Tales from the trail: Reflections from an RCMP rookie rider

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The sun has set on another summer's Musical Ride Tour. If you've never seen it, it's truly something to behold: a troop of riders (all police officers) performing intricate choreography and drills on horseback, set to music. This year's tour hosted multiple shows across Ontario and British Columbia from mid-June until the end of August.

This was Constable Jedediah Simkins's first time on this tour, and he shares what it was like to participate in a part of Canada's history.

That was a long tour – you must be a bit relieved to be done?

"When it ended, it was kind of bittersweet. I guess I'm glad to be home, but I had a lot of fun and I'm already looking forward to next year."

When you joined the Ride, did you have any riding experience?

"No, but that's true for 90 percent of us on the Ride. Some of us have never even approached a large animal like that."

Tell me about your horse.

"My horse's name is Nordic. She's a 10-year-old mare. She's known as a pretty mean little lady, and one of our smaller horses – but I love her! She works hard. She loves being on the road. I saw her today and gave her favourite food – grapes."

Describe how you prepare for a show.

"We arrive a couple of hours before the show. We first make sure the horse stalls are clean, then groom the horses. Then we warm the horses up, do one ride before we start the show, and then get into our red serge [the iconic RCMP red uniform]. After the show, we do a meet and greet with the public."

Were you nervous the first time?

"We'd rehearsed so many times in Ottawa before going out. Once the music starts, you just get into it, and you're basically just doing what you've practiced for months."

Did you make any mistakes while performing?

"Luckily, my horse Nordic has been doing this for four years, and when I missed a move, most of the time she didn't."

Favourite stop on the tour?

"Williams Lake had an amazing crowd – they were so into what we were doing. It was a pleasure to go to towns like that. They were just so happy to see us."

Describe the post-show meet and greets.

"You get asked all kinds of questions – number one is "what's your horse's name?" Children come up with some unique questions too, like, "why are you all sweaty?" (laughs)

What did you miss while on tour?

"Being away from my wife. My dog. Just being at home in our routine."

Was joining the Ride what you thought it was going to be?

"I had no idea riding horses would be as hard as it was. I never thought the Musical Ride was as difficult as it was. But it's also the most fun I've ever had in policing."

Would you encourage other police officers to join the Ride?

"If they're at all interested, even a little bit, I would recommend they sign up for the basic course – it's five weeks long. You'll know by the end of it if this is for you or not. I didn't think I would have any interest in it and I absolutely love it."

You were 40 when you became a police officer. What led you here?

"I was in the logging industry before that. At one point I got laid off, and I decided I'd look into doing something else. I went to the employment centre and filled out some forms to determine what I might be good at. Number one was a locksmith, which I had no interest in whatsoever. Wait until you hear number two: an astronaut! And then, number 3 was law enforcement."

Do you still think that the RCMP was good career choice?

"If all the police forces in Canada came and offered me a job, I'd still chose the RCMP. I think it's the variety (of positions) you're able to get, and all the historic traditions it has.

I know there's no perfect police force out there, but I feel like the RCMP does a pretty good job. It's a huge organization…but they do care about their members still. They do still want to make policing a desirable career."

Could this be the career for you? Careers at the RCMP