SIGN IN YOUR ACCOUNT TO HAVE ACCESS TO DIFFERENT FEATURES

FORGOT YOUR PASSWORD?

FORGOT YOUR DETAILS?

AAH, WAIT, I REMEMBER NOW!

Sidelines MagazineSidelines Magazine

  • LOGIN
  • Home
  • Current Issue
  • Subscriptions
    • Flipbook
    • Subscribe Options
    • Order Individual & Back Issues
  • Podcast
  • Marketplace
    • Business Ads
    • Directories
      • Barns, Farms, Trainers & Clubs
      • Equestrian Services
      • Real Estate
      • Stallions
      • Tack & Feed Stores
    • Classifieds
    • Horse Trailers for Sale
  • Advertise
  • Blogs
    • Show World
    • What’s Happenin’
  • Partners
  • Contacts
    • Contacts
    • Employment
0
Saturday, August 28 2021 / Published in Sidelines Spotlight

Captain Lisa Rakes: Educating, Protecting and Befriending on Horseback

By Britney Grover

Portraits by Ruby Tevis

Captain Lisa Rakes has always been interested in police work — and doing it from horseback makes it that much more rewarding. Born and raised in Kentucky, Lisa earned her bachelor’s degree in police administration with a minor in military science from Eastern Kentucky University, where she also served in the Kentucky National Guard.

She first began mounted policing in 1996 with the Lexington Mounted Police Unit, then based out of the Education Barn at the Kentucky Horse Park (KHP). After 24 years with Lexington Police Department, Lisa became the head of KHP’s Mounted Police Department in January 2013.

Lisa’s partner is Oliver, a 13-year-old, 16.1-hand Paint/Shire cross. Together, Lisa and Oliver lead the KHP Mounted Police, monitor KHP events from the regular Parade of Breeds to the Kentucky Three-Day Event, and are ambassadors for tourists visiting the Park. In 2019, Oliver was the BreyerFest Celebration Horse with his own model, honoring him and the work he does with Lisa to protect and educate the public about both horses and police work.

What makes horses so good for police work?

Horses look to us for leadership and protection, and are so forgiving to us when we place them in the face of danger. Whether riding along the roadway with large trucks and cement mixers, chasing a dangerous felon along slick roadways or having rocks and bottles thrown at them during a riot, they truly strive to please. Oliver says, “Horses can’t talk, but they can speak if you listen.”

What’s your favorite thing about working at the Kentucky Horse Park?

Policing on horseback is a doorway to our partnership with our tourists and the Horse Park community. I cannot imagine having a job that I love doing more or work that is more rewarding than being a mounted police officer. There is no better feeling than to let my horse meet people and get and give lots of hugs and kisses from folks, especially children.

How did you come to partner with Oliver?

Oliver fit the characteristics of a Mounted Police Horse, which are a draft or draft-cross breed that is big-boned and durable but athletic in build and possesses a kind disposition. Oliver came into the Mounted Police barn as a green-broke 5-year-old but eager to please, willing to work, brave and has not looked back since. I knew that Oliver was cut out for this job when his first call as a police horse was crowd control for the Kentucky Three-Day Event. He got in position on the cross-country course to keep spectators at bay, and all he wanted to do was eat grass! He was completely unfazed with the crowd, running horses or the atmosphere.

What’s Oliver like?

Oliver makes a great partner for me because he is so forgiving and tries his hardest to please. He trusts me and checks in with me anytime he feels uncomfortable about a situation. He loves people, loves being the center of attention and is a great ambassador to the Kentucky Horse Park.

Oliver watches over the security of the Park, its visitors and horses. He is oftentimes the first horse our guests come into contact with. He has been instrumental in promoting the Park by providing demonstrations for school groups, participating in parades and other high-profile events. Oliver’s favorite part of the job would be his daily patrols around the Park when he gets to move around and meet new people. 

How do you share important causes in your community, like education about horses, police work and safety?

Patrolling from horseback, KHP Mounted Police establish a dialogue with tourists and the horse community alike. This dialogue allows them to be goodwill ambassadors of the Kentucky Horse Park. Our officers provide tours of the stables, demonstrations for school groups or other audiences and participate in parades and other high-profile events.

