Female firsts on the Musical Ride

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• First woman joins, then becomes first instructor
• First female Officer in Charge of the Musical Ride

First woman joins, then becomes first instructor

For most of the RCMP's history, only men were allowed to apply to the Musical Ride. That changed in 1980 when Constable Christine Windover became one of two female Mounties to qualify as riders.

From the start of her career, Constable Windover was a pioneer. In 1975, she was a member of the second RCMP class of female-only recruits. Instead of a gun belt to holster her handcuffs, bullets and lady-sized pistol, she was given a small black purse to be carried over her shoulder.

After she graduated from Depot, she was posted to Burnaby, British Columbia, where she spent five years as one of Burnaby Detachment's first female general duty police officers. By then, the purse had disappeared, but Constable Windover's working uniform still included a skirt, a pillbox hat and low-heeled black pumps. She eventually bought herself a pair of flat black oxfords.

She was shocked to learn that women were not allowed to join the Musical Ride. As soon as the RCMP changed that policy, Constable Windover and Constable Joan Merk applied and qualified, allowing them to take their place in the saddle and in Canadian history. In 1981, they traded their pillbox hats and skirts for the traditional Stetson, breeches, red serge and high boots, joining the Musical Ride as its first female members.

Most people who apply to the Musical Ride have no previous riding experience, but Constable Windover had ridden all her life and applied because she loved horses. As an accomplished equestrienne, qualifying for the job was the easy part. Once she was in, she faced other problems including the widely-held belief that the Musical Ride was just too tough for a woman. Few people understand the challenging, strenuous and sometimes painful training that prepares riders and their horses for the cavalry drills that make up a Musical Ride performance. The average Musical Ride horse weighs approximately 1300 pounds and many have spirited dispositions. Constable Windover's experience with horses and her qualifications as an expert rider gave her the confidence to persist and redefine this outdated perception.

Constable Windover stayed with the Musical Ride for 12 years, first as a rider, then later after being chosen by peer review, she returned as its first female instructor in 1986. She retired from the RCMP in 2000.

First female Officer in Charge of the Musical Ride

In May 2014, Superintendent Leslie Cook made her debut as the first female Officer in Charge of the Musical Ride, selected for the role earlier that year by then Commissioner Bob Paulson.

During a performance, riders and horses complete complex maneuvers at a walk, trot and canter. Even a small distraction can cause a rider to be embarrassed, or to fall off their mount. It's the Officer in Charge's job to ensure there are no mistakes. The Officer in Charge is also responsible for helping to choose suitable candidates from the large pool of applicants who wanted to join the Musical Ride team, and for ensuring that Musical Ride staff are fully capable of looking after all the horses in their care, while she worries about other matters such as the budget, the well-being of the riders and horses and the satisfactions of the hosting committees.

Superintendent Cook was chosen as the first female Officer in Charge of the Musical Ride for many reasons: her varied RCMP experiences, her education and her outgoing personality. Able to communicate fluently in both official languages, she spoke easily with thousands of young Canadians wherever the Musical Ride performed, undoubtedly influencing many. As the Officer in Charge, she was an excellent female role model in a prominent leadership role, an inspiration to countless young women interested in joining the RCMP.

Superintendent Cook joined the RCMP in 1987 after completing her post secondary education. Her first general duty assignment took her to Nova Scotia, then eventually to what was "A" Division in Ottawa. In 2007, she became an Inspector and was posted to Officer Staffing where she gained a wide view of the RCMP and its mandate. She served as Officer in Charge of the Musical Ride for three years and retired from the RCMP in 2017.