I get up early, make coffee, feed the dog and get on the Internet. I usually have about 15 to 30 e-mail requests for knowledge, on-line "Internet" learning or request for training. These e-mails take time, and the morning is the best opportunity for me to get a lot of work like this accomplished. E-mail attachments (concerning training information) are saving me a lot of time and money from not using the US Post Office, when I have a number of training documents to send. For every hour in the classroom / arena when I am teaching, there can be about 10 hours of background preparation work needed. When I have a one day, or a two day seminar / clinic, & or a 1 or 2 week long basic or advanced mounted patrol course coming up, my time gets really busy weeks in advance of the training date.

What is your professional title?

My job role title used to be "Trainer" before I retired from the San Francisco Police Department Mounted Unit. "Stan" worked then as well as it works now. My official title when submitting requests or official paperwork to the academy training managers is: "California P.O.S. T. Master Instructor". I worked many years to qualify for this title and for several years; was the only Mounted Patrol Training Instructor certified for the State of California. I have mentored 2 other mounted police officers for the past 4 years,(from different departments) into the "Master's Program" for the State of California. These two officers have now qualified to have this title designation. There are hundreds of law enforcement "trainers" in California, but only 3 "Master Instructors" in our job role assignment (law enforcement combined with the use of a horse - Mounted Patrol). P.O.S.T. is the governing body for law enforcement officers (90,000 plus) in California - Peace Officer Standards & Training.

Where did you get your formal training?

I have attended numerous instructional & communication courses over the years, and I am a graduate of the P.O.S.T. Master Instructor Development Program from the State of California. I have a passion for knowledge and am committed to continuing my education, improving my skills and training for my students and their horses. The student(s) is the most important person in the classroom/arena, not the teacher. I owe them to be the best that I can be as their instructor. Even though I have retired from the S.F.P.D. last May, I have, and still will continue to take instructional classes and fact-finding trips to improve my level as an teacher; as well as a subject matter expert in my field of law enforcement - Mounted Patrol. Stan Buscovich's Resume.

How long have you been riding? Did you start off as a Police Officer and then transfer into the Mounted Unit or did you grow up riding? Where?

I am a City (San Francisco) kid, born and raised in town - no horses at our Sunset District apartment. Rode horses in Yosemite - Wawona as a child on vacation each year, pony rides, but no serious equestrian training. Years back as a police officer before I went to the Mounted Unit, I did a side job (bodyguard for Patty Hearst, the Hearst family, from 1976 - 1979) for a couple of years where riding horses was a necessity. We rode Arabrian horses born and bred at San Simeon (100,000 acre working cattle ranch) and I felt very comfortable in the saddle without to much training.

To be assigned to the prestigious S.F.P.D. Mounted Unit there is a very long waiting list coming from Patrol. The wait list now is about 25 years. I waited about 16 years, and was transferred from Southern Station (downtown Hall of Justice district) to the Tactical Company - Mounted Patrol Unit in 1985. I passed a very limited training period, but on my own have taken many private equestrian lessons/courses over the years. I have traveled all over North America taking classes (the R.C.M.P. Academy in Ottawa, Canada to name only one) and have always found time everyday to work and train with my horse no matter where we were.

As the "Trainer" for the S.F.P.D. Mounted Unit for the last 10 years of my career before I retired, I raised my level of equestrian skills & knowledge 10 fold by working/training with horses and the officers (both new and old) everyday. How "lucky" I was to ride a horse in my career as a Police Officer.

How long have you been teaching?

Regarding my Mounted Patrol career, about 11 years now. During the time when I worked in Patrol (street cop) I was a Field Training Officer (FTO) for a period of time. There is a time in your life when it just feels right to give back what you have learned and experienced; or there is just a need for an instructor because of different circumstances. Not everyone is meant to be an instructional teacher or should be one. A famous teacher in the past, Aristotle had a formula for who or what should be a teacher/ instructor. He stated that they needed to possess certain attributes to succeed:

1. Credibility
2. Emotion (passion)
3. Logic

Everyone who rides a horse is a "trainer"! He / she should train with their horse(s) just about everyday if they can.

