The days of the Wild West may be over, but for some members of the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office, saddling up is still a part of the job.

Created in 2001 as part of the sheriff's special operations division, the mounted patrol uses specially trained horses in lakeside parks and at shopping centers in the county.

The animals are also used in search-and-rescue efforts.

The patrol's three thoroughbred Belgian crossbreeds — Sherman, Lee and Jackson — have gone through extensive training that exposes them to all kinds of stimuli.

They can handle gunfire, smoke, sirens, bright lights, large crowds and other potentially stressful situations. They also are trained to handle various types of terrain.

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