When you think Canada, you think traditions. Some think of maple syrup, moose and poutine, while others think of Mounties, like the RCMP Musical Ride.
Read more: RCMP Musical Ride displays tradition
The ride recently stopped in Lloydminster and the Meridian Source was able to learn about the tradition from one of its riders.
Const. Gord Tuckwell didn’t grow up riding horses as a kid. Today, he wears the red serge and performs across Canada with the RCMP Musical Ride after being wowed by them as a kid.
“When I was a little kid, I saw the musical ride perform,” said Tuckwell.
At that moment, he thought becoming a police officer was something he’d like to do some day.
He was drawn to the RCMP but it wasn’t originally for the horses. That came later.
“It was actually my wife,” he said. “She said, ‘You know, that would be kind of cool for you to try.’ ”
Tuckwell served small-town Newfoundland for six-years before getting the call to ride, but before he performed in front of thousands, Tuckwell had to learn to care for a horse.
Earning trust
“You’re in the stall mucking out. You’re brushing. You’re learning how to groom,” he said. “You’re not even riding for the first month or so.”
Tuckwell now travels with the Musical Ride, a team of 32 riders and horses that perform choreographed routines to music in full ceremonial dress. His partner, Potts, is a tall, seven-year-old black gelding with a distinct birthmark on his cheek.
“Potts is very calm. He’s not scared of people. He’s not spooked by noise. He’s a good people horse,” said Tuckwell, noting he brushes Potts every
morning.
“I usually feed him his apple in the morning. I don’t like to give him a treat until he’s brushed.”
The daily care builds trust.
“That’s how that bond forms. You put in the work, then you get the bond,” he said, explaining each horse is different and moves in its own way.
“You’re going to have to learn how to ride every horse you’re given,” said Tuckwell, noting Potts makes him work for it.
“It’s like doing sit-ups the whole show,” he said.
TRAINING WITH POTTS
The RCMP Musical Ride has become a symbol of national identity,
performing in rural towns, cities and First Nations communities.
“At one stop, an elder stood beside Potts and said “Well, that horse listens better than my kids do,” said Tuckwell, adding it comes down to training.
According to Tuckwell, training can involve breaking a manoeuvre down to less than an eighth of the final product.
“It’s not natural for horses to go nose-to-nose. That’s a dominance thing. That’s something horses will do when they’re testing each other,” explained Tuckwell. “So, when you ask 32 horses to go nose-to-nose, that takes a special kind of horse and a special kind of rider to get that trust and know the horses aren’t going to react.”
According to Tuckwell, who loves Potts and being a member of the RCMP, the ride has a very unique place in Canada’s history.
“It’s one of the fibres of our Canadianness. It’s something that stirs pride in people,” said Tuckwell, recalling when a woman came up to him after a performance at the Calgary Stampede.
“She said, ‘I didn’t know I was still proud to be Canadian until I saw you guys perform,’ ” he said.
One of Tuckwell’s most emotional moments came during the Sunset Ceremonies in Ottawa. Officials lowered the Canadian flag and played the national anthem during the performance.
“The anthem is playing. The flag is coming down. The horse is under you. You’re in front of all these people. You feel that sense of pride, and that pride gets me. It gets me every time,” he said.
WHY BLACK AND RED?
Tuckwell explained the contrast between the black horses and the Red Serge was deliberate.
“You get the eye-catching red on the black. That’s a very arresting sight. That was part of it,” said Tuckwell, noting the colours came from the British Household Cavalry in the 1940s.
“The RCMP wanted something traditional, yet distinct. That’s what was decided at the time, and I think it’s a beautiful combination,” he said.
TRAVELLING WITH THE HORSES
“We have a massive team behind the scenes that really makes this possible,” said Tuckwell.
The horses are considered elite athletes and recieve constant care and attention.
From 24/7 monitoring to protocols dictating distances travelled per day, water and food,
everything is designed for the horses. However, being away from home is also difficult.
“You miss home, you miss your family, you miss your dog. It’s hard, but you lean on your teammates. That’s how you make it through,” he said, noting the job has its rewards.
“It’s one of the most amazing feelings in the world,” said Tuckwell. “When you and that animal are doing the same thing at the same time.”
Tuckwell and Potts travel across Canada wowing crowds while recruiting the next generation of officers and inspiring pride in being Canadian.
Now on the back of Potts, the dreams of a kid from Kingston, Ont., who was inspired to do this many years ago are now a reality.
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