Latest news with #cavalry
Washington Post
08-07-2025
- General
- Washington Post
Army will end most of its ceremonial horse programs and adopt out the animals
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army's history is closely tied to its cavalry units, those soldiers who rode into battle on horseback. But the service announced Tuesday that it's moving toward a future without the ceremonial horses and will put most of them up for adoption. The Army, however, will keep operating the Old Guard ceremonial caisson units at Joint Base San Antonio and Arlington National Cemetery for burial honors.
Associated Press
08-07-2025
- General
- Associated Press
Army will end most of its ceremonial horse programs and adopt out the animals
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Army's history is closely tied to its cavalry units, those soldiers who rode into battle on horseback. But the service announced Tuesday that it's moving toward a future without the ceremonial horses and will put most of them up for adoption. The Army, however, will keep operating the Old Guard ceremonial caisson units at Joint Base San Antonio and Arlington National Cemetery for burial honors. Ceremonial cavalry units will be closed down at bases, including Fort Cavazos in Texas, whose horses were showcased during the military parade in Washington on June 14, which was the Army's 250th anniversary and also President Donald Trump's birthday. Army spokesperson Steve Warren said other ceremonial units will close at Fort Carson in Colorado, Fort Sill in Oklahoma, Fort Irwin in California, Fort Riley in Kansas and Fort Huachuca in Arizona. The Army estimates that closing down the units will save about $2 million a year, and the changes are being made as part of its overall warfighting realignment, Warren said. The Army is giving the affected bases 12 months to shutter the units. A total of 141 horses will be adopted outside the military, Warren said. Some horses may be donated to organizations, but none will be sold, he said. The horses 'are part of the Army family, we're going to treat them with compassion,' Warren said. The Army has just recently resumed caisson operations at Arlington National Cemetery after an investigation found the horses in those units were mistreated, left to graze in lots with little grass, leading them to consume sand and gravel. Two horses died in 2022, and caisson operations were suspended until earlier this year. The Arlington National Cemetery horses are part of the caisson platoon of the 3rd Infantry Regiment, known as the Old Guard, which is best known for guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the cemetery, located just across the river from Washington. ___
New York Times
26-06-2025
- General
- New York Times
The Proper Saddle Can Bring Harmony to a Horse and Rider
When people first started riding horses, sometime late in the first millennium B.C., according to archaeologists, they did so bareback. The evidence for this, experts said, is in skeletons unearthed from the Eurasian steppes of ancient horses and riders, whose damaged bones bear the evidence of the lack of shock absorbers. A few centuries later, as cavalry warfare emerged, rudimentary saddles evolved from pads strapped to horses' backs to something more substantial, to keep riders on their mounts in battle, according to the book 'Early Riders: The Beginnings of Mounted Warfare in Asia' by Robert Drews. Today they can be high-tech works of craftsmanship, blending materials like handcrafted leather work and Kevlar struts. But above all, they must fit properly to ensure harmony between horse and rider. For about 30 years, the Society of Master Saddlers, a licensing association based in England, has trained master saddle fitters to do the job. Custom-made saddles can cost about $4,000 or above. Lizzy Freeman, of North Yorkshire, England, is the marketing, media and partnerships coordinator for the society and a registered saddle fitter. She said it takes three years to become a registered saddle fitter and seven before a person can apply to become a master — if a board of the fitter's peers approves. The society has about 300 fitters across the world. She explained what goes into making the perfect match for horse, rider and saddle. The interview has been edited and condensed. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
