The Horseman’s Forum

Lt. Patrick O’Brien
and the U.S. Park Police Horse Mounted Patrol,
in collaboration with the Greater Washington National Parks,
present
The Horseman’s Forum
Training the Police Horse: A Demonstration and Roundtable Discussion with Buck Brannaman and Friends

Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2005
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Rock Creek Nature Center and Planetarium
5200 Glover Road, NW, Washington, D.C.

Panelists
Buck Brannaman
Dr. Hilary Clayton

Robert H. Nelson
Dr. Rob van Wessum

Walter A. Zettl
Moderator: Robert Banner

Program Schedule

10 to 10:10 a.m. Welcome and Opening Remarks,
J. Glenn Eugster, National Park Service

10:10 to 11:45 a.m. Buck Brannaman, along with police horses Moe and Springer, will demonstrate groundwork techniques for training the police horse using natural horsemanship methods.

11:45 to 12:30 p.m. Lunch, courtesy of Sprint.

12:30 p.m. Welcome and Remarks,
Dwight E. Pettiford, Chief, U.S. Park Police

12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Session I: Training the Police Horse
Moderator and panelists
15-minute break

1:45 to 2:45 p.m. Session II: Riding the Police Horse
Moderator and panelists
15-minute break

3 p.m. to 4 p.m. Session III: Maintaining the Police Horse
Moderator and panelists
Closing Remarks



Forum Participants

Robert Banner, Roundtable Moderator, is the publisher of the Chronicle of the Horse, the nation's leading source of news for the sport horse industry, published weekly from its offices in Middleburg, Va. Rob joined the Chronicle in 1991 after 10 years with Equus and The Horseman's Journal. He foxhunts, shows jumpers and has a growing collection of horses-in-training. (rbanner@chronofhorse.com)

Buck Brannaman is a horse gentler/cowboy who crisscrosses the country demonstrating his non-aggressive approach to horse training. He served as technical adviser to the Robert Redford film “The Horse Whisperer,” and his approach is credited with inspiring and revolutionizing the equestrian world. He is the author of the best-selling “The Faraway Horses,” and his latest book is “Believe: A Horseman’s Journey.” (www.brannaman.com)

Dr. Hilary Clayton studies the biomechanics of equine gait of sport horses, including dressage and jumping horses. She is the McPhail Dressage Chair in Equine Sports Medicine at the Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine, and director of the new Center for Equine Performance there. She is the author of “The Dynamic Horse,” “Conditioning Sport Horses,” as well as consulting editor to Hoofcare & Lameness, The Journal of Equine Foot Science. She has competed extensively in eventing, show jumping and dressage, and is a USDF Bronze and Silver Medallist as well as a certified equestrian coach in the UK and Canada. (www.cvm.msu.edu/dressage)

Dr. Rob van Wessum was appointed the Sport Horse Lameness Clinician at Michigan State University's College of Veterinary Medicine in April 2005. He served as the veterinarian for the Canine and Mounted Division for the Police Department of Amsterdam from 1991 to 2003. He has competed in the FEI classes in the Netherlands, Prix St. George and Intermediare I. He is a Royal Dutch Horse Federation certified instructor and trainer and National Judge.

Robert H. Nelson, a former instructor and trainer with the U.S. Park Police Horse Mounted unit, has trained with police horse mounted units across the country. He was named Top Rider at the USPP Mounted Police Academy and has worked for more than 25 years as a riding instructor for the Rock Creek Horse Center and the National Center for Therapeutic Riding.

Walter Zettl, coach of the Canadian 3-day event Team at the Los Angeles Summer Olympics, has spent his life teaching riders the art of dressage combined with communication with the horse. In 1998 his book “Dressage In Harmony” was published. He has also written many articles for German and U.S. publications such as USDF Connection and Dressage Today. His latest work is a three-video, instructional series called “A Matter of Trust.” (walterzettl.net/index.html)

Demonstration Horses

Moe is an 11-year-old Paint/Quarterhorse who was donated to the USPP by Mr. Nathan Fiot seven years ago. One of Moe’s most noticeable features is his blue eyes — paints are known to sometimes get blue eyes when they have a bald or white face encompassing their eye sockets. Moe patrols the C&O Canal National Historic Park near Great Falls, Md., with his partner, Officer Mark Schuette, a 17-year veteran of USPP. Ofc. Schuette has been with the Horse Mounted Patrol for seven years — six of them paired with Moe.

Springer is a 19-year-old Thoroughbred whose boldness earned him the nickname “The Wonder Horse.” Springer was about to be sent to the slaughterhouse when USPP officers heard about him and asked to give him a try back in 1996. He ended up being one of the bravest and most outstanding police horses the unit has ever known, as well as one of the most clever – Springer figured out how to let himself and all the other horses out of their stalls at night. Springer served with Ofc. James A. “Bullet” Watson for nine years. Ofc. Watson served in USPP for 36 years – 19 of them on HMP. Both Ofc. Watson and Springer retired from the USPP in August.
Additional Information on the Forum Participants

Buck Brannaman’s “The Faraway Horses,” “Groundwork Book” and his latest book, “Believe: A Horseman’s Journey,” are available at www.brannaman.com. Buck also has new videos offered there, including “The Making of a Bridle Horse” series and “The First Ride.”

Dr. Hilary Clayton’s books “The Dynamic Horse” and “Conditioning Sport Horses” are available from cvm.msu.edu/dressage/articles/books.

Walter Zettl’s “A Matter of Trust Vol. IV” video will become available Nov. 1, 2005. His classic book, “Dressage In Harmony, From Basic to Grand Prix” and the first three volumes of “A Matter of Trust” videos are also available. Visit www.walterzettl.net for ordering information.

In Appreciation
Many people made this event possible. The Horse Mounted Patrol would like to thank:
Charlie Barnett
Janet Counts, Rock Creek Horse Center
J. Glenn Eugster, National Park Service
Dwight Madison and the staff of the Rock
Creek Park Nature Center & Planetarium
Kathy Malone
Colleen Marzec
Lt. Patrick O’Brien and officers of the
USPP Horse Mounted Patrol, including:
Ofc. Barbara Blendy
Ofc. Mark Schuette and Moe
Ofc. James Watson and Springer (ret.)
Sprint

USPP Horses

All of the horses serving with the Horse Mounted Patrol were donated to the USPP. Sometimes horses that cannot be used as police horses become available for adoption to good homes. If you are interested in donating a horse or in adopting one, please contact Sgt. Bob Hartnett at the USPP Edgewater Training Barn at (202) 426-7401.

Contacts
U.S. Park Police

For additional information on the Friends of U.S. Park Police Horse Mounted Patrol Fund, contact Ofc. Barbara Blendy, U.S. Park Police, 1100 Ohio Drive, SW, Washington, DC 20242.
If you have found today’s event informative and helpful, please let us know by writing to:

Chief Dwight E. Pettiford
United States Park Police
1100 Ohio Drive, SW
Washington, DC 20242

For career opportunities with the U.S. Park Police, contact: Sgt. S. Somers, Personnel Section, 1100 Ohio Drive, SW, Washington, DC 20242; 202-619-7056. www.nps.gov/uspp

National Park Service

For information on the Greater Washington National Parks Fund, see the following Web site: http://www.gwnpf.org/

or contact: J. Glenn Eugster, Assistant Regional Director, Partnerships Office
National Park Service, National Capital Region
1100 Ohio Drive, SW, Room 350
Washington, DC 20242
(202) 619-7492 phone
E-mail: glenn_eugster@nps.gov