Do you have a mentor?

Yes, many, that have helped and guided me in the past and hopefully into the future. Sgt. Bill Bray at the Police Academy in San Francisco is my "instructional" mentor. During my carreer, when many doors that were closed to me because of lack of funds, rank or bureaucratic politics in the S.F.P.D., Bill always found a way to get me enrolled in many communication and instructor development courses. Instruction that I needed to help me to succeed and improve as a teacher. Bill is "Aristotle's rule" for a teacher and a role model!

As for top SME's (subject matter experts) in the field of mounted patrol, I have many knowledgeable friends that I can call upon at any time to get answers, or to validate my instruction. S/Sgt. Bill Stewart is now the current "Riding Master" for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police / Ceremonial Branch in Ottawa, Canada. Bill is one of the best riders I have ever seen and an outstanding equestrian teacher. He is also a close friend as well as Sgt. Alex Wynnyk of the United States Park Police in Washington D.C., who is the training supervisor for his Department throughout the United States. Alex knows everything (30 year plus veteran) about mounted patrol, and works directly for the White House concerning ceremonial functions. Alex knows everyone and is highly respected. Last but not least for valuable "Mounted - Ceremonial / Military" knowledge is the command staff for the "Casson Unit" - Old Guard military unit (Army) at the "Tomb of the Unknown Solider" at Arlington Cemetery & Fort Myer - Washington D.C. They are the "elite" concerning "Mounted Ceremonial Functions" in the United States, and are always willing to help, share and validate my work.

I have mentored many mounted trainers (and still do) over the years. In my vocation; it is called "train the trainers". Most of all my phone calls / e-mails each day are from trainers all over the US & Canada asking for help or advice. The most joy and satisfaction I have experienced over the years was mentoring kids at police festivals, mounted police barn tours and school safety visits with my horse each week. A mounted police officer can be a child's first encounter with a law enforcement officer. What a golden opportunity to make a positive first impression on that child. I visited on an average about 10,000 kids a year. That is why I made (and initially paid for) the SFPD mounted police sticker star, tradable cards of me and Spike (my horse) & I also created and produced a "Mounted Police Safety Coloring Book" to give them on my many visits.

Do you own horses, what discipline do you enjoy?

No, I do not own my own horse at the moment. I had 20 plus horses to choose from daily when I was still working at the SFPD. Now that I have retired, I enjoy riding other people's horses during training classes, but the truth in the matter is, to own a horse takes time, commitment and maintenance. Presently, I don't have the time because I travel so much in my "after retirement" career.

I enjoy ground school training with horses, pleasure riding with a Western saddle, or English tack anytime there is a horse with a saddle for me to use.

How did you get involved teaching Police Mounted Units?

There was a need at the police stables about 12 years ago. A terrible accident happened at the stables with two of my closest friends. Due to the accident they were no longer a part of the Mounted Patrol Unit. I really did not want the job (trainer) at the time, but that tragic accident gave me the unknowing opportunity to mentally grow, and find my true passion in life, "to teach". The San Francisco Police Department / Mounted Unit is the 2nd oldest "continuos" Mounted Patrol in North America. We have helped many mounted units to start, get off the ground (to name only a few - Oakland & San Jose Police Departments) in the past. I became the "answer man" on the phone at the police stables in Golden Gate Park. I then eventually moved on to teaching all over the State and beyond it's borders.

How far do you travel to teach? Overseas? When , Where?

The power of the Internet has increased "on-line learning" all over the world. My two instructional mounted patrol training home pages (Stan Buscovich - http://www.cophorses.com/buscovich.html and Ceremonial Functions of a Mounted Unit - http://members.aol.com/sbuscovich/ reach interested people all over the world (Australia, South Africa, South America, Europe, Canada & the U.S.) which introduces me to many new students, requests for knowledge and information.

I have traveled to Hawaii (Honolulu Police Department) twice in the last year, Atlanta (Conyers) Georgia (1996) to ride (mounted security) and instruct at the horse venue for the World Olympics. All over the State of California, plus numerous other states out West and back East. I have also visited Calgary and other locations (Ottawa) in Canada. Washington D.C. is always one of my favorite places to learn / teach, but Turkey on a camel was a first for me. Yes, they have a mounted ceremonial unit in their capital.

