U.S. Army Discontinues Ceremonial Horse Programs, Horses to be Adopted
The U.S. Army is ending most ceremonial horse programs, adopting out 141 horses while maintaining select units for burial honors at Arlington National Cemetery.
Overview
- The U.S. Army is discontinuing most of its ceremonial horse programs to save approximately $2 million annually.
- Affected bases have 12 months to close down their cavalry units and prepare for the adoption process.
- 141 ceremonial horses will be put up for adoption, with some potentially donated to organizations.
- The Old Guard ceremonial caisson units will continue to operate at Joint Base San Antonio and Arlington National Cemetery for burial honors.
- None of the horses will be sold; the focus is on finding suitable homes for them.
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Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the U.S. Army's decision to end ceremonial horse programs as a pragmatic shift towards modernization and cost-saving, emphasizing financial implications and operational continuity. Implicitly, they reflect a bias towards efficiency over tradition, with a focus on the logistical aspects of the transition rather than emotional or cultural significance.
The U.S. Army is phasing out most of its ceremonial horse programs and will put the horses up for adoption.
The Army will continue to operate the Old Guard ceremonial caisson units at Joint Base San Antonio and Arlington National Cemetery for burial honors.
Ceremonial cavalry units will be closed down at multiple bases across the United States, including Fort Cavazos, Fort Carson, Fort Sill, Fort Irwin, Fort Riley, and Fort Huachuca.
The Army estimates that closing down the units will result in an annual savings of approximately $2 million.
Articles (4)
Center (2)
"…The Army estimates that closing down the units will save about $2 million a year, and the changes are being made as part of its overall warfighting realignment."
NBC News·6d·"…The Army estimates that closing down the units will save about $2 million a year, and the changes are being made as part of its overall warfighting realignment, Warren said."
