FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2005 

Gastric ulcers can be a big problem in high performance horses. According to some sources, as many as 90 percent of racehorses suffer from gastric ulcers, and upwards of 60 percent of performance horses develop the lesions along the stomach lining.

But The Horse, animal pharmaceuticals manufacturer Merial and Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky, recently discovered that pleasure horses can also get ulcers.

“Fifteen low-level show horses (shown a few times a year) that ‘weren't doing quite right’ in Central Kentucky were recommended by their veterinarians to take part in an endoscopic survey on April 16. Some horses were recommended because they ate a lot of feed and never gained weight, while others displayed nervousness, teeth grinding and a poor hair coat. These 15 horses were turned out every day, with fairly stress-free lives.

“Each horse was trailered to Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital and examined with an endoscope by internal medicine specialist Bill Bernard, D.V.M., Dipl. ACVIM. Also on hand was Stephanie Thompson, D.V.M., manager of veterinary technical services at Merial.

“Eight horses were diagnosed with ulcers (53.3 percent). These ranged in severity from ‘healing ulcer ridge that looks like a volcano’ to a ‘slight reddening in one portion of the stomach,’ according to Bernard.”

For more information on gastric ulcers, click here.

Shinelikefourmillion showed in the NRBC open division with Chris Dawson aboard. His owner, Carol Rose, will ride him next week in the NRHA Derby non-pro event.

Shinelikefourmillion and Carol Rose to Show at NRHA Derby

At the 2000 AQHA Convention’s American Quarter Horse Foundation live auction, Carol Rose paid $8,000 for the rights to the 4 millionth registration number. She gave that number to a little buckskin colt by her stallion Shining Spark and out of her mare Summer Chex by Bueno Chex.

The colt is now a gelding and has been shown by Robbie Boyce at the National Reining Horse Association’s 2004 Futurity and Chris Dawson at the 2005 National Reining Breeders Open Classic.

But when he shows next week at the NRHA Derby, it will be his owner, Rose, who will be aboard. The pair will go first in the draw for the non-pro derby’s preliminary on Monday. It is the first time Rose has shown in about five years and she will compete in the non-pro, intermediate non-pro and prime time divisions.

Good luck, Carol! We hope you and your horse “shine like 4 million” next week!

Arcese Quarter Horses Updates its West Coast Program

Arcese Quarter Horses is well known both here and in Europe for producing quality performance horses.

Leonardo Arcese recently announced that the family-owned business has made modifications to its West Coast operations (the Arceses also have breeding and training facilities in Verona, Italy).

Changes include the departure of David and Becky Hanson, who had resided and trained horses at Arcese's Clements, California, ranch. The broodmares, weanlings and yearlings along with the sales of young prospects remains in Clements under the management of Arcese Quarter Horses.

"All of our reining, cutting and reined cow horses will continue to show successfully under the guidance of Todd Bergen, Todd Crawford, Brent Wright and Phil Rapp,” Arcese said. “Our advertising and marketing program will continue in the capable hands of Cam Essick of Pacific Range Inc. in Lodi, California. Our West Coast consultant, Jeff Oswood of Oswood Stallion Station in Porterville, California, will continue managing our breeding and National Reined Cow Horse Association and National Cutting Horse Association sales prospects."

Arcese said AQHA Professional Horseman Todd Crawford and his wife Pam, will continue to stand Chic Please at Crawford Stallion Station in Blanchard, Oklahoma.

"We feel that change is always good, and we are moving forward in a very positive way," Arcese said, adding that because the Arcese family spends so much time handling business in Europe, their trust in this established team makes the U.S.-based portion of the business one of the most respected in the industry.

The First NRHA-Approved Show in Czech Republic This Weekend

The “Celadna Ride & Slide 2005,” the first NRHA-approved show in the Czech Republic, starts Saturday.

More than 40 horse-and-rider combinations will show. Among them there are several horses and riders that are well known to European reining enthusiasts including multiple-winning stallion KS Whizaway (Topsail Whiz x Dun Star Holly by Doc Bar Star); Chuck Klipfel, an American trainer now working in Europe; and Zuzana Pacesova, one of the best Slovak riders and trainers.

Thirteen reining classes will be offered at the show, which concludes on Sunday. Seven will be NRHA-approved.

