[shove_it]

VVDoug-

I agree with you and apparently so do the brass who are authorizing beasts of burden in Stan. As far as the tack at Ft. Myer, you may want to pursue the issue at the Old Guard:

http://www.army.mil/info/organization/unitsandcommands/commandstructure/theoldguard/specplt/caisson.htm

[vetvetdoug]

My close friend, Doug Kidd, went to the Old Guard and made some recommendations that corrected many of the things with respect to saddles and harness. You see, the Old Guard was using 1940’s McClellan saddles made for a horse with a less of a back, ie thoroughbred/arab crosses. The Old Guard used Percheron, Shires, and large draft horses who have wide backs and the older saddles were gouging into the lumbar muscles. The saddles they are using now have a wider bar stance and don't hurt the backs of the drafts at the Old Guard. There was also a matter of runaways while pulling the caissons. It was a matter of a piece of equipment that over the years had been neglected and forgotten and when Doug saw it he had them start using it again..the piece acted as the brakes for the wheel team, without it the control over the caisson was far less. I was proud of Doug, he made the saddle and tack they used for the riderless horse for Reagan's funeral. General Wainwright always said that the Army would regret having gotten rid of all of the cavalry...someone needed to pass the knowledge on to the new troopers.