Traveling to teach has been a part of my life for only in the last 10 years. The introduction of the home PC/ scanner and the Internet - "On-line Learning", downloading of attached files (example - Mounted Patrol manuals, instructional documents, lesson plans, expanded course outlines and scanning - pictures) can save a lot of time & money for the students as well as for me.

Of course, there is no substitute for "hands on", "one on one" instruction with a teacher, especially with a psycho-motor type skill (mounted patrol - equestrian training). However, the "Internet" has really helped solve some travel and emergency communication issues for me and my students, and continues to help improve me as a subject matter expert in the field of mounted patrol.

One of the major factors for me, as an instructor, is that I am willing to travel to teach. It is a lot safer, economical, and time efficient for me to travel to a designated site for the 20 riders/horses (mounted unit training facility) rather than all of them traveling to me.

What do you enjoy most about your equestrian career?

As a teacher, raising the professional level/bar on mounted patrol (skills & knowledge) instruction on my "watch" as Trainer.

Equestrian career? On the job as a SFPD Mounted Officer? Riding fast on the wide flat beach next to the Pacific Ocean (Ocean Beach - Lincoln to Kelly's Cove) in the morning right after line-up. Cooling my horse down and dismounting, tying-up at the tie tree across the street from "Louie's" (a great breakfast restaurant) right up the street from the Cliff House near Seal Rock. Walking in, just like on the old TV series "Cheer's" (everyone knows your name, and is a fan of the "Mounties") to a great cup of coffee and food. After breakfast, either starting out the day riding at Land's End or through the streets of San Francisco, and or, heading back to the Park (Golden Gate). I had the privilege of performing this duty for 15 years, how very blessed I was!

How do you select horses? Where do you find them? Do you favor a particular breed, sex for this type of work?

A good mounted patrol horse is very very hard to find. It takes a lot of time, phone calls, travel and effort to find just one good horse (just to try out). We look for a dark colored horse (military - US Cavalry regulations), at least 8 years old (I like over 12), 15.2 - 16.2 hands, and can be trained to handle both park work as well as downtown movements & travel. We only use geldings, no mares.

I prefer Quarter Horses, especially from the Poco line. It just seems that Quarters / Morgans can be trained easier and are more suitable (have the right temperament) for police mounted work, than other breeds. I know a lot of Mounted Units, especially back East who use young horses (right after retirement) from the race track, that are not Quarter Horses. I believe that is based on a lack of financial resources (allotted budget funds for the Mounted Unit from the fiscal division within the department), not by choice. In other words, no money to spend on horses. Very young race-horses after they retire, are really very cheap to purchase, but can be difficult to train perform mounted patrol work. We have, or had a budget in the SFPD Mounted Unit just before I left, for purchasing new horses in the amount of $5,000 per horse for the initial asking bid. We retire 2 mounts a year, and try to find at least 2 new horses to fill their positions.

In 1985, when I initially transferred to the mounted unit we had over 30 horses. Now I believe we are down to less than 20. My first objective, as the trainer during the last 10 years of my career involved Basic training and instruction of new recruits. My job was to build confidence in the rider with the horse. I would take, borrow, and use, any horse in the barn that would help me meet that objective with the new rider. OK, let me ask you this - If you were teaching someone new how to ride a motorcycle, would you give them a bike that had a flat front tire? I don't think so, if you expected them to succeed. Well I feel the same about training new recruit - mounted officer with horses. Why would I want to start them off with a horse that has just left the racetrack and is 3 or 4 years old, or a horse that is set for retirement and cannot even handle the faster gates any longer. I am pushing this answer a little, but you would be surprised what some new officers are given in the beginning to ride. Oh yes, when they finish training, that is another story altogether, they go on a horse dream list and wait for a good horse to come their way, but in the beginning, in training, I give them the best horses in the barn to learn the different disciplines of riding. I build confidence first!

