Yisroel R.

Rockland County’s Sheriff’s Mounted Horse Unit could soon be getting a new home, as the Town of Ramapo moves toward selling its 56-acre Ramapo Equestrian Center to the county for use by the unit, the Rockland County Business Journal first reported.

The deal would move the Sheriff’s eight-horse mounted unit from Hasty Hills on Haverstraw Road, where its horses have been housed and trained since the 1960s, to the nearby equestrian center at 1152 Haverstraw Road in Suffern. Ramapo Town Supervisor Michael Specht said the town expects a sale could be completed sometime next year, though a purchase price has not yet been disclosed.

The move would give the unit many new benefits, including something its current facility does not have: an indoor riding arena. That would allow deputies and their horses to train year-round regardless of weather, while giving the Sheriff’s Office a much larger facility for a unit that is regularly deployed for crowd control, patrols, and public events throughout Rockland County.

Sheriff Louis Falco said horse officers can be especially effective in crowded situations, where their elevated position gives them a wider view and helps them move through large groups more easily. The horses are also frequently used in community settings, where they tend to draw residents over and create an opportunity for deputies to interact with the public.

The potential move is also tied to uncertainty surrounding the unit’s longtime home at Hasty Hills, which could be affected by a proposed development. The new center, however, would require work of its own, with Falco saying parts of the facility have suffered water damage and rot and may need significant repairs.

There is also the question of what happens to the people already using the Ramapo Equestrian Center. Horse boarders and operators of a recently launched horse therapy wellness program are waiting to see whether they would be able to remain once the county takes over. Falco said the county does not plan to operate a horse-boarding business because of liability concerns, though discussions surrounding the therapy program are expected to continue.

Ramapo purchased the property for $1.8 million in 2005. Its current assessed market value is approximately $7.5 million, making the proposed sale a major property deal for both the town and county — and potentially the beginning of a new chapter for Rockland County’s horse law enforcement units.