For 40+ years I have had the honour of teaching police mounted and canine units around the world. I realise mounted units often have extremely tight budgets, and simply cannot fly people around the world to teach their units. So, I have never charged a mounted or canine unit for a lesson, lecture or clinic. It’s not just a privilege – it’s a duty. They save our lives – the least I can do is share the information that might save their lives.
The Classical & Military Roots of Mounted Police
Tracing modern law-enforcement horsemanship back to the historic combat disciplines of Europe and South Africa.
Military “High School” & The Classical Lineage
Modern mounted police units did not emerge in a vacuum. Their operational horsemanship developed from European military cavalry traditions in which balance, obedience, manoeuvrability and precise rider control were essential. Classical “Haute École” training preserved many of those principles through institutions including the Spanish Riding School, Cadre Noir, Royal Andalusian School and the South African Lipizzaners. The same foundations of balance, biomechanics and communication remain relevant wherever a police horse must stay responsive and controlled in demanding public environments.
London Metropolitan Police
The London Metropolitan Police have a long tradition of structured mounted-police training. Rider balance and position are central to maintaining clear communication with the horse.
Good biomechanical alignment helps the officer remain secure while allowing the horse to stay responsive during demanding operational work and major public events.
South African Lipizzaners
The South African Lipizzaners preserved the classical Viennese high-school tradition while providing an important modern link between historic horsemanship and rider biomechanics.
Their work demonstrates the continuing importance of posture, balance, precision and communication between horse and rider.
Crowd Control
Observing major injuries in Mounted Police Units around the world, we know that if a Police Officer falls off, or is able to be pulled to the ground, or worse, the crowd can pull a horse over – it’s a disaster.
In one session – in fact in just a few minutes – learn the different ways a rider can be pulled to the ground – and the horse pulled down as well. And, learn how, with just a few adjustments, the rider literally cannot be pulled to the ground.
The world-class police biomechanics program developed is all about improving the Officer’s balance and “stickability” – by using basic science.
Long Hours in the Saddle =
Knee pain & numb feet
Any endurance rider will tell you – nothing can quite explain the pain in your knees after a 24 hour – or longer – ride! I know personally from endurance riding in the 1970’s (yes I’m that old) that the pain in my knees was truly unbearable.
But numb feet are nearly as bad. How many times have you ridden back to the stable, and have to sit there for a minute or two, because if you jump straight off you feel like your ankles will break. You have to SLIDE off in SLOW MOTION. Your feet don’t work. While this isn’t that painful, more amusing, it can be deadly dangerous to a Police Officer who might need to dismount urgently, and run…and if your feet don’t work, you’re in big problems.
In just 45 minutes Officers can learn how to fix this, forever!
Understanding and Managing the Stresses of Police Work.
Numb feet, painful knees, sore backs & stress can end an Officer’s career.
Thankfully, major injuries are rarer than we think. Most officer’s careers end not because of a major injury, but from years in the saddle – the pain in the rider’s knees and numb feet that only someone who has sat for 12 hours in a saddle can really explain. Your knees can hurt so badly, you can’t even breathe!
Staying safe in riot conditions, helping knees, and numb feet and back pain, and being able to use the demonstration as a fundraising lecture, inviting local riders and trainers of all sports, with a small entrance fee, raffles etc, with the money going to whatever fundraising your Police Unit is working on – (e.g. example, upgrading jumps, or equipment), or just helping to fund the unit so they can attend community or charity events.
I’m old now – no avoiding it, lol. Newly retired – but when I did one clinic per month. With 10 riders over 5 days, that is 50 hours a month—roughly 500 hours a year. When you multiply that across 40+ years, you are looking at nearly $1.2 million generated at $250 per rider.
Just imagine the possibilities if the police units or the “Friends of the Police” got to retain all of that revenue. They could easily unlock this potential by opening the clinics up to auditors, hosting evening gala lectures and BBQs, or orchestrating a truly elegant evening modeled after the prestigious Spanish Riding School’s Lipizzaners.
