Untacked

To return the horses to Reagan's ranch when he arrived, they would run the horses up the mountain on foot as part of their training for the legendary 100-mile ride. He'd Do It Himself The logistics of President Reagan's rides and his security might have been pre-arranged, but he didn't just show up at the barn expecting his horses to be ready for him—he enjoyed grooming and tacking his own horse and the first lady's mount. Reagan's penchant for storytelling often resulted in the grooming sessions lasting more than an hour. "He'd clean up [Mrs. Reagan's horse], No Strings, and tack him up, then he'd groom his horse and tack it, then he'd ring a bell, and Mrs. Reagan would come up to ride," said Riggs. He generally rode for 60 to 90 minutes around the fire trails on the ranch, requiring his Secret Service agents to develop a grid so that he could always be found in an emergency. "We went in with a topographical mapping source and carved out a number in a rock at every [grid] intersection," 70 W INTER 2013 U N TAC K E D said Riggs. "We built a map with a grid and named all the roads." The ride usually included the president, his wife and three Secret Service agents—one with the president, one with the first lady, and one to communicate their location on the ranch. "He referred to the Secret Service as his cavalry," said Riggs. "so he wore a baseball hat that said, 'Rancho Del Cielo Cavalry Commander.' " After his rides, President Reagan, who'd been a member of the actual U.S. Cavalry, first dismounted with an "Italian military dismount"—swinging his right leg over the front of the saddle and landing standing at attention. He would then clean up his horses. "No one did any grooming for him," said Riggs. While their rides were strictly monitored by the Secret Service, Riggs recalled that they were also much more relaxed than any other interaction with the president. "In D.C. everything is so formal, but when you were riding with him, you were right alongside him," she said. "On a horse, the relationship was different. He treated you PHOTO COURTESY OF RONALD REAGAN PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY; OFFICIAL WHITE HOUSE PHOTO; PHOTO COURTESY OF THE REAGAN PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY PROFILE

• Cover