Western Dressage as Cross-Training for Mounted Law Enforcement - 10/7/2026

Long before dressage became a competitive discipline, systematic equitation was closely tied to
the training of military cavalry horses and riders. Balance, responsiveness, maneuverability and
precise control of the horse had practical applications for a mounted force. Modern mounted law
enforcement has a very different mission, but many of those fundamental requirements remain.

On August 26, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Mounted Unit put that connection into
practice by incorporating Western Dressage into its regular mounted training at Jim Brandon
Equestrian Center in West Palm Beach, Florida. The training day was part of the unit’s annual
training curriculum taught by Evan Ackerly of Ackerly Equestrian and April Milner of Tailwind
Trails, both of Palm City, Florida, who invited WDAA/USEF “R” Judge and Coach Patti
Thompson to join the training team for this cross-training effort. Patti s a lifelong horseman with
experience across many disciplines. Among her long list of accolades, Patti holds a USDF
Bronze Medal, is a USDF “L” Judge with Distinction, and a USDF University Gold, Silver and
Bronze Graduate.

If you've ever saddled up for a ride on a forest trail, packed into the backcountry, or simply enjoyed the peace and quiet of America's public lands, there's an important debate unfolding in Washington that deserves your attention.

In recent months, Congress has considered a number of proposals that could significantly change how public lands are managed. Among the most notable is an effort to repeal the federal Roadless Rule, a policy that has protected millions of acres of National Forest land from most road construction and development for more than two decades.