Years ago we used a horse broker, who found us what we were looking for in a mounted patrol horse. He did a fairly good job, and would bring us horses from all over the United States. Presently, we have 2 senior (highly knowledgeable) light duty mounted officers, who don't ride any longer because of injuries. These officers (a man and a woman) are on the road all over Northern and Central California looking for potential prospect horses for the unit. I could write pages on this subject alone on the pros and cons of us looking and finding new horses. Let me just say that it can be a very tough job dealing with the problems of buying and selling horses. We have "Wanted" posters posted all over the State, and we / they - SFPD are always looking for that dark colored military horse that can do it all and give us years of service. So are the other 100 plus mounted units in California!

Our Vet checks (gives a complete physical) the new horse right after he arrives at our barn in Golden Gate Park. The horse in question is usually on some type of screening period / time allotment (30 to 60 days depending) before we will purchase same. After the Vet gives the pass or fail on the horse examination, the trainer takes charge of the new remount in question, and slowly goes to work with him. This evaluating process usually takes about 30 to 60 days to determine if the horse is going to make it or not. This "recruitment period" takes time, slow positive instruction and sensory experiences for the horse in its training process after we purchase him. We ask so much of the horse in what we do on patrol (in the park as well as downtown in the middle of traffic all day) so time is a training factor for each horse. Each horse is different, and the training clock ticks differently for each one of them.

Do different police officers share the same horses, or do they each have their own?

In San Francisco, concerning sharing the horses, a little of both in the beginning after they (the new mounted officers) finish basic training. Eventually each officer will have their own horse to use full-time. If my partner went on vacation for a week, I would ride his horse at least once, one day during the time he is away. Large Metropolitan departments (like San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston & New York) own the horses that are used by the mounted unit. In a number of smaller departments throughout North America, the part-time or collateral mounted unit horses are owned and used by the individual mounted officers.

What is an average work week for the Mounted Patrol?

Mounted patrol, a four-day workweek, 10 hours a day. Probably about 6 to 7 hours in the saddle each day if you are on patrol, not a detail. For me, since I have retired, hard to say, I am just a little busy at the moment and I enjoy teaching / facilitating special events, counseling and advising very much. My new policy is to pick and choose my clinics / seminars / classes / events and schedule my time resources more efficiently in the future (distribute it out a little bit better).

Where are the horses kept?

The San Francisco Police Department Mounted Unit is headquartered at the Fred C. Egan Police Stable in Golden Gate Park (on J.F.K. & Officer James Bloesch roads near the Polo Field). In years past, during the turn of the last century, there was a police stable at every police district station in the City. This was due mainly to the 600+ police horses in use at the time. The horse was the "vehicle" and main transport for police officers all over the city of San Francisco.

How much time is involved bringing a new student and horse along before they are ready to go to work?

A New rider: I find it easier to teach a new mounted recruit (it can be a cop with 25 years of street experience who just made it to the Mounted Unit on the long waiting list) who has never ridden before. A little bit of old riding knowledge by the new student can be very hindering when trying to instruct a basic riding course. A long story, but believe me, it is just easier to start from the beginning and instruct from there. Ten to twelve weeks for a "Basic" mounted patrol training course (pass or fail). With an FTO (field training officer) or senior mountie assigned to the new officer after graduation, for the next 6 months. In our unit we have tried to train every Wednesday, but things come up and that schedule changes on the mood of the supervisors or things / actions we are involved in. Training should be a continual and constant matter concerning mounted patrol / equestrian riding. You can never learn enough, and in you equestrian career you will always need to practice your skills, or you will loose them (it is as simple as that). Do people always train, NO, and it shows when it really counts.

