Long, 51, was the winner of both the equestrian portion and the obstacle course at the mounted police competition at the Saratoga County Fairgrounds last week. She rides Dillon, the 17-year-old horse she rode for pleasure before she and her husband began volunteering at the sheriff's department 10 years ago. Getting to the point where a horse can work with mounted police takes a lot of training, Long said.

"We started with 'park and pets,' events where he could get used to being in a crowd," Long said.

The deputy guides Dillon by rubbing his right shoulder with the fingertips of her right hand to let him know something is about to happen, and taking a deep breath before and after an obstacle.

Last week at the fairgrounds, Dillon dutifully met challenges that might terrify an ordinary horse and caused some of the trained police horses in the competition to balk. The first test was fire in a barrel, manned by 14-year-old Michael Pelzer, son of the event organizer, who put the flames out with a fire extinguisher as the horses approached.

Inflatable lawn decorations, Jersey cows, bubble wrap, barrels full of clanging metal and a piece of black plastic the horses had to walk on were other elements of the obstacle course.

Richard Pelzer, 58, of Middle Grove organized the competition. He was among the mounted police at the Saratoga Spa State Park, a component of policing at the park he revived in the 1980s, for 23 years. He now works part time -- on horseback when possible -- for the Corinth Police Department.

A horse is a 2,000 pound police officer, Pelzer said.

"You've got something that is 9 feet tall, but at the same time, most people relate positively to horses," Pelzer said.

Patrolling from the saddle offers a police officer speed and muscle. The horses are trained to sidestep into a crowd to clear a group of people from an area, Pelzer said.

In Albany, the mounted police unit works full-time. Officer Andrew Tarpinian, riding 6-year-old Sammy, said he gives traffic tickets from the saddle, usually startling the driver.

Tarpinian's mount is a dapple gray Percheron, similar in size to a Clydesdale and also bred as a workhorse. The officer said he has grown attached to Sammy and plans to adopt him when he retires as a police horse.

Hornbeck can be reached at 581-8438 or by e-mail at lhornbeck@timesunion.com.

Tail of the tape

Winners in equitation

1. Deputy Joann Long, Wyoming County Sheriff's Department

2. Deputy Tracey Nuttelman, Hamphire County, Mass., Sheriff's Department

3. Deputy Charlie Horst, Monroe County Sheriff's Department

Winners in obstacle course

1. Joann Long

2. Deputy Mike Horst, Monroe County Sheriff's Department

3. Deputy Gaye Collins, Bergen County, N.J., Sheriff's Department Albany Police Officer Andrew Tarpinian, riding Sammy, was fourth.