At the Art Sonic festival, gendarmes are numerous in Briouze and its surroundings. In addition to regular patrols and checks, the gendarmerie uses horses from the National Stud Farm. Another approach to festival-goers and inhabitants.
It is almost 4 pm, this Saturday, July 21st. At the gendarmerie of Briouze, the gendarmes leave in turn on patrol. But one of them is particularly noticed by the festival-goers. It's Chief Marshall Heimburger and Constable Gustin.
They are about to walk the car parks of the festival with Teddy and Viking, two horses of the National stud farm.
Another look at the gendarmes
Once in the street, gendarmes and their horses attract all eyes. "You do not have a beacon? " , Jokes a festival-goer on their way. The gendarmes smile. "It's really another approach ," says Chief Marshal Heimburger of the L'Aigle Brigade Community. We can intervene when needed, we carry our service weapons. "
During their patrol, residents are also curious. They spontaneously come to talk, where they probably would not do it with gendarmes on ordinary patrol. "The advantage of being on horseback is also to be able to see in the cars but also behind the hedges and walled houses," explain the two soldiers.
An authorization to ride a horse
In the department of Orne, several gendarmes regularly patrol on horseback. "We had an internship in Saint-Germain-en-Laye (Yvelines), " says the chief of property Heimburger. This soldier has a Galop 5, a diploma recognized by the French Riding Federation. Constable Gustin, who has been through the Republican Guard, has a Galop 7. "You have to have a good level on horseback," warns the soldier from the brigade of the Domfront Brigade Community.
The next ornais event to host patrols of mounted gendarmes is the Feast of Hunting and Fishing, at the Pin National Stud, August 4 and 5 next.