TVG, AQHA Extend Partnership through 2008

TVG and the American Quarter Horse Association will be partners through 2008. As part of the agreement, AQHA’s flagship program, “America’s Horse,” will air each Sunday on TVG. The lifestyle program previously aired on OLN.

“AQHA has been a great supporter of TVG for more than five years and we look forward to the continuation and growth of our partnership in the future,” said Tony Allevato, TVG senior vice president and executive producer. “Highlighted by our daily show, ‘The Quarters,’ TVG airs more American Quarter Horse programming than any broadcast entity, and we are excited to add ‘America’s Horse’ to our programming roster.”

“We are extremely excited about the move to TVG,” said AQHA Executive Vice President Bill Brewer. “‘America’s Horse’ is a natural fit in helping TVG diversify its program offerings. Additionally, by owning our own two-hour block of time, we are able to give all horse lovers a consistent time to tune in or record programming that fits their lifestyle.”

 “America’s Horse” became part of a weekly two-hour block of AQHA programming titled, “Saddle Up Sunday” on May 8. Included are classic and new episodes of “America’s Horse,” as well as other news and features from the world of AQHA.

Also coming to TVG in the fall will be an AQHA-sponsored series titled, “The Q Life.” The series will offer a behind-the-scenes look at the racing lifestyles of the American Quarter Horse and will feature visits to leading American Quarter Horse farms around the country. The first episode of “The Q Life” is scheduled to air September 4, the night before the All American Futurity. The eight-to-16-episode series will air every other week through December, culminating around the Champions weekend at Los Alamitos.

Dell Hendricks Makes a Million

AQHA Professional Horseman Dell Hendricks passed the $1 million mark in NRHA earnings while at the NRBC, where he won the open event on Hit The Lights.

A couple of weeks ago when AQHA Professional Horseman Dell Hendricks and Hit The Lights won the NRBC Classic Open, I wrote that he was NRHA’s newest Million Dollar Rider. But now it’s official.

Bill Horn was the first to make a cool $1 million competing in NRHA events. Horn reached that milestone in 1995. Tim McQuay followed suit in 1997, followed by Duane Latimer and Shawn Flarida in 2003, then Todd Bergen in 2004. The National Reining Horse Association is proud to add one more name to this prestigious Million Dollar Rider list: Dell Hendricks.

Dell began his illustrious NRHA career in 1991 when he earned his first NRHA paycheck ($14.66) in Draper, Utah, on Gambling Pine in a novice horse open class. His earnings jumped dramatically in 1994, when he placed Pat Warren’s Taris Little Vintage third in the NRHA Futurity open division.

Dell was the 1998 NRHA Futurity reserve champion on Bob and Linda Hamilton’s BH Hollywood Lady. At the 1999 NRHA Futurity, Dell won NRHA’s premier event for 3-year-old reining horses riding Alan and Kay Needles’ Hollywood Vintage. Ironically, this Futurity champion is out of Taris Little Vintage and by Hollywood Dun It.

Dell went to the 2004 NRHA Futurity about $25,000 shy of the million dollar mark. He took two to the finals: Sweet N Ruff owned by Adair Reiners LLC, and Bob Stinner’s Memorable Affair. Their combined earnings of $16,600 left Hendricks almost $9,000 short at the start of the 2005 NRHA show season. He picked up more than $3,000 at Gordyville U.S.A. in March in Gifford, Illinois, and then headed to the NRBC about $5,000 short of his goal.

Hendrick’s track record at the NRBC event played to his advantage. He had already won five NRBC open titles in the event’s eight-year history. After his first go-round placing on Hit The Lights, owned by Adair Reiners LLC, Dell had reached his career milestone. When he went on to win the event, earning an additional $60,000, Dell’s NRHA Million Dollar Rider status was set in stone.

Dell and his wife, Terri, live in Tioga, Texas, where they operate a breeding-training facility. Dell has actively served the NRHA membership as a board member since 1998 and has been an elected board member since 2003. He will serve as NRHA president in 2006.

— Tonya Ratliff-Garrison

After three long days of heated western riding competition, the University of Findlay captured the 2005 IHSA nationals western team championship, with last year’s champs, Texas A&M University, winning the reserve title.

Contestants participate in a horsemanship class at the IHSA National Championship Horse Show in Sunbury, Ohio, on Sunday.

