Saddle Patrol

Their uniforms look official but they aren’t park rangers. They love to ride trails but they aren’t just out for fun.

They are the Mounted Assistance Unit, volunteers who bring their horses to ride on the trails of state parks, giving information to visitors, helping lost or injured hikers and mountain bikers.

They are an important help to park rangers, keeping an eye on tens of thousands of acres of public lands. Think Neighborhood Watch on horseback.

In Topanga State Park, for example:

“There are roughly 10,000 acres, and it certainly does help to have people out in the back county,” said Topanga Ranger Greg Nelson. “The MAU helps us patrol the trails. They’re out there to advise us of any emergency situation.”

In the almost 20 years since they have patrolled Topanga, he said, “they have relayed information about injured hikers and allowed us to get emergency personnel there quicker.”

Although appreciated for their help during emergencies, the MAU volunteers actually spend most of their time talking to park visitors.

“Horses sort of break the boundaries with people,” said Bob Freshman, the coordinator of MAU volunteers at Topanga.

Freshman said the conversations range from talk about trails to local animals, plants and area history.

On a recent morning, volunteers Susan O’Haver Young and Debra Norman show off their horses to Northridge schoolchildren before they begin a hike through the park.

The third- and fourth-grade students from Napa Street Elementary School wait excitedly for their turn to pet the horses, Majic and Silver. They ask questions.

“How old is the horse?”

“Fifteen.”

“Is that a boy or a girl horse?”

“It’s a girl.”

As the students watch Majic munch on grass and purple flowers, O’Haver Young explains that a horse has a small stomach for such a large animal.

Norman lifts Silver’s leg to show the students his hoof and horseshoe. After all the children get a chance to pet the horses, they head out for the trail.

The Topanga branch of MAU has about 18 volunteers who patrol in pairs during park hours, 8 a.m. to sunset.

Volunteers must provide their own horses and are equipped with a portable radio, first-aid kit and water bottles. The volunteers must participate in a training program and are required to patrol at least one day a month.

The training covers park rules, use of the radios, as well as navigating narrow trails and steep terrain on horseback. For information on volunteering, call the Topanga Ranger Station at (310) 455-2465.