Mounted Unit: Patrolling on Horseback

In this episode of Behind the Star, we visit the Orange County
Sheriff’s Office Mounted Unit to learn what it’s really like to
patrol on horseback.


Master Deputy Lindsay Gonzalez and Corporal Niko Velazquez share
how they joined the mounted unit, what it takes to train for the
job and the strong bonds formed between deputies and their
horses. 


Lindsay and Niko talk about patrol work, crowd control, parades,
and how horses play a role in community engagement and search and
rescue. They also discuss training challenges, funny stories from
the field, and what it’s like when a horse retires.


0:44 – History and purpose of the
unit 
2:30 – Horses: how many, how they’re assigned,
and their personalities 
7:20 – Daily care, barn duties, and the reality
of poop patrol 
10:32 – Matching horses to events and
understanding their temperaments 
11:34 – Where the horses come from and why most
are donated 
15:13 – Meet James, Justice, Grace, Alessandro,
Pocket Change, Remington, Pete, and Blackjack 
29:14 – Retirement: when, why, and where they
go 
31:00 – Law enforcement uses: presence, patrol,
and search and rescue 
35:12 – Memorable stories, de-escalations, and
the public’s love for the unit 
39:20 – Weird snacks, funny habits, and diva
horses 
42:00 – Horses’ intelligence, emotions, and long
memories