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Posted on 07/18/2025 6:19:06 AM PDT by fwdude
The United States Army plans to phase out most of its ceremonial cavalry units and put the horses up for adoption. Officials hope the move will “align more resources with warfighting capability and readiness,” according to a July 2 announcement.
Shrinking its “military working equid” programs—which also include mules and donkeys—is expected to save the Army roughly $2 million per year, reports Tara Copp for the Associated Press. Soldiers who work with horses will also be reassigned to new duties.
(Excerpt) Read more at smithsonianmag.com ...
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Sad day. But I insist those horses have a good home.
We stopped using Cavalry over 100 years ago.
EMP’s don’t affect a horse.
“In April 1937, Reagan enlisted in the United States Army Reserve. He was assigned as a private in Des Moines’ 322nd Cavalry Regiment and reassigned to second lieutenant in the Officers Reserve Corps. He later became a part of the 323rd Cavalry Regiment in California.”
Reagan’s burial.
“But if one looked towards the caisson, the Army artillery cart traditionally used to bear the coffin in military funerals, there was a truly rare and moving sight that will never occur again in American history.
The caisson was pulled by four magnificent Army horses. Close to them, to the sound of slowly beating, muffled drums, a soldier on foot led a riderless horse named Sergeant York, to represent the fallen Commander-in-Chief. There in the stirrups, turned backward, were Reagan’s Model 1940 US Cavalry riding boots and spurs. This old Cavalry practice continued a Roman tradition in which a slain leader symbolically faces and salutes his men on the way to his final resting place,
Ronald Reagan is the last President who was a veteran of the United States Horse Cavalry, a living link to the mounted Cavalry of American mythology.”
And the marines?
Surely they could keep a few for ceremonial purposes. Do we have to throw away everything that is our past?
Indeed - trying to justify this level of fluffery as recruiting support or public relations is unreasonable. They do not reflect modern military practices or needs.
People grump about airshows, but those generally do reflect military abilities, usage and needs.
This stuff is paid from the pockets of taxpayers, and too many people have forgotten that.
“””I’m typically all for maintaining established traditions, especially in the Armed Forces, but this seems to be a logical cost-cutting area that I can support.””””
I am in agreement. This also sends a message to the other Federal Departments that spending money on so-called “morale boosters” has ended.
We FReepers have read too many stories in the past where Fed workers were sent on a “retreat” to an expensive location.
NO MAS!!!! Fed workers are paid handsomely to work.
This was my dad at Arlington in 2001:
This ceremony filled my family with pride and gratitude for a nation that performed this ritual as a token of thanks.
We are in an existential crisis in this country with respect to our debt. So I support cutting this. But this is going to make me far more of a debt hawk because of this.
If I see even $1000 being allocated to any woke or other Leftist crap anywhere, in any way, I am going to cite this cutting of the funeral ceremony as whole justification.
In WWII mules hauled ammo, food and wounded soldiers in mountainous terrain.
Horses were used by special forces in Afghanistan.
Should maybe make ceremonial duties as a peacetime side gig for a few of special forces so they and their steeds are able to be of use if needed in war.
larrytown, this isn’t “fluttery”. That is a very disrespectful term.
That is “fluffery” is a disrespectful term.
My granddad was a WWI Calvery guy. He would be unhappy.
“””Surely they could keep a few for ceremonial purposes. Do we have to throw away everything that is our past?”””
Horses will be kept at Arlington and San Antonio for military funerals. See the details in the story.
??????
Read the very FIRST line of article
Very Special BTTT
EMP’s may not affect a horse, but machine guns sure take them out of commission pretty quickly. That was the reason horse cavalry was abandoned.
Nothing breaks up a ragtag mob much quicker than a mounted police patrol. A few of the rioters get ridden over, most of the rest turn and run. Just no longer a practical strategy on today’s combat zones.
Sawma show on the early days in NYC where they only had horses, and they said the stench was horrendous as poo piled up in the streets due to the number of horses and inabi,its to clear it all away. Also horses would die and lay in the streets until they rotted to make it easier to break apart and remove, and diseases ran rampant because of it. They showed period photos and it was truly,overwhelming. Dead horses and poo everywhere. There were piles of poo 10-12 feet high in spots, and when it wou,d rain, especia,,y in the hot steamy summer months, it was really nasty apparently.
Store owners wou,d hire people to shovel paths through the poo to their front door so people could visit the store. Also the Flies were a real problem due to all the poo too.
“The Good Old Days” lol!
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