RCMP Musical Ride

Yesterday, I was fortunate enough to get to go to see the RCMP (Mounties) Musical Ride and it was super cool.  The RCMP Musical Ride training facility is located here in Ottawa and for the last 24 years, they’ve put on free shows in Ottawa each summer as a way of saying thanks to the community.   The show included a Mounted Arms Display, where the riders shot at balloons and lanced targets while riding, an Equestrian Abilities Show, where the horses and riders had several jumps, an agility dog demonstration, a demonstration by the RCMP Tactical Response Team, the RCMP and Ottawa Police Service Pipes and Drums group with Highland dancers, and, of course, the actual Musical Ride, which is exactly what it sounds like: Mounties riding horses set to music.  To top it all off, Safety Bear was wandering around before the show, taking pictures with people and handing out stickers to kids!

It was a really fun experience and I’m really glad I went!  It was so fun that I might have gotten a wee bit carried away and taken 375+ pictures and several videos.  Here are just a few of the pictures.  If I can figure out how to upload the videos without using up allllll of my WordPress storage, I might add them later or do a new entry with them.  So, without further ado, photos!

Ok, I maaaaaay have gotten there a bit early. But I got a great seat!

Safety Bear!

Shooting balloons as they jump!

Agility dog!

Equestrian Abilities part of the show

RCMP Tactical Response Team

RCMP and Ottawa Police Service Pipes and Drums with Highland dancers

The Musical Ride begins!

More Musical Ride!

Circling around

Riding out to the corners of the ring

In formation for “O Canada” and the lowering of the flag

Just before they sang “O Canada”

Afterward, the Mounties hung around so you could meet them, pet the horses, and ask questions. This horse is Tess. She’s 13 years old. Horses start training for the Musical Ride when they’re three years old, but don’t start performing until they’re at least six years old.