The Horseman’s Forum

Lt. Patrick O’Brien
and 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, N.W. 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, (TBD) National Park Service and Lt. Patrick O’Brien, U.S. Park Police

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, a corporate friend of the U.S. Park Police and the National Park Service.

12:30 p.m. Lt. Patrick O’Brien, welcome

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.”

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. Dr. Clayton is a USDF Bronze and Silver Medallist, and is 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)

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 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.

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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
Barbara Blendy, USPP
Janet Counts, Rock Creek Horse Center
Glenn Eugster, National Park Service
Dwight Madison, and the staff of, the Rock Creek Park Nature Center & Planetarium
Kathy Malone
Mark Schuette and Moe, USPP
James Watson and Springer, USPP
Sprint
Contacts

U.S. Park Police

For additional information on the Friends of U.S. Pak Police Horse Mounted Patrol
Unit Fund contact Barbara Blendy…….. insert address, phone, e-mail, etc.

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

If you have found today’s event informative and helpful, please us know by writing to:
Chief Dwight E. Pettiford
United States Park Police
1100 Ohio Drive, SW
Washington, DC 20242

For information on the Greater Washington National Parks Fund
See the following website:
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
(202)619-7220 fax
E-mail: glenn_eugster@nps.gov