Horsing Around At Fort Riley, Part I

Woo, everypup and everycat.  It's me - Dave - here with more of our very cool adventure at Fort Riley.  Today and the next couple of days, we're going to talk about something very special to this old Cavalry post -- horses!  There are several great statues and tributes to the US Cavalry horses scattered around post and we thought we'd share some with you!  Let's get started!

Even at the gates to Fort Riley, you can get the flavor of the US Cavalry - the signs are in the form of old horse jumps:

Since it's normally Photo Finish Friday, we thought we'd throw that cool lomo camera effect shot in.  Besides, that helps cover up the fact that Mom shot it through the window of a moving vehicle with her iPhone.  Woo.

OK!  The most famous of all the horse statues on post is of the Old Trooper - or Old Bill.  Here it is, over here:

Me looking at the Old Trooper statue!

This statue has come to be the symbol of Fort Riley!

It stands at the edge of Cavalry Parade Field.  It was constructed by Fort Riley soldiers and was dedicated on 14 June 1961, in honor of the Kansas centennial.

They based the statue on a Frederick Remington sketch of a cavalryman from the late 1890s.

In front of the statue are two things - a really cool limestone bench to sit on...

...and the burial site of a very famous horse named Chief.  Can you see the flat stone surrounded by the horse-head poles and chains?  That's where Chief is buried -- the last cavalry mount carried on the rolls of the United States Army!

Chief was foaled in 1932 and served on active military duty from 1940-1949.  Chief passed away in 1968.  Like all thoroughbred Cavalry horses, he is buried standing upright, with his saddle and bridle on -- ready to go on patrol with the US Cavalry!!!  He was buried with full military honors.

It's great that the US Army honors not just the men and women who have served, but the other members of their team as well!

"Job well done -- by both soldier and horse alike!"

Zim speaks for all of us here at Ao4 Headquarters!

Tune back in tomorrow for more "horsing around"!
Luv,
Dave