“It was close,” said Cindy Morehead, Findlay’s head coach. “There were a lot of tough competitors here, and it’s getting tougher every year.”

Morrisville State College took a strong early lead after the first day of competition with a win in the reining and a third in the novice, giving the team 11 points. Three teams vied for second place with 7 points each: TAMU, Findlay and California State University-Fresno (2004 reserve western team champion).

By the end of competition on Saturday, the championship was up for grabs: those same three schools had moved into a dead-heat for first place with 14 points each while Kansas State University held a close second with 13.

On Sunday, TAMU grabbed the lead after winning the intermediate class. The pressure was high coming into the open horsemanship, the last class of the team competition.

“It was pretty tense,” Morehead said. “We were two points behind Texas A&M, and Fresno was only a point behind us.”

The class fielded a stellar group of riders including: Oklahoma State University’s Katie Bohr, 2005 varsity equestrian nationals reining class winner; TAMU’s Katie Forest, the show’s AQHA reserve high-point rider; Morrisville’s Jacob Burger, winner of the team competition reining class; and Fresno’s Elizabeth Knapp, third in the NRHA open reining class. Findlay’s hopes rested on Jacob Bowman, a confident senior who’d done well at the Nationals, winning the show’s AQHA high-point rider award and the NRHA individual reining class.

Even though the judges awarded the class win to Erin Peery of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Bowman’s second place gave Findlay the necessary points to win the overall western team championship.

The reining class offered one of the more tense moments of the team competition.

Riding reining pattern No. 8, Burger of Morrisville and Brandi Vogel of KSU tied with scores of 146. For the ride-off, the judges required them both to ride new horses. Burger won with a 145.5, a slim half point over Vogel’s 145.

“I thought it was a great competition,” Morehead said. “Our team did very well. They were all first or second, and we had two fifths in the placings, so the win was a real team effort.”

As one of the nationals’ host schools, the Findlay team had the responsibility of providing and caring for 23 horses in addition to competing.

“We brought volunteers, and it made for a major team effort,” Morehead said. “It brought everyone together. I’m just proud of the whole team.”

AQHA Trophy Team Competition Class Winners

Each college competing for the AQHA Team Trophy (the western team championship) fields a team of six riders, one to compete in each division: beginning, intermediate, novice, advanced and open western horsemanship, and reining. Teams score points for first through sixth place finishes. All horsemanship classes require rail work and completion of a pattern.

The individual class winners in the team competition were:

• Fresno’s Kayla Merritt in novice western horsemanship.
• Morrisville’s Jacob Burger in reining.
• KSU’s Samantha Titus in advanced western horsemanship.
• Fresno’s Heather Billings in beginner western horsemanship.
• TAMU’s Kate Toomey in intermediate western horsemanship.
• Nebraska’s Erin Peery in open western horsemanship.

Individual Competition Winners

AQHA sponsors these individual class winners with Tex Tan saddles:

• Fresno’s Kayla Merritt in intermediate western horsemanship.
• Rutgers University’s Sara Silkotch in alumni western horsemanship.
• University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Kristin Foster in alumni reining.
• Findlay’s Jacob Bowman in open western horsemanship.
• TAMU’s Debra Ramirez in advanced western horsemanship.
• Bowman in NRHA open reining.
• St. Mary-of-the-Woods College’s Calantha Bandy in beginner western horsemanship.
• Findlay’s Travis Womer in novice western horsemanship.

AQHA High-Point Rider Award

Each regional champion high-point western horsemanship rider earns the right to compete for the title of AQHA high-point western rider at the national championships. Each rider competes in a rail phase and a reining phase.

The high-point rider was Findlay’s Jacob Bowman with TAMU’s Katie Forest taking reserve.

In the rail high score: Kansas State University’s Nicole Ruff took the rail high score while Bowman took the reining high score.

NRHA Derby Bound

The top four reiners from both the IHSA and the Varsity Equestrian competition (eight riders total) earn the right to compete for the title of top collegiate reiner at the National Reining Horse Association Derby in Oklahoma City next week.

The IHSA National Championship Show NRHA open reining pattern class, top four placers were:

• Findlay’s Jacob Bowman.
• Ohio State University’s Ashley Kovar.
• Fresno’s Elizabeth Knapp.
• Cazenovia College’s Kristin Lajeunesse.