New Horse Training: that could be up to a year. Sometimes we get really lucky and the horse is ready to go out on the first day. Training is done in many small stages and the horse trainer usually works on 2 horses a day (morning & afternoon). I just love to hear about a horse that the seller says is bomb proof, and that the horse is ready to go out to work on the very first day. To top it off... that the grandmother rode it everyday back & forth to market. This reminds me of a story my father told me when he walked to school in the snow (Oakland, California) everyday playing a violin. I have landed on my backside and head with bombproof horses like that in our back (soft dirt) arena in the past. If this was initially tried downtown on hard street ground, there would have done a lot more damage to me. The training for the horse can take awhile, and all the new horses don't always make the cut. You are asking really a lot of the horse to do all that we request out of him. However, I have had some great horses (Runner, Spike, Ray & J.B.) over the years. These horses have allowed babies and small kids to pet their faces one moment, and in another hour, were involved in a major crowd control disturbance where all hell broke loose.

Do you teach your students horsemanship (parts of the horse, grooming, first aid etc) as well as riding instruction?

I build confidence in the new recruit on the ground first, working around horses, way before they ever think about putting a leg over a horse's back. Barn management (mucking, cleaning, vetting, etc.) is not a punishment or a waste of time, but a double learning process that gives time for the new officer (especially someone that has never been around a horse before) to feel comfortable & to make this new setting his new job role home / work-place. Second, to know and better importantly, understand and learn about this living gift from Mother Nature.

I developed a teaching manual (Training the Mounted Police Officer) over the years. I basically borrowed from many places including the RCMP & the U.S. Park Police. To tell you the truth, I was so equestrian ignorant when I completed my training period back in 1985, that I swore to myself: "If ever have the opportunity, I would make changes so that this basic riding ignorance never happens again to anyone else." I am embarrassed to tell you what I could not do as a rider in the beginning. In those days when I rode, I was just a lucky passenger!

I also used the 4-H Equestrian Manual (the red book) and the basic Pony Club teaching manual to help with the riding instruction. These wonderful textbooks were so easy to understand and use for both the recruits and me. When my students where ready to take their Riding Proficiency Test (both written and in the saddle) at the end of the 12 week of the training period, there was never a doubt that they would not pass. We all worked long hours to make that happen, over the allotted training period. I have always been very proud of them (who I trained) as "Riders" not passengers.

Riding Instruction Schedule

1. Ground school / manners
2. Bareback - halter lead rope / reins
3. English tack
4. Western tack (what we use in San Francisco - tradition US Cavalry - our roots)
5. Back to ground school

Where do retired Cop Horses go?

For the San Francisco Police Department Mounted Unit, when the vet and or the O.I.C. (officer in charge - usually the senior Sgt. Or Lt.) says "that is enough" for the horse in question, they are retired to the S.P.C.A. in San Francisco. The control and custody of the horse is then given to Mrs. Black and her beautiful horse retirement ranch up in Sonoma County. The ranch is set up just for our horses in retirement, where they are very well taken care of for the rest of their lives. They just eat, play with "partner" horses that they worked patrol with, and run free until they move on to "Fiddler's Green". These horses are never ridden again, and they are treated with respect and love. Mrs. Black has been taking care of our retired horses for years now. She is a great lady, and I for one appreciate very much what she has done, and still does, to take care of our retired partners.

Tell me your favorite story about a student or a horse?

Just too many favorite stories and experiences. Everyday was an adventure for my horse and me. Not many unpleasant days on mounted patrol. Ok, maybe this might help - People, especially kids love horses. I had a horse once named Spike who was awarded the Mayor's certificate and plaque for "My Favorite Officer of the Month" award for the San Francisco Police Department. He won with me (the first time ever for a horse in 150 years of the Department) because I guess, he just loved kids back. He was a very strong / fast horse, but around kids he would slow way down & just drop his head and let them pet his face (sometimes all day long at the Pier 39 detail). I also took / rode Spike into many churches in the past (Blessing of the Animals ceremony) each year and also did a special detail (The Pasada) in a church and outside in the Mission District on Christmas Eve. Spike and all the horses that I have had the privilege to partner up with over the years gave me the best job (mounted patrol) I have ever had in my life. If it wasn't for the horse, I would of never known so much fun or enjoyment in my law enforcement career.

In 15 years of working patrol downtown before I came to the Mounted Unit, no one ever came up and petted my radio car! But on "Mounted Patrol" people are drawn to the horse & rider (police officer) like a magnet. What a golden opportunity that moment can be! Mounted police officers can and are the positive side of law enforcement. That is why most command officers / chiefs of departments that utilize a mounted unit, use them for many types of law enforcement public relation details / community events.

