MOSES LAKE - The Grant County Sheriff's Mounted Posse has been getting back into the saddle and preparing for the call of service.

“We try to represent the Sheriff’s Department and be a part of the community as much as possible,” said Trisha Cox, Captain of the Grant County Sheriff's Mounted Posse.

GCSO Chief Deputy Josh Sainsbury said the posse assists the sheriff’s office with mounted and unmounted security for various functions, search and rescue personnel and participation in local parades. The posse is made up entirely of volunteers who are not deputized or armed.

“Horses are good assets because there are some places that we can - like search and rescues - we can go, some places that four-wheelers can’t,” Cox said.

Sainsbury explained that the members on the horses having a better view in search and rescue operations is also an advantage in some cases and they can cover more ground without needing breaks like a drone might need in order to change batteries.

“Technology has done so much but sometimes a good ol’ horse and rider does wonders,” Cox said.

Sainsbury noted that the mounted posse was brought up in conversation during the search for Yanira Cedillos. The Moses Lake resident had gone missing in 2022 and her remains were later found. A court case involving her former boyfriend is currently underway.

The posse has struggled due to many changes during the recent pandemic, one being the inability to gather and train.

“With covid, we seriously didn't do anything for two years,” Cox said.

Cox said they are trying to train weekly because they are working with a lot of new horses and new people since before the pandemic. Some of the experienced members are also working with new horses that they weren’t working with a year or two ago.

“I lost my horse,” said Cox. “(I lost) my experienced posse horse, my mom lost her experienced posse horse.”

Cox said she got involved in the posse due to her mom, who has been a member of the posse since 2009.

The posse has a dozen members currently but was down to only a handful this past year. She said there were as many as 50 on their roster prior to the pandemic.

Not just anyone can join the posse, Cox said. Eligibility requirements include background checks, having a horse, suitable riding equipment, and equipment capable of hauling or transporting a horse, among others.

The horses, and their riders, go through extensive training to be prepared for what they may face. The horses are desensitized to many different sounds and situations through different methods.

“Like we involve the police car; these horses can withstand the sounds,” Cox said. “Anything that we think will spook them, we put them through it because we need to make sure that these guys are ready for anything, especially if we’re around (the) public.”

Another part of the training is for the horses and their riders to learn how to surround the sheriff to protect him or her if needed. Cox said their training even goes as far as teaching the horses to be able to nudge people in a direction with their shoulders so they can move people out of the way without hurting them if necessary.

As captain since 2016, Cox said she does a little bit of everything. She recruits, oversees training and communicates with the sheriff’s office, among other things.

“It’s a lot of responsibility because you have to keep track of the events and we have to make sure that we have everything we need to be ready for anything,” said Cox.

Cox said her favorite part of being on the posse is participating in the Autism Walk in Ephrata each year. She enjoys seeing the kids every year and allowing them to meet the horses.

“There’s been some kids that have come on (the) walks every year just for the horses,” she said.

Cox said she encourages anyone to come out and check out the posse and get to know the group.

“I love being a part of the community,” Cox said.

Rebecca Pettingill may be reached at [email protected].

For more information on the posse, visit: bit.ly/3CDfseK