At the Kentucky Horse Park, we hold an annual event called the National Mounted Police Colloquium. This year will be our 36th event. We have around 100 mounted police officers from all over the country come to the Kentucky Horse Park to train and compete. This event brings together people and horses from all around the country to learn new techniques, share ideas and train their amazing horses. It’s an opportunity to learn and sharpen their equitation, jumping, crowd control and sensory skills. We also offer a civilian portion to the course, including some of the same skills and sensory items but tailored to the civilian rider.

What are some of the biggest challenges you face in your job?

Budgets are a big challenge as money is tight in every department, but it’s a hard value to replace. We can use the horse as a way to start a conversation with a complete stranger and before you know it, the horse has created the open door for the best community policing available. No one walks up to an officer and asks to pet his cruiser. Most people see a police officer and avoid them. The horse is like a magnet. It attracts and invites folks in who want to relive the past, tell stories or just pet a horse.

What would you tell others who want to do good in their communities?

Have fun! Find something that you can volunteer or work in that is rewarding. For me, it was horses. Horses are the main reason that I love my job and enjoy coming to work — to see my co-workers, see my horses and try to make a difference in someone’s life.

Photos by Ruby Tevis

Share this page:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
Tagged under: mounted police, superstar

What you can read next

Marie Meyers: A Small Team With Big Dreams
Julie Lawther: Sharing the Love of Horses in Art
Daniela Siberio: The Magic of the Lusitano Horse

Download Sidelines Digital now from your favorite app store!

Sidelines Magazine - Apple store   Sidelines Magazine - Google Play store   Sidelines Magazine - Amazon store
Update iOS app. Re-download Google Play and Amazon app.

Follow on Instagram!

sidelines_magazine

Sidelines Magazine
Unbridled with Joe Norick! 🐎 Joe Norick stays Unbridled with Joe Norick! 🐎 Joe Norick stays busy with not one but two full-time jobs with companies that span the nation. The first is as a senior vice president for equine, farm and ranch clients with Alliant in West Palm Beach; the second, which he took on in October of 2022, is as the chief customer officer for HITS Shows. But Joe doesn’t care about titles. “I more consider myself the architect of what we’re creating here in the new HITS,” he said. Along with CEO Peter Englehart, Joe oversees all HITS Shows across the country—which is why he says lately it feels as though his home base has been American Airlines, traveling to each of the six unique HITS venues. “I love the fact that in Ocala we have so many beautiful paddocks, and over 500 acres that you can ride on and the horse can be a horse, and a horseman can be a horseman,” Joe said. “I love the beauty and charm that we have at our Chicago facility. I love the family aspect of Vermont. I love the high level of competition we have at both Del Mar and Saugerties, which we now call HITS Hudson Valley because of the amazing Hudson Valley. I love the tradition that we have in Virginia at our Culpepper facility. They all have something special.” Get to know Joe in this month's edition of Sidelines Magazine! and never miss an unbridled by subscribing for just $14.95 A YEAR! Link in bio! 📸Photo by ESI
Growing up, Zayna Rizvi put fashion ahead of funct Growing up, Zayna Rizvi put fashion ahead of function when it came to her riding attire. “I would only ride my first pony, Buttons, in a princess outfit. I refused to wear regular riding clothes and only wanted to ride in my tutu,” she said. The 2021 Maclay Finals winner has since shed her tutu and these days can be found sporting breeches and boots as she tackles the jumper ring in the High Juniors, U25 series, the FEI classes in the two-star and three-star divisions and occasionally makes her way back into some equitation classes. Immersed in the equestrian life from the start, Zayna can be found, if she isn’t doing schoolwork, in the barn trying to refine her riding as she aims to move up the ranks in international competitions. To read more about Zayna head on over to our website. Link in bio! 📸Portraits by Melissa Fuller
Check out Biostar US for innovative supplements to Check out Biostar US for innovative supplements to support your horse’s gut health! With specific plants found in old English hedgerows, Hedgerow GI supports GI tract homeostasis, microbes, immune cells, metabolites, and the tight junctions of the gut. This exclusive blend provides dimensional support for gut homeostasis. ⏩Link: https://www.biostarus.com/products/hedgerow-gi #biostarus #wholefoodforhorses #horses #equestrians #horsecare #equinehealth #hedgerowgi #hedgerows #horseguthealth #horsesupplements
Olivia Williams, who started her riding career in Olivia Williams, who started her riding career in a town with a population of less than 200 people, has now competed at some of the top equestrian destinations all over the country. A sophomore in college, she grew up in San Francisco where she spent the majority of her career riding with Holly and Elizabeth “Lumpy” Kilham at Kilham farms in Nicasio, California. She competed up and down the West Coast, showing everywhere from Desert International Horse Park to the Silicon Valley Equestrian Festival. While living in San Francisco, she got the ride on Irocco Blue S, barn name Rocco. Little did she know at the time that she and the 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood would travel the country together. Olivia and Rocco’s partnership has grown over the years, and she said that no matter where her career takes her, she can’t envision going into the ring without him. When they first met, Rocco and Olivia were both a little green and still learning the ropes of the 1.40m classes.But just a few years after Olivia starting riding Rocco, they now boast an impressive resume together, including competing in the North American Youth Championships (NAYC) and finishing 10th in the Prix des States. At the NAYC, Olivia’s team finished with a bronze medal, and she finished in sixth place individually. After the championships, Olivia had a lot of decisions to make. She graduated from high school in 2022 and had to decide between two very different life paths: a career in horses or a college education. She managed to find a path that has worked for her throughout her freshman year. While she moved away from home to go to the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, Rocco moved to Florida to live with Andrew and Alex Welles. Every other week, Olivia flies to Florida to compete her horse. Dying to read more??? Head on over to our website. Link in bio! 📸Photos by Melissa Fuller, melissafullerphotography33.mypixieset.com #Sidelines #sidelines2023 #sidelinesmagazine #magazine #forhorsepeople #abouthorsepeople
Load More... Follow on Instagram

