Horse patrol shows tradition to visitors

AIKEN -- Masters Week visitors looking to take in the sights of Aiken will be exposed to a little of the city's equestrian tradition.

Aiken's mounted patrol, which will be on duty most of the week, is always a big hit with the public, said Capt. Wendell Hall of the Aiken Department of Public Safety.

"The week of Masters is a special event in Aiken," Capt. Hall said, "We want to show them the equestrian side of Aiken, of course."

One of the mounted patrol officers recently retired, leaving Cpl. Sonny Ford as the city's lone rider. The horse he rides, "Special," is his horse, he said, "I take it home on the weekend when I'm not working."

Cpl. Ford said he grew up riding horses and it's always fun to see the Masters crowd interact with him and Special.

"I have to be an expert on the restaurants in town, directions, and they (visitors) do like to take pictures of the horse," he said.

Capt. Hall said the horse makes an officer more approachable.

"We have a lot of people that are in Aiken that are out of town (for Masters), and we want to meet those folks and say hello when we have that opportunity," he said.

The city has had a mounted patrol for at least eight years, Capt. Hall said. It has helped in a law enforcement capacity by giving officers a higher view and a quieter approach than that of a patrol car.

Capt. Hall said that in the past several years the mounted patrol has provided security in the parking lots at high school football games. Problems with car break-ins at the games have subsided during that time, he said.

Capt. Hall said that the mounted patrol will be used beyond Masters Week.

"This is something we'll do more and more of as the weather warms up," he said.

Reach Preston Sparks at (803) 648-1395, ext. 110, or preston.sparks@augustachronicle.com.