Varsity Equestrian National Championships reining class winners were:

• TAMU’s Katie Forest.
• Oklahoma State University’s Katie Bohr.
• Auburn University’s Whitney Kimble.
• University of Georgia’s Sarah Meier.

— Christine Hamilton 

Some NCHA Members Want Arena’s Cutting Width Reduced

I have a few cutting horse items today for Q-Talk but thought I would start out with a story I found in the recent issue of Quarter Horse News.

It seems like the cutting width at Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum in Fort Worth, Texas, has become a hot issue with National Cutting Horse Association members.

Mark Thompson, Ross Hecox and Robert Eubanks write that the cutting arena may shrink from 125 feet to 110 to 115 feet for July’s Summer Spectacular.

The limited aged event committee approved the recommendation in April. The executive committee will review it and approve or deny the recommendation during the NCHA Convention in Las Vegas June 24-26.

Cutters told the committee that it has become too tough to post a good score in the Will Rogers arena and that narrowing the width might help. However, some cutters are not happy about the proposal and do not believe it should be done.

If you have some thoughts on this proposal, e-mail me. I would love to hear from you.

NCHA Candidates Vie for Vice President Position

Dennie Dunn of Salt Lake City and Bob Mayfield of Wills Point, Texas, are running for vice president of the NCHA. Ballots are being mailed to all NCHA members and must be returned to the NCHA office by June 15. 

For more information on the candidates, click on the links above.

NCHA World Watch

Bobs Hickory Rio (Bob Acre Doc x Gay Hickory Rio by Doc’s Hickory), ridden by Boyd Rice for 91-year-old Hall of Famer James Kenney, has extended his lead to more than $7,600 in the open division of the NCHA World Standings over 2004 World Champion rider Chubby Turner on Jim and Michah Staires' Sprats Dualin Jewel (Lenas Jewel Bars x Minnie Dots by Dual Pep).

Meanwhile, six-time World Champion Mary Jo Milner is in front in the non-pro rankings by about $4,200 over Don Boone.

— Tonya Ratliff-Garrison

At the AQHYA World Championship Show last year, the Journal for the first time brought in youth to help cover the event for the magazine and its online site. The “Junior Journalist” program was such a great success and so well received that the Journal is doing it again at the 2005 show.

The Journal is seeking three AQHYA members who can write, speak on camera, have tons of fun and be available for the duration of this year’s AQHYA World Championship Show, which is August 5-13. In return, these Junior Journalists will be rewarded with incredible career experience and the chance to meet up with some of the best youth in the business.

Deadline for applications is June 1. To download an application, click here.

FEI General Assembly Approves Rule Changes

The General Assembly of the Fédération Equestre Internationale recently approved three rule changes relating to medication of the performance horse.

1. Two modifications were made to the FEI list of threshold substances. The CO2 threshold was decreased to 36mmol, and a new threshold for boldenone undecyclate (Equipoise) in stallions was approved.
2. The use of CO2 cryotherapy was prohibited within five days prior to the first horse inspection, which is parallel to the rules in regard to shock wave therapy.
3. The B-analysis will shortly be carried out again by the A-laboratory, as it was in previous FEI rules. This will be changed to prevent time losses due to transportation of samples and for security reasons. The person responsible will be invited to attend the B-analysis with a witness, if required.

Changes Nos. 1 and 2 are effective immediately while No. 3 will be changed in the course of this year. For more information, click here.

Dr. Bo Helander

FEI Secretary General Resigns 

For 10 years, Dr. Bo Helander has served as the secretary general of FEI. But he felt it was time for him to step down, and on August 31 he will officially resign.

Helander made his decision to open the way for the important changes that will occur in the near future with the implementation of the new structure of FEI. He will continue to cooperate with FEI as senior advisor to the executive board and will work on specific assignments.

Helander joined FEI first as head of the legal department, and since May 1995, he has been the secretary general.  

AAEP to Offer Seminars to Encourage Healthy Horses

The Kentucky Horse Park and the American Association of Equine Practitioners are set to embark upon a new partnership called Healthy Horses this weekend.

Taking place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Healthy Horses is a series of seminars primarily geared toward those who own or have stewardship over horses. Farm managers, backyard breeders, grooms, trainers, and those who currently own or anticipate owning horses will glean practical, cutting-edge information from the seminars which will be led by AAEP-member veterinarians at the Kentucky Horse Park on topics essential to responsible horse care.

