U.S. Border Patrol horse patrol units across the Southwest, including those covering San Diego's East County backcountry, are receiving a new fleet of horses transferred from the U.S. Army — an interagency deal that saves taxpayers an estimated $105,000 compared to purchasing the animals commercially.The horses came from Army posts at Fort Irwin, Calif., and Fort Huachuca, Ariz. Border Patrol Horse Patrol Unit instructors evaluated each animal for mounted patrol suitability — assessing conformation, groundwork, and rideability, with veterinary inspections to confirm overall health before the transfers were approved.The first 10 horses were transported to the Santa Teresa Station in New Mexico for three weeks of intensive conditioning and training by master instructors. Following that initial preparation, the horses were distributed to sectors across the Southwest border, including San Diego, El Centro, Tucson, El Paso, and the Rio Grande Valley. The remaining five horses are still being evaluated and trained in the Tucson Sector.Mounted patrol units are a critical tool for Border Patrol in East County's rugged terrain — the brushy canyons and steep hillsides east of Jamul and along the Otay Mountain corridor are difficult to cover on foot or by vehicle, making horse patrol one of the few effective options for remote enforcement."This cooperation saves taxpayer dollars and strengthens the U.S. Border Patrol's Horse Patrol, a unit that has been critical in securing our nation's borders since our agency's inception," said U.S. Border Patrol Chief Michael Banks.