RCMP Musical Ride hit by “perfect storm” of low recruitment, pandemic

Article content

OTTAWA — The head of the RCMP’s Musical Ride says the attraction was hit by a “perfect storm” that stalled recruitment and tanked morale, but he is “very optimistic” that the equestrian unit will be back to full strength in a few years.

When RCMP auditors finalized an internal report in late 2023 revealing a series of problems that threatened the existence of the force’s iconic Musical Ride, Supt. Kevin Fahey said he was practically relieved.

Article content

Fahey, who has headed the special unit of the RCMP since 2019, had been increasingly concerned about the well-being of his members and the sustainability of the Musical Ride as it struggled with dwindling numbers.

Members were frustrated because they were forced to stay beyond the usual three-year tenure and were more and more exhausted from the physical strain of the job and touring duties.

Musical Ride members perform in as many as 50 events between May and October during its annual tour to promote the RCMP and showcase its equestrian roots.

In an interview, Fahey said he, too, was weighed down by constantly having to tell his members that he simply couldn’t afford to release them at the end of their tour and saw morale plummet during the pandemic.

“We just didn’t know when the replacements were going to come and how many. So, people were getting discouraged saying, ‘when am I going to get replaced?’” he said. “So, it’s understandable, the frustrations and the anxiety of not knowing when their tenure would be up.”

Last week, the National Post reported that an internal audit found that recruitment to the Musical Ride has been far from stable since 2018, threatening the viability of the unit that dates back to 1887.

Article content

Article content

“The sustainability of the Musical Ride is at risk, as divisions are not releasing a sufficient number of members on an annual basis to ensure its effective and efficient operation,” read the audit.

“The mental and physical well-being of Musical Ride members has suffered in recent years and is contributing to low morale. Evidence suggests this is a pervasive issue which requires attention from management,” auditors also noted.

In an interview, Fahey said the root of the problem was not having a “healthy rotation” of Mounties coming in to replace those who had completed their three-year tour.

As the RCMP saw its overall recruitment fall and vacancies throughout the national police force grow, various divisions were refusing to release Mounties interesting in trying out for the mounted Musical Ride.

A full complement requires 32 riders, but that hasn’t been the case since 2018, both the audit and Fahey noted. The number has dwindled since 2019 to hit only 16 this year.

Article content

In recent years, 168 regular members have shown interest in joining the Musical Ride, but only three new members joined in both 2023 and 2024, whereas 15 current members were in their final year of duty and eligible to leave.

Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, cancelling the Musical Ride’s tours in 2020 and 2021 and delivering another blow to morale.

Even the signing of a first ever collective bargaining agreement for RCMP members in 2021 created a headache for the unit due to its unique scheduling needs, Fahey said.

“It was a perfect storm, all these things happening back-to-back-to-back and people were, you know… not at their best and not the happiest,” he said. “I could see it unfolding.”

Last year, Fahey successfully presented a plan to the RCMP’s senior executive committee that would ensure divisions release at least a few members annually to try out for the ride. He noted that only about half of those who attempt the Musical Ride’s basic equestrian course pass.

The plan was approved last summer and already Fahey said he has seen a return to previous numbers of members trying out for the unit. This year, 28 candidates went through basic equestrian course, of which 11 eventually moved on.

Article content

“Our program has always survived on non-riders,” he said. “The vast, vast majority of our people across the RCMP who come to the Musical Ride never rode horses before.”

He added: “We had needed that like a shot of positivity to keep our program going.”

It will take a few years to build to a full complement of 32 riders, Fahey acknowledged. But he said he was “very optimistic” that the fabled unit was on the right path to a “healthy rotation.”

The auditors’ report “certainly didn’t hurt,” Fahey added, with a grin. “Sometimes, you know, you can advocate for yourself, but is it getting the same weight as … a third party looking at it totally independently? I think that’s what really helped in this case.”

Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here.

Article content