The End of the Cavalry?

By Terri Estes

The U.S. Army is closing five of its equine military programs across the country in order to save two million dollars a year.  As of this July, the only operating equine units will be the ceremonial units in Arlington National Cemetery and in San Antonio Texas.

The United States Cavalry has a rich history dating back to the Revolutionary war, where dragoons, or cavalry regiments, would fight skirmishes and sometimes ambush British troops. But the official United States Cavalry was formally created by an act of Congress on August 3, 1861, due to the start of the Civil War.

During the mid 1800s, the U.S. Cavalry protected westward travelers as they emigrated across the U.S. The cavalry played a significant role in the westward expansion of the country, often clashing with the Native Americans while protecting wagon trains moving across the Great Plains to the west.

The most famous cavalryman was unarguably General George Custer. He was an American cavalry commander in the Civil War and the American Indian wars. Custer was known for riding spirited horses, such as thoroughbreds, into battle. During the Battle of Little Big Horn, also known as Custer’s Last Stand, General Custer and all the cavalrymen under his command were killed by the combined forces of the Sioux, Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes.

The last charge ever to take place by the United States Cavalry occurred in 1942 on the Island of Bataan during WWII. The Japanese troops scattered when confronted with mounted American troops.

And now, without pomp and circumstance, the United States Cavalry is being disbanded. Over 140 horses will be put up for adoption. The cavalry has not been active in battle for a long time. They are now only used ceremonially, in funerals and other special occasions. But the U.S. Cavalry is such a huge part of our military history, and I feel we owe some loyalty to them. Long standing problems of poor equine welfare has plagued the Army’s Cavalry units. Lack of veterinary and farrier care, as well as unsanitary and neglectful stable conditions, have been consistently reported in recent years. I think we can all agree that the horses, as well as the history of the cavalry deserve better.

Hopefully the horses will receive a better life and treatment in the private sector. Just like our servicemen, these horses protected and served our country. The U.S. Cavalry will always hold a special place in American history, and it is sad to see them so easily dismissed.