The harsh scrubland of West Texas shows no mercy, and when U.S. Border Patrol Big Bend Sector agents must navigate their 517-mile stretch of the Texas-Mexico border, the most effective transportation often depends on oats rather than gasoline.
Border Patrol agents have depended on horses for a full century to access areas that four-wheel-drive vehicles simply cannot reach.
The Big Bend Sector celebrated the graduation of its newest Horse Patrol Program class on June 27. This marked the first occasion where the program collaborated with Sul Ross State University.
These agents stand prepared for the demanding work that lies ahead.
“They say everybody wants to be a cowboy until it’s time to be a cowboy,” Acting Assistant Chief Border Patrol Agent Richard Barragan told the Reporter-Telegram.
The men and women in this newest horse patrol class come as close as anyone can to experiencing the Hollywood-romanticized existence of an old west lawman. John Wayne never carried a radio or GPS when he portrayed authority figures on the silver screen, unlike our contemporary law enforcement agents. He did, however, ride a horse. The Duke mounted Dollor in numerous films, including the closing scene of “True Grit.”
Horse patrol agents must possess genuine grit.
“These men and women work in extremely remote locations, sometimes extending beyond their 10-hour shifts. The work demands physical strength,” Barragan said. Add the 100-degree temperatures, particularly during summer months. “If you’re on horse patrol, you spend virtually every day on horseback.”
Despite all the technology that today’s law enforcement can access, traditional horseback patrolling frequently provides the most effective method for Border Patrol agents to accomplish their mission.
“When agents discover signs of individuals entering the country illegally, horses often become the preferred transportation choice,” Barragan said. “Horses navigate the terrain successfully, and they provide agents with 360-degree visibility.”
Barragan explained that the Horse Patrol Program maintains a constant waiting list. Seven agents completed this most recent class, mastering various skills such as horsemanship, field tracking, remote-area patrol tactics, and emergency response.
“They also master feeding, saddlery, leatherwork and conditioning,” Barragan said.
Agents operating on horseback in the challenging Big Bend region terrain require all of these skills—a place that exists worlds away from the Hollywood hills and presents a landscape where four legs will carry you much further than four wheels.
