses have special saddles with extra padding for comfort, boot covers to keep the deputies from slipping out, saddle pad covers with the unit's insignia on it and reflectors: The horses also carry a bag behind the saddle to carry anything else needed, such as a rain coat, first aid kit or a knife, according to Deputy William Picalo.

"I had no idea how much went into training the horses for the units," said Candice Leigh, a junior English major. "They are so calm and really obedient to the deputies."

Students interested in these gentle giants may wish to look into the club.

The club's goal is to provide undergraduate students with the opportunity to take part in equine activities. They offer lessons for Western or English-style riding and give students the chance to compete at horse shows along with other events, according to Katie Posner, team secretary and a senior psychology major.

Members are not required to own a horse or take lessons because each would be provided if necessary, according to Posner.

Those who join the club and are interested in lessons can learn either English or Western style riding at the Niagara Equestrian Center; carpooling is an option for those who need transportation. The trainers charge $15 per half hour, Posner said.

"Basically Western is done a little slower. English is the style where you see people jumping and is typically in the Olympics," said Amber Warren, president of the club and a senior business administration major.

In order to show horses, team members are required to complete five hours of barn work per month and participate as active members of the club, Posner said.

"Our horse shows are located in Pennsylvania or West Virginia," Posner said.

Horse shows are challenging because the rider is assigned the horse on the day of the show, according to Posner.

"Basically the fact that we are unfamiliar with the horse and the horse's habits is a challenge," Posner said. "Thinking on your feet and dealing with problems as they arise while riding, while looking presentable, is the way you deal with them."