Scheduled topics for the event include nutrition, bandaging, acupuncture, joint therapies, colic and reproduction. An equine trade show will also be offered.

“Horses and horse lovers come to the Kentucky Horse Park from around the world, which places us in the unique position of having the ability to make a difference in the lives of untold numbers of horses,” said John Nicholson, executive director of the Kentucky Horse Park. “We are proud to partner with the AAEP and some of the top equine veterinarians across the country in endeavoring to make the Kentucky Horse Park the equine education capital of the world. The more people know, the better they can care for these beautiful, complex creatures under their guardianship.”

For information on the first Healthy Horses seminars at the Kentucky Horse Park, contact Dana Kirkland, owner education coordinator for the AAEP at (859) 233-0147 or visit www.aaep.org or www.myhorsematters.com.

Registration is $40, and participants can register at the event.

Reining Horse Sports Foundation Sells Cookbook

At this year’s NRHA Derby and Championship Show you’ll be able to tease your taste buds and awaken your culinary desires.

The first “Taste of Reining” will support the Reining Horse Sports Foundation, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to developing and enhancing the sport of reining worldwide. Since its inception in 2001, the RHSF has distributed more than $300,000 in support of reining. It has five core programs: the Hall of Fame; youth; research, development and education; international development; and the Crisis Fund. The tasting is also a kick-off for the sale of the RHSF’s Taste of Reining Cookbook.

A variety of Oklahoma City’s finest restaurants have partnered with the RHSF to promote their own cuisine at 5 p.m. May 21 in the Cantina at the Oklahoma Fair Park Coliseum. The cost is $10 per person.

The tasting is also a kick-off for the sale of the RHSF’s Taste of Reining Cookbook. The front cover of the cookbook will be unveiled at the event. Pre-sales for the cookbook will also be accepted at the tasting. Distribution of the cookbook is projected for the 2005 NRHA Futurity & North American Affiliate Championship Show. The cookbooks will be sold for $20 at the Futurity and $15 in advance. All proceeds from the tasting, as well as the sales of the cookbook, benefit the RHSF.

Just as reining knows no borders, the cookbook will feature favorite recipes from around the world. Also current reining masters, as well as legends from the past, will delight chefs with their favorite recipes and anecdotal memories about the sport of reining.

The Taste of Reining Cookbook is still in the developmental stages and anyone may submit a recipe, story or their original cowboy poetry. E-mail a favorite recipe, reining story or original cowboy poetry you would like to Tania Warnock, manager of RHSF. You may also contact Warnock to purchase a cookbook today at (405) 946-7400, ext. 137.

Kentucky Man Arrested for Riding Horse While Drunk

The Associated Press reports that Somerset, Kentucky, police stopped a man who appeared he was about to fall off his horse and charged him with drunk driving.

Millard Greg Dwyer was arrested this past weekend after he rode his horse onto a downtown street in front of an off-duty state trooper, Somerset Police Lt. Allan Coomer said.

Dwyer admitted to the officer that he was drunk, having consumed about a 12-pack of beer, and he had ridden the horse for about a five-mile stretch. A breath test showed Dwyer’s alcohol level more than three times the legal limit, Coomer said, and he was charged with operating a vehicle other than a motor vehicle under the influence of intoxicants.

Coomer said the arrest was "very unusual," but Somerset police have arrested others for similar violations, such as riding a bicycle and a lawn mower under the influence.

— Tonya Ratliff-Garrison

TUESDAY, MAY 10, 2005

Smart Chic Olena is the National Reining Horse Association’s newest $3 million sire. The NRHA Hall of Famer Smart Chic Olena joins Hollywood Dun It and Topsail Whiz as the third sire to achieve this distinction.

AQHA Professional Horseman Craig Johnson and Smart Chic Olena were the 1993 AQHA world champions in senior reining.

Owned by Jim Babcock, Valley View, Texas, the 1985 son of Smart Little Lena out of Gay Sugar Chic by Gay Bar King, enjoyed a successful career as a show horse in NRHA competition, earning $13,529. He is the only horse to win AQHA world championships in both cutting and reining. He has more than $110,000.00 in lifetime earnings in the National Cutting Horse Association and is an NCHA million-dollar sire.

