Life is about partnerships ‒ finding the right ones, cultivating them to make them last, and learning everything you can from them. Officer Stacey Jennings of the Toronto Police has learned that in her time with the Mounted Unit, and she’s applying those lessons every chance she gets.
Stacey and Saunders at the stables.
As the latest guest on Hitting Your Stride, Stacey had a lot to share about her experiences both on and off the horse. She grew up with a dream of being a judge … or a zoo keeper. And while it seems she has found the perfect middle ground between the two, it’s what she takes away from the experience of being a mounted officer that is both unique and profound. It began with the drive to join the unit in the first place and carried on with the number of equine partners she’s had until her current one, Saunders, came along.
In learning how to do her job from atop a horse, Stacey has been able to take the best parts of being a police officer and combined them with her passion for animals. She’s seen how the community reacts to the mounted unit, as their ‘big boys’ offer a sense of comfort and familiarity in times of stress for the public. But working with Saunders in particular has helped her learn patience and how to speak a new language ‒ his language ‒ to be able to form a better partnership and truly have each other’s back.