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RWR to be accompanied by riderless horse named "Sgt. York" in DC funeral procession (photo)
Yahoo News ^ | 6/7/04

Posted on 06/07/2004 5:47:08 PM PDT by Wolfstar

Yahoo caption: A standard-bred pacer named Sgt. York is held by Army Sgt. Frank Dobrisky in this undated photo released by the United States Trotting Association in Colts Neck, N.J., Monday, June 7, 2004. Sgt. York, who was bred in New Jersey and races at Freehold Raceway in Freehold, N.J., is used as a riderless horse in the U.S. Army Caisson unit and will be part of the funeral procession for former President Ronald Reagan in Washington Friday, June 11, 2004. (AP Photo/U.S. Trotting Association)


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; US: California
KEYWORDS: dc; funeral; riderlesshorse; ronaldreagan
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To: Professional Engineer

Thank ya for the ping PE!


41 posted on 06/07/2004 7:44:01 PM PDT by HairOfTheDog (farewell to a great president.)
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To: Carry_Okie

Your picture is of an english saddle. Reagan rode western a lot, but the picture he is using an english sadddle.


42 posted on 06/07/2004 7:51:40 PM PDT by Rhiannon
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To: Carry_Okie
Reagan always rode english... and is in that picture.

Nancy rides western, if she still rides.


43 posted on 06/07/2004 7:52:28 PM PDT by HairOfTheDog (farewell to a great president.)
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To: Rhiannon
I haven't seen him in a western saddle yet in my searching... ;~D

Another fine day on a horse...


44 posted on 06/07/2004 7:54:10 PM PDT by HairOfTheDog (farewell to a great president.)
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To: HairOfTheDog; Wolfstar
A truly fitting honor.

Fine post, Wolfstar.

45 posted on 06/07/2004 7:56:26 PM PDT by Scott from the Left Coast
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To: Indy Pendance

I think I saw the same special. One of the things that intrigued me, was that the horses are given "crewcuts" just like the men. Their manes are shaved.


46 posted on 06/07/2004 7:59:03 PM PDT by I still care
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To: Scott from the Left Coast; AnAmericanMother; Wolfstar; All
Here's a post I formatted for another thread... fits here!

That is one of my favorite (most touching) parts of very formal ceremonies too... As you can see below, the tack and fittings are very specific and according to tradition. But in the particular case of Reagan, if I were in charge, I would have the horse carry Reagan's own saddle and boots. (I did hear that the horse will be carrying Reagan's boots)

Military District of Washington - Fact Sheet: The Caparisoned Horse

The Caparisoned Horse

A member of the Caisson Platoon leading the caparisoned horse through Arlington National Cemetery

The practice of having the charge of a deceased military officer led in the funeral procession is a survival of an ancient custom of sacrificing a horse at the burial of a warrior. Generally the horse was hooded, sheathed in a cloth or armored covering and bore a saddle with the stirrups inverted and a sword through them.

This further symbolized the fact that the deceased had fallen as a warrior and would ride no more.

During the period of Genghis Khan and Tamerlane, the Mongols and Tartars believed that the spirit of a sacrificed horse went through "the gate of the sky" to serve its master in the after-world. According to European folk belief, the dead horse would find its dead master if permitted to follow him into the hereafter. Otherwise, the dead master's spirit would have to walk. When Gen. Kasimer was buried at Treves as late as 1781, his horse was killed and placed in the grave with the dead general.

Some of the Plains Indians in America adopted the custom after they came into possession of horses.

Horses are no longer sacrificed in such cases, but sometimes a riderless horse is still led in the funeral procession as a symbol of a fallen warrior. In about 1800, Blackbird, an Omaha chief, was buried sitting on his favorite horse.

According to historical records, Abraham Lincoln was the first President of the United States honored by the inclusion of the caparisoned horse in his funeral cortege. When his body was taken from the White House to lie in state in the Capitol rotunda, the casket was followed by the dead president's horse with its master's boots backwards in the stirrups.

In order for the caparisoned horse to be used, the person it is honoring must have at one time been an Army or Marine Corps colonel or above.

Since the president of the United States is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, he is entitled to the use of the horse.

EQUIPMENT FOR THE CAPARISONED HORSE

A close up of the caparisoned horse's capeThe equipment a caparisoned horse bears differs according to its color: if black, the horse carries saddle blanket, saddle and bridle; if any other color, the horse carries a hood and cape, along with a blanket, saddle and bridle.

CAPE: The cape buttons at the breast (four buttons) in front of the left leg. It has a crupper that fits under the horse's tail to hold the cape secure. A crupper is a padded leather strap that is passed around the base of a horse's tail and attached to the saddle or harness to keep it from moving forward. The cape is bordered with a fringe, 3 inches in length, with a 6-inch tassel, spaced every 4 inches. The cape hangs to the hock (the joint bending backward in the hind leg) and knees.

HOOD: The hood covers the head, going back as far as the withers (the highest part of the back of the horse). It buttons under the jaw bone, along the neck to the breast. The hood has eye slots and extends down the edge of the mouth. It covers the ears, and the ear pieces are fringed. Its bordering is like the cape.

SADDLE BLANKET: The saddle blanket extends from the withers to the flank. In width, it extends half-way down the side of the coastal region. There is a white border 1 1/2 inches in width completely encircling the blanket. Stars are placed on the rear corners of the blanket (four inches from the bottom) for generals, with the number of stars indicating the rank.

SADDLE: A pair of spurred boots is placed backwards in the stirrups of the saddle, the tops of which are fastened to the stirrup strap. The officer's field saber and carrier is placed on the "off side" of the horse. The carrier is fastened to the saddle, and at the bottom there is a strap going under the horse's abdomen fastening on the "near side" to the cantle (the upward-curving rear part of the saddle) by straps and a D-ring. This keeps the saber vertical.