Yes, I have had some pretty special days on mounted patrol: riding a horse in my dress formal uniform through the open gates at the White House in Washington, D.C., or by myself galloping up the lawn hill in front of the Capital Building on a borrowed military horse. At the Equestrian venue "medal ceremony" at the Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia (really a town outside of Atlanta called Conyers) 1996, I left the large riding arena with the gold medal winner (Klaus Balkenhol) who was also a police officer from Germany. Klaus was allowed to wear his police mounted class A uniform while he was competing. I was the only other mounted police officer there at the time, and it was a great thrill leaving the arena with him. He gave me his "Iron Eagle" pin off of his uniform that he was wearing that day and I gave him a S.F.P.D. pin in return from my shirt. Klaus is also the "Riding Master" for Germany.

A mounted officer usually has the best seat in the house and is usually right up in front on both good days as well as bad. Over the years I have participated in over 1,000 ceremonial and crowd control events in San Francisco. The good days including meeting the Pope on his visit, leading hundreds of parades in a color guard formation detail, and watching / guarding the goal post at many a 49er football game - what a great up front and close seat to watch the game from. Yes I have been very lucky in my day to day details / assignments, working the parks & streets of San Francisco over the years, and my many trips / adventures out of the City, but once again, these wonderful experiences and times would of not happened, without the HORSE.

When you are not around horses, or instructing, what else do you enjoy?

Competitive & social tennis, golf (I am hooked on golf!), golf lessons, on-line learning (the Internet), travel (Hawaii, Costa Rica, Turkey to name only a few recently & Italy coming up soon), research (Washington D.C.). OK, I have been really busy since I retired. If I really look back since I said farewell to the SFPD in May 2000 - retirement... I have had only one day off. This particular day, I stayed in bed and just read all day. I have a passion for reading, especially about history. I want to sign up for the next semester courses at the local community college near my home, and take a Spanish conversational course & an ancient history class.

The end of your day, and what is a good day?

As an equestrian, the day ends as an athlete should, with a good cool down for both the rider and horse. You bring your horse into the barn calm and quiet taking care of his needs first, before yours, the rider.

A good day on patrol is when you and the horse come back to the barn as winners (no injuries / problems either physically or psychologically) in the late afternoon. You started the day off with a nice slow warm-up, did some training down at "Bercut Field" in the lower part of the Park, and then rode and handled your "beat" (district of the Park or downtown area) assignment.

A good day can be in the Indian Summer part of the year (fall) in the Park, on a Sunday or holidays when certain parts of the Park are closed to auto traffic. People are walking, running, skating, it is just a great time to ride a horse and enjoy Golden Gate Park (1,270 acres). In November and December we are all downtown on mounted patrol for the "Holiday Safe Shopping" detail. Riding around Union Square & on the streets is so much fun, especially seeing old friends and greeting the shoppers / tourist. When you're on mounted patrol, your 8 to 10 feet up in the air, everyone can see you and you can see a lot from up there. Mounted patrol is a great job to help people, and to also deter crimes because you stand out so much and can be seen.

What is a good day on Mounted Patrol? - helping someone, doing your job, being out there - "To Serve and Protect!"

There are 16 mounted patrol units surrounding the Bay Area of San Francisco. These patrols include full time law enforcement mounted units (sworn officers), part time (or collateral) units (which include both civilian as well sworn officers) and SAR (search and rescue) mounted units (which can also include both civilian as well as sworn officers). There are 100 plus mounted patrol units in California, and 2,000 across North America. Of the 100 plus units in California, 10 are full time (sworn officers) and the other 90 are collateral (part time / seasonal - or as needed during the year). The numbers of new mounted units are growing each year throughout the World; the Honolulu (Hawaii) Police Department Mounted Unit was officially activated last month.

Please visit Stan Buscovich's web sites Ceremonial Functions of a Mounted Unit and Stan Buscovich You can contact Stan via e-mail SBUSCOVICH@aol.com