Posted on 10/25/2005 5:07:58 AM PDT by linkinpunk
THOM SHANKER October 23, 2005 ULAN BATOR, Mongolia, Oct. 22 - Mongolia has 131 soldiers in Iraq, and on Saturday it received an official American statement of gratitude from Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld.
Mr. Rumsfeld came to Ulan Bator to deliver that message personally, and he was given a horse.
In dazzling sunlight on the grounds of the Mongolian Defense Ministry, Mr. Rumsfeld took the reins of the calm gelding and said, "I am proud to be the owner of that proud animal." He immediately announced that he would name the horse Montana, because the dusty plains and mountains that ring the Mongolian capital reminded him of that Rocky Mountain state.
.......
The horse, a rich latte hue with a mane and tail the color of dark-roast coffee, was described by local officials as a traditional domesticated Mongolian breed.
Mr. Rumsfeld owns a ranch in New Mexico, where the high plains and sharp peaks would offer pleasant life to an expatriate horse, even one descended from the sturdy steeds that carried Genghis Khan and his successors across the steppes and the Gobi Desert to conquer most of Asia in the 13th century.
But transport for Mr. Rumsfeld's gift posed a problem.
The defense secretary is on an eight-day around-the-world mission aboard the National Airborne Operations Center, an aircraft nicknamed the Doomsday Plane because it would be the flying command post for American leaders in case of nuclear war.
... But Air Force planners apparently gave no thought to stables.
So in an act of modern horse-trading, Mr. Rumsfeld's staff said, the Pentagon offered a herder a flashlight in ceremonial compensation for his agreement to care for the horse along with his herd 100 miles from Ulan Bator, at least until the defense secretary can return to retrieve his gift.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
fyi
Rummy handled the situation beautifully.
And BTW thanks to Mongolia for doing more to fight islamofascism than the NYT.
Maybe he can bring the horse to NYC and have it take a dump on Sulzbergers desk! Just add water!
...our man Rummy, a class act!
LOL! Great idea!
They aren't what I'd call "typey" but they are certainly tough and easy keepers.
Yeah - I saw a documentary about them awhile back.... Little guys, and carryin' full size riders.
My trainer says that "ponies are like ants" - they certainly don't seem to ever get tired. I once hunted a smallish pony in an emergency (kid fell off out in the field, got scared and wouldn't get back on. So I rode the pony and she got up on Gracie.) I didn't jump her (that would have been silly, plus I had no stirrups and the saddle was too small) but she had no trouble with my weight (which is not inconsiderable).
I've been tempted to try to ride mine to train her, but the trouble is, there's nothing to hang on to, when your feet meet underneath ;~D
What I hate is the absence of neck. Gracie has a rather long neck, and I'm used to having all that expanse of mane out in front of me in case of emergency. On a pony, I feel like my nose is almost to its ears already and if it stops short I have nothing to grab . . .
Ruh roh..a gift horse...watch out for soldiers that pop out of its belly
No seat, no neck, it's like tryin' to hang on to the saw-horses my dad's got in the shop ;~D
Nice pic.
Glad you found it.
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