The United States has again found favor with using horses to patrol the border with Mexico. Horses have been an integral part of the Border Patrol since 1924 when the agency first began. However, with large amounts of activity occurring in mountainous terrain in recent years, horses have become even more relied upon by agents.
“Most of the traffic is being pushed into these mountainous areas which are harder to work. They are very remote,” said Bobbi Schad, a horse patrol supervisor from Tucson. “With a horse you can get up in there.”
The busiest sector, Tucson, has around 150 horses and 80 trained riders. Horse units are also in force in Texas and California.
Hi-tech border patrolling is continuing to increase with spy planes, radar, and electronic sensors. This hasn’t discouraged mounted agents who are confident they will have a key role for years to come.
“They are a good tool for going out and ‘cutting for sign’ in areas that the hi-tech stuff won’t reach,” agent Galen Huffman said. ”They still have a good future.”
In the bookstore: Border Patrol Horses (books)
On the web: U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Tags: border patrol, border patrol horse, mounted border patrol
January 26th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
I always find it intruiging that in the age of plasma televisions and supersonic planes there are some things that just need a good old human, or in this case, a horse.
Great idea!