Connecticut is a step closer to getting its first certified equestrian search and rescue team.

The First Company Governor's Horse Guard, based in Avon, recently graduated 23 troopers from a three-day course in search and rescue techniques. They will also undergo several more days of training in everything from crime scene preservation to navigation.

Major Michael Downes, the group's commanding officer, says searching with horses lets rescuers cross rough terrain and gives them a higher vantage point than being on foot.

The First Company Governor's Horse Guard was chartered in 1788 and is the nation's oldest continuously active mounted cavalry unit. Its sister group, the Second Company Governor's Horse Guard in Newtown, was established in 1808.

AP-ES-02-28-10 1330EST