BRIDLE: The bridle consists of a snaffle bit (light and jointed, attached to the bridle and having no curve) and a French halter. It is worn in the regular manner, with one rein. This rein is secured to the pommel (the rounded, upward-projecting front part) of the saddle. The horse is led from the "near side" with the ring hand grasping the reins, six inches from the bit.

MISCELLANEOUS: All of the caparison (the ornamented covering) is black. The hood, saddle blanket and cape are made of wool or serge (a strong, twilled fabric with diagonal rib). All brass and leather is highly polished.

47 posted on 06/07/2004 8:01:55 PM PDT by HairOfTheDog (farewell to a great president.)
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To: Wolfstar

He's a magnificent horse. I only wish they would have found a Lepizaner (sp) like the one Reagan always rode. I know it's tradition to have a black horse, by we always saw President Reagan on his beautiful white stallion.


48 posted on 06/07/2004 8:15:31 PM PDT by McGavin999 (If Kerry can't deal with the "Republican Attack Machine" how is he going to deal with Al Qaeda)
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To: Wolfstar

"America is too Great
For Small Dreams."

President Reagan

Running Free.
Running Wild.
Tossing his Great Mane
In the wild winds of FReedom!
FReedom is Reagan's name.
We hear the wind call us
and we know who we are.
FRee.
Untrampled, wild, open, joyous FREEDOM!
God Bless You, Mr. President, Sir!
May we meet again.
On the shores of Heaven!
Forever a Shining Realm in the Great Vast Skies!
All you did.
All you wanted.
Is for America to
Remain FRee and Unbridled.
For that we are forever grateful.

49 posted on 06/07/2004 8:27:05 PM PDT by harpo11 (Give 'em Hell Team Bush! What's it gonna be? Kowtow Kerry or Bodacious Bush?)
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To: McGavin999
His white horse was not a Lippizanner.

El Alamein, a white Arabian stallion, was given to Reagan by Mexican President Portillo. The Secret Service frowned on Reagan riding the high-spirited El Alamein. When he would not relent, the Secret Service began sending an advance team to the ranch to try and wear the horse down a little before the President would ride him.

50 posted on 06/07/2004 8:35:04 PM PDT by HairOfTheDog (farewell to a great president.)
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To: Indy Pendance
"I saw a special on Sgt. York. He was a rescue race track horse and ended up on the caissons."

I remember seeing something about him too. It is amazing.

51 posted on 06/07/2004 8:44:54 PM PDT by fly_so_free ("Ronald Reagan told the truth to a world made weary by lies"-Peggy Noonan)
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To: HairOfTheDog

I saw on the television today that Reagan was using a western saddle. I saw that he saddled a chestnut horse with a western saddle, but that may have been for Nancy.


52 posted on 06/07/2004 8:47:56 PM PDT by Rhiannon
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To: McGavin999

I think the white horse was an Arabian. His head sure looked Arabian to me, and he looked like a mighty BIG Arab, at that!!


53 posted on 06/07/2004 9:01:05 PM PDT by soozla (BUSH/CHENEY '04)
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To: Carry_Okie

That photo hangs proudly on my wall about 10 feet from the computer I'm posting on. Wonderful shot, isn't it?


54 posted on 06/07/2004 9:07:17 PM PDT by Vigilanteman (crime would drop like a sprung trapdoor if we brought back good old-fashioned hangings)
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To: Wolfstar

Sgt. York would be proud.


55 posted on 06/07/2004 9:31:00 PM PDT by Jet Jaguar (Who would the terrorists vote for?)
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To: mystery-ak

mr.h said he heard that too; the tradition is that the boots will be in the stirrups, backwards.


56 posted on 06/07/2004 9:49:19 PM PDT by homemom (Sometimes we do things because the short-term reward is more powerful than the long-term penalty.)
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To: HairOfTheDog

Thanks for the great information on the riderless horse tradition.

Horses have such nobility and dignity that seeing the riderless horse is, for me, always one of the most touching moments of such a funeral. Especially in the case of someone who was worthy of it.


57 posted on 06/08/2004 3:02:53 AM PDT by livius
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To: ExtremeUnction

It's a sad time, I agree. But I'm a person who doesn't cry. I've tried it, and nothing happens. Not even at my father's funeral. Nothing against those who do

That's okay. It doesn't make you a bad person or anything. I don't cry easily. It takes something pretty big to cause my tears to come and this is one of those things.


58 posted on 06/08/2004 5:06:49 AM PDT by LoudRepublicangirl (loudrepublicangirl)
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To: spectre; Wolfstar; HairOfTheDog
I remember the announcer on TV, mentioning that Black Jack, during JFK's funeral was acting very fractious. Fitting for such an untimely death.


Black Jack



59 posted on 06/08/2004 6:38:41 AM PDT by MissTargets
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To: McGavin999
He's a magnificent horse. I only wish they would have found a Lepizaner (sp) like the one Reagan always rode. I know it's tradition to have a black horse, by we always saw President Reagan on his beautiful white stallion.

Pres. Reagan's horse wasn't a Lipizzaner - although they give the impression of being quite large, the Lipizzaners are quite small horses and they are muscled like wrestlers. They hark back to the old heavy high-school dressage horses of the courts of Europe. I think Pres. Reagan's horse was an Arab or Anglo-Arab, definitely a hot blood anyhow.

The riderless horse always is black, as a symbol of mourning. There ARE black Lipizzaners who don't turn color, but they are hard to find.

60 posted on 06/08/2004 6:44:17 AM PDT by AnAmericanMother (. . . Ministrix of Venery (recess appointment), TTGC Ladies' Auxiliary . . .)
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