RCMP Musical Ride headed to Britain for Queen's 90th birthday

"Cadet, would you stand before the Queen in those boots?!"

Thatphrase, so often shouted intraining sessions for the RCMP Musical Ride,now carries a lot more meaning forConst. Sean Roche.

A team of Mounties and their equine partners will be flying to Britain in May to take part in a specialfive-daycelebration ofthe Queen's 90th birthday.

More than 900 horses from all over the Commonwealth will be taking part, including the Canadian contingent.

"It's pretty exciting, it's pretty neat," Rochesaid.

He'll be performing with his partner Visty, a 15-year-old Hanoverian mare standing17hands tall.

Here's how the website for the birthdayevent describes it:

"Her Majesty's 90thbirthday party will be a celebration of the Queen's life, her love of horses, her dedication to the Commonwealth and international affairs and her deep involvement with the Navy, Army and Air Force.Over 90 minutes, 900 horses and more than 1,500 participants from around the United Kingdom and the world will create a joyful event for the Queen. The 90-year journey will take us from the excitement of the birth, through to World War Two, hermarriage, the coronation and a reign of more than60 years. The celebration will use horses, actors, bands and dancers to tell the story. ...It will be a birthday party fit for the Queen."

Fancy stuff. Better have those boots shined up nicely.

The CBC's Hallie Cotnam visited the Musical Ride facilityin Ottawa this week to inspect the team. Here are a few of the photos she took.