On Saturday, Cobourg hosted the Royal Canadian Mounted Police’s Musical Ride.
The Ride’s origins date back to the Forces precursor, the North-West Mounted Police, who members back in the late 1800’s would break the monotony of endless riding drills by competing amongst themselves by performing tricks on horseback.
Those precision drills wowed spectators at Donagan Park Saturday afternoon.
Over the years, the horses of the RCMP have become renown for their outstanding training and one in particular, a black police service horse named Burmese, became the favourite of the late Queen Elizabeth II possibly for her calm demeanour when six blank shot were fired during a 1981 birthday parade while the Queen was riding.
Ride member and instructor/trainer Corporal Devonna Coleman tells us a bit more about the exchange of horses with the royal family.
Burmese was gifted to the Queen in 1969 by the RCMP and was her mount for Trooping the Colour for 18 consecutive years.
Corporal Coleman tells us about her current mount Victoria and her connection to the Queen.
Corporal Coleman holds the honour of being ‘one of one’ or the first horse and rider in the Ride. She tells us that she was part of the contingent to travel to England last year.
Corporal Coleman tells us that with the gifting of Nobel to his Majesty King Charles III, the tradition of exchanging horses continues. Seven year old Noble was a gift to the King from the RCMP to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the group’s founding.
After the show, those in attendance had the chance to meet the horses up close and ask questions of the riders.
The Musical Ride performs in up to 50 communities across Canada each year between the months of May and October. It travels to each province once every 4 years to ensure as many Canadians as possible can experience this spectacle.
Not only do the Rides provide the chance to learn more about the RCMP and its history, they also help raise thousands of dollars for local charities and non-profit groups.
To learn more about the Musical Ride, visit The Musical Ride | Royal Canadian Mounted Police
(Written by: Joseph Goden)
