Members of the Law Enforcement Memorial Association (LEMA) Caisson Unit took part in annual training in New Ulm last week. Every year members of the LEMA Caisson Unit take a refresher coarse on horse riding with the New Ulm Battery using the Froelich family horse provided by Ryan and Bruce Froehlich. New Ulm Battery members Ryan Kelly and Tony Arndt trained the riders in the militaristic riding style. Photo by Kaitlin Gawrisch

NEW ULM – Friday, members of Minnesota’s Law Enforcement Memorial Association (LEMA) Honor Guard were in New Ulm to train with the New Ulm Battery.

LEMA member Tommy Handwerk said this training is an annual event for their Caisson Unit, which serves as the ceremonial horse team during law enforcement funerals.

Handwerk said that to serve in the Caisson Unit, members need to learn how to ride horses in a military fashion, rather than the more common English or Western horseback style. Even LEMA officers who have horse-riding experience do not always have experience riding a draft horse pulling a caisson. However, the New Ulm Battery members do have experience with this type of riding.

“The New Ulm Battery has been helping LEMA with this since 2011,” Handwerk said. “We knew nothing about the style of riding, but they helped build our unit.”

In addition to the New Ulm Battery, the Frolicker family has donated the use of their horses for the training and during official memorial ceremonies.

Handwerk praised the battery and Froelichs for the annual training. He said this year, the caisson unit had some newer members, and the training went a long way to making them comfortable with the horses.

New Ulm Battery member Tony Arndt said there were many who helped train the unit.

“It takes teamwork to honor the heroes killed in the line of duty,” he said. “I love being able to help in this way.”