They help rangers patrol the parks of Boston, but when the horses are not on duty, it’s volunteers who take care of the essential members of the mounted unit.
Kim Arney and Aubrey Mcelhiney are two volunteers who come to the stables in Franklin Park every week.
“It’s great to learn from the rangers and pick up on new techniques,” Mcelhiney said.
“It’s wonderful, theraputic,” said Arney.
Their main duties are cleaning the stables and grooming the horses so they are good to go when duty calls.
“The better off our equine partners are, the better off and the more safe we are in doing our jobs,” said Gene Survillo, chief of the Boston Park Rangers.
It’s a team effort to make sure the horses are ready to ride.
“Knowing that they’ve done the work beforehand, that helps out a lot,” said Sgt. Hodari Keels of the Boston Park Rangers. “They’re all part of the team.”
Volunteers are asked to commit to four hours a week.
If you’re interested in volunteering, you can get more information here.
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