Inside the Border Patrol Horse Unit patrolling the desert near El Paso
Heriberto Perez
SANTA TERESA, New Mexico (KVIA) — U.S. Border Patrol’s Horse Patrol Unit was the first one that ever existed in the agency’s history; they were called mounted watchmen.
The unit saw its beginning back in 1904 in efforts to prevent illegal crossings and the Mounted Guards first operated out of El Paso, Texas.
Border Patrol’s Horse Unit at the Santa Teresa station currently houses a total of 21 horses, making it one of the largest units in the nation.
“I personally never owned horses, I never had horses and never grew up with horses, so border patrol was one of those things that I grew up seeing on the border, because I’m from the border town,” said Horse Patrol Wrangler Ricardo Merjil. “I would see them on the border, and I was always so envious and jealous as a kid.”
Agent Merjil has been with the Border Patrol for nearly two decades and with the horse patrol for about six years, which, according to him, have been the best years of his career.
“The border patrol allowed me, they gave me the opportunity to do this for a living, and not a lot of people really get to do this. Me, myself being a city boy, I can’t ever say how appreciative I am for this opportunity,” said Horse Patrol Wrangler Merjil.
In an era where the Border Patrol, along with other federal agencies, has all sorts of technology and resources to secure the southern border, ABC-7 asked about the importance this unit still has.
Watch the full special report, Thursday on ABC-7 at 10.