RCMP Cst. Andrew LeClair will soon trade in his patrol car for something with a little more horsepower.
LeClair has accepted a transfer to join the RCMP’s Musical Ride and will transfer to Ottawa this summer to assume his new post. Once there, he will begin a seven month advanced equestrian course before gaining a spot on the ride.
“Once you finish that seven month course, then you’re on the next year’s ride,” he said.
Earning a post with the ride was a long-time goal for the Charlottetown, PEI native, now at the end of his five-year post in Flin Flon.
“I’ve always wanted to join the ride ever since I joined. That was one of my objectives when I first joined,” said LeClair.
To test his mettle, LeClair began with the force’s basic equestrian course, an intensive five-week hands-on course that takes officers from novice riding to the advanced, precision manoeuvres required for the ride.
“You don’t just learn how to ride a horse – you learn how to ride a horse perfectly,” he said.
“It was probably the hardest physical thing I’ve ever done in my life, to tell you the truth. Every day, after you put in your day, you were so sore you could barely get yourself back to the room and recover enough the next day to do it over again. Even guys who finish it, they’re asking themselves, ‘Do I really want to do this to myself every day for three years?’”
Only about half of the applicants make it to the end of the five weeks, but LeClair stuck it out.
“We started with seven – four passed. Then the next group went in February, and 11 started and only five made it through. It’s quite a thing to get through, it’s pretty demanding.”
At age 55, LeClair was the oldest person in any of his training sessions. LeClair, who joined the force at age 45, doesn’t see any problem either with his age or his new co-workers’ youth.
“Most of them were in their early 30s, late 30s. Not many guys age 55 are wanting to take this on or are capable of taking this on,” he said.
“Maybe I’m crazy myself, but I keep myself in half-decent shape. I’m not too worried about it. I might end up with a bad back before some of the younger ones do, but who knows? I haven’t shied away from a challenge yet. This is going to be another one – that’s all.”
LeClair’s age could be beneficial in one way. He said younger riders with families often find the group’s touring schedule – taking them away from Ottawa for as much as seven months a year – too much to bear. LeClair’s kids are now adults and have moved around Canada.
“My kids are grown and my wife is used to me being away for work,” said LeClair.
“I think most guys with young families, it gets pretty trying on them, being away that long, on the relationship, on the kids. If you’re newly married with little kids, seven months on the road is a long time away from your family.”
Looking back, LeClair wasn’t sure what to expect when he first moved to Flin Flon. The smallest place he had ever lived in before moving was Brandon – a city with a population almost ten times larger than Flin Flon’s.
“You come up here and think, ‘Man, there’s nowhere to go!’” he said.
Gradually, that feeling went away.
“Everybody knows everybody and everybody knows everything everybody’s doing,” he said. “It’s a small-knit community. Even growing up in PEI, that was a small place compared to a lot of places in the world. We also talked about how small it was, it just felt small,” added LeClair.
LeClair took up new hobbies after moving to Flin Flon, including kayaking and fishing. He said these pursuits help him deal with the stress of work with the RCMP.
“Every time I get days off, I’m out on the kayak, fishing. It’s just an escape. When you’re out there, the only thing you think about is fishing. You don’t think about work,” he said.
“It’s a tough job. You can’t say you can’t bring it home, because you do. A lot of nights, you’ll have dreams about files and stuff. It’s something that your mind just won’t let go.”
“Up here, a 5:30 call in the morning is nothing out of the ordinary.”
There are a few key things that LeClair will miss once he begins his three-year term with the ride. His annual camper trips back to the Maritimes with his wife may be harder to organize, but he’s confident there will be some time to head to his family’s home province.
The wilderness has been a release for LeClair – one that he’ll likely miss after moving to Ottawa.
“The scenery when you get into town and you see them lakes, there’s nothing like it. It’s beautiful. You think you’ve just died and gone to heaven,” he said.
