United States Border Patrol horse units are equestrian units of the United States Border Patrol. As of 2011, the Border Patrol used 334 horses in patrol operations, primarily along the Mexico–United States border, and to a lesser extent the Canada-United States border.
History
editThe Border Patrol began using mounted patrols in 1924, at its inception.[1] Initially, Border Patrol agents had to provide their own mounts.[2]
Operations
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Horses provide access to mountainous terrain inaccessible by vehicle while the animals' size allows Border Patrol agents an elevated view of the area they're patrolling.[2] The imposing size of horses also allow smaller groups of agents to establish control over larger groups of detainees.[2]
Border Patrol horses are wrangled from wild herds in the American West by the Bureau of Land Management's Wild Horse and Burro Program, then sent to U.S. federal prisons were they are broken and trained by inmates.[3] Some horses are also trained by Colorado Corrections Industries, a prison labor program owned and operated by the state of Colorado.
As of 2016, ten Border Patrol sectors had horse units.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Border Patrol Horses Get Special Feed that Helps Protect Desert Ecosystem". Environmental News Network. June 9, 2005. Retrieved May 20, 2018.
- ^ a b c Gaynor, Tim (January 23, 2008). "U.S. turns to horses to secure borders". Reuters. Retrieved May 20, 2018.
- ^ Rappleye, Hannah (March 5, 2016). "Inmates Train Wild Horses for Border Patrol". NBC News. Retrieved May 20, 2018.