In AQHA competition, Smart Chic Olena get have earned almost 15,000 points, 10 world championships, and 18 reserve world championships. In NRHA competition, Smart Chic Olena's 376 money-earning offspring have reached an earnings total of $3,033,204.60, with average earnings of $4,513.70.

Not surprising, his highest money-earning offspring to date is Smart Spook. The 2004 NRHA Open Futurity champion, owned by Rosanne Sternberg of England and ridden by Million Dollar Rider Shawn Flarida, has more than $190,000 in NRHA lifetime earnings.

Other NRHA standouts include Smartest Chic Olena ($112,771.50), Chic Please ($108,085.01), Chocolate Chic Olena ($78,868.25), Commandalena ($74,836.95), Rowdy Yankee ($72,319.95), Smokin Chic Olena ($62,229.57), Peppy Chic Olena ($58,584.83) and Paid By Chic ($50,469.70).

Learn To Lead

AQHA knows the importance of great leaders, which is the reason for Leadership AQHA. Approaching its second year, Leadership AQHA was created to strengthen the American Quarter Horse industry through leadership development. 

AQHA is now accepting applications for the 2006 leadership class. These individuals will become a part of a program intended to identify and train future leaders for the industry. Participants will have the unique opportunity to gain more knowledge about the various aspects of the industry as well as maximize their leadership talents.

Applications will be accepted until August 1, and selected participants will be notified by September 1. The 12-month program begins October 1, and no enrollment fee is required for consideration for Leadership AQHA. 

After the application deadline, AQHA will choose 10 participants, one from each of the 10 regions. Applicants should be AQHA members in good standing and should not be enrolled in an institution of higher learning due to travel requirements of the program.

The first travel requirement is a training session for the 10 selected participants, which will be October at AQHA headquarters in Amarillo. AQHA will provide hotel and travel expenses. In addition, each class member will be required to attend one industry event, at AQHA’s expense, such as the AQHA Affiliate Management Workshop, Youth Excellence Seminar, AQHYA World Championship Show, American Horse Council Convention, AQHA Racing Conference or the AQHA World Championship Show. To further their educational experience, participants are expected to attend the 2006 AQHA Convention, which is March 3-7, 2006, in Seattle. This trip, unlike the training session and industry events, are at the participants’ expense.

Online training also will be available to the program participants to further knowledge and understanding of AQHA.

After the completion of the program, Leadership AQHA members are expected to remain in contact with the Association to further the experience. AQHA hopes to continue to build a cooperative relationship with its state affiliates through the class members of Leadership AQHA. When available, they are expected to assist with the training of future Leadership AQHA classes.

After participating in the leadership training program, members will be more aware of involvement options within AQHA, including affiliates, standing committees, task forces and national directorships.

For more information, click here.

Still Riding High

In many large cities, horses still play a big role in law enforcement. It’s no different in Fort Worth, Texas, where Dennis McQueen has been the horse trainer and riding teacher for the mounted patrol since 1987 when the police unit was formed.

Fort Worth Star-Telegram writer Mary Rogers writes that “many officers have never ridden a horse before applying for the mounted patrol, and they have McQueen to thank for their confidence on the street. But few outside the division know his name.

“Buses belching smoky exhaust, a tarp flapping in the wind, squealing brakes, a train rumbling past: None of it should spook the horse. He introduces these horses to those elements again and again, helping the animals stay calm.

“He is just as patient with the officers who sign up for this duty. Most have never ridden, and he is their teacher and advocate even after they leave the three-month training program and take their place on the street. The patrol unit started with just one officer and one horse in 1987, but now there are eight officers on the street and one in training. They patrol not only in the historic Stockyards district and downtown, but also a number of neighborhoods and shopping-mall parking lots.”

At 44, Officer Maurice Floyd is the oldest officer in Fort Worth’s Mounted Patrol – and his horse, a 25-year-old Quarter Horse named Doc, has been part of the patrol for more than 10 years and has no plans to leave it even though his left eye is clouded by a cataract.

“He works the downtown streets, but he's done his share of search-and-rescue missions in brushy areas around the city and has chased the bad guys on horseback more than once. One man abandoned a stolen car and began to run, but Floyd and Doc quickly overtook him.”

"I told him, 'We can run all day if you want to,' and the guy just gave up," Floyd told Rogers.

— Tonya Ratliff-Garrison