From Our Classifieds Ads

  • Gracie Street Interior Design, Inc.
    Timeless interiors enhancing the lifestyle of horse lovers and their extended-families no matter where you live. Our studio & boutique is right in stride with original “collected-not-decorated” ideas for making your home, office or stable facility uniquely yours. Call for a complimentary consultation to discover why our designs are so widely recognized in the equestrian community &

    [Read more]

  • FOR SEASONAL LEASE
    FULL 1/1 TENNIS LODGE CONDO — PB Polo - 2022/23 Holly Chaney • Douglas Elliman 561-719-0828 hollychaneygroup@gmail.com hollychaneygroup.com

    [Read more]

Sidelines Articles by Email

Subscribe to Sidelines Magazine Articles by Email

RSS Sidelines Blogs: What’s Happenin’

  • Woodside Recognizes the Best in the West
  • Get More for Your Money with an Adjustable-Rate Mortgage
  • Longines Global Champions Tour of New York Returns to Governors Island

RSS Sidelines Blogs: Show World

  • Conor Swail Was the Best Bet in $15,000 CSI2* Markel Insurance Welcome at San Juan Capistrano International
  • Lillie Keenan Leads in CHF68,000 South Coast Plaza Welcome Speed at San Juan Capistrano International CSIO5*
  • McLain Ward Wins CSIO5* Longines Grand Prix at San Juan Capistrano International

Category

Recent Posts

  • Zayna Rizvi: Horses from Family to Finals

    By Laura Scaletti Portraits by Melissa Fuller &...
  • Samantha Wolfram: Finding Success in America and Overseas

    By Juliana Chapman Portraits by Kirsten Hannah ...
  • Cedar Potts-Warner: At Liberty and Beyond

    Story and Portraits by Jennifer DeMaro   P...
  • Jordan Melfi: Turning a Secret Horse Life Into a Career

    By Veronica Green-Gott Portraits by Shelly Cart...
  • Olivia Williams: From University of Notre Dame to European Dreamin’

    By Veronica Green-Gott Portraits by Melissa Ful...

Copyright © 1987 - 2021 Sidelines Magazine
Privacy Policy · Returns & Refunds Policy · Hosting by Lucian Web Service
· Login

TOP
Get the Sidelines Scoop — your weekly look behind the scenes.Sign me up!