It’s funny how our childhood shapes us. Every morning, asleep in the back of the car for the long journey to my mother’s work, and my big sister’s school, (before I was even old enough to go to school myself), my mother would wake me up so I could wave to the mounted police officer on the corner. Every morning he would wave to me. Going back even earlier, in the middle of the Great Depression, my mother’s family was visited by a Canadian who gave my mother a Royal Canadian Mounted Police doll. She talked about that doll, and her desire to go to Canada – and – decades later – I wind up teaching at the Lord Strathcona Mounted Garrison, Edmonton – the Canadian Army – no not the fantasit music ride, but actual army officers….it’s an amazing site, and I’m sure if you’re genuine, they would be as lovely for you to visit, as they were to m!
The Police have kept me safe, my community safe all my life. The fact that I can stop by a Mounted Unit on the other side of the world, and help them be safer, and get rid of that dreadful knee pain & numb feet – is a “full circle moment”.
FREE OF CHARGE. For 40+ years I have never charged a Police Officer, Mounted Unit, Wounded Warriors or similar. I am always happy to help.
Looking forward to working witih Brazil, USA, Canada, London and Dubai this year…..and it’s already September!
Lexington, Kentucky USA
International Festival – Part of the World Equestrian Games – Sgt. Lisa Rakes and David
The world’s largest Police event –
North American Police Equestrian Championships
NAPEC, Maryland, USA
demonstrations at the World Equestrian Games
Police Fundraisers & Charitable Events
I have had the privilege of organising and teaching police lectures and clinics all around the world, the most famous possibly the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Lord Strathcona Garrison and London Metropolitan Police.
I have also organised many successful police fundraisers for “Friends of Police” groups and police units themselves – organising events to raise funds and awareness with open days, performances and gala evening black tie events.
Police units have used the fundraiser to purchase new jumps, upgrade their facilities, and library, buy new equipment, and help pay for the Unit to attend local community events.
Police & Public Safety | Canine Portfolio
Canine Credentials
Verified Academic & Accredited Records
Operational & Historical Service Records
- De-escalation & Arousal Reading: Identifying posture, tail carriage, micro-expressions, and arousal thresholds during operational field contacts.
- Officer Threat Assessment: Differentiating between territorial guarding, fear-reactivity, and acute aggression to prevent unnecessary canine incidents.
- Safe Handling & Control: Low-stress restraint, lead management, and tactical safety protocols for emergency and public safety situations.
- Mounted & K9 Synergy: Biomechanical alignment and calm integration between police horses, operational dogs, and police officers.
- Bite Prevention Education: Creator and presenter of child-focused safety workshops (“Be a Tree” stillness protocol & respectful handling).
- Disability & Accessibility Inclusion: Utilizing trained dogs to teach AUSLAN visual cues, sensory integration, and calm social interaction.
- Charitable Animal Welfare: Decades of volunteer service with Animal Welfare League QLD / Golden Hearts and community pet support.
- Family Heritage: Continuing the 1930s progressive positive-reinforcement trick training legacy established by Gwen Kelly.
Police Training –
FREE OF CHARGE – I have never charged a police mounted or K9 unit in 40 years. Hundreds of hours of research and teaching.
It was there I met Police Mounted Officers who said their unit couldn’t afford any kind of trainer at all due to budget cuts.
As the previous Spokeswoman for the WorkCover Authority – the safety aspect of that alone made me instantly want to help.
For 40 years I have been teaching firstly Fire Fighters, then Police Mounted Units how to use sports biomechanics in their field – and finally, after 40+ years lecturing at the world’s most prestigious universities, and teaching the most famous Police Mounted Units all over the globe, I THOUGHT I had retired (LOL).
Nothing stops someone like me! I still donate time to the International Anti-Slavery Commission on Human Trafficking, and I am happy to visit your Mounted Unit if I am in the area. Just ask!
Layfayette Mounted Unit, Kentucky
The hisory of mounted police – the Haute Ecole – highest schools in the world in military-style training
Is “Haute Ecole” or High School – with the major schools being the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, the Cadre Noire in France, the Royal School in Jerez, Spain, and the only subsidiary of the Spanish Riding School in Vienna…the South African Lipizzaners.
What an honour …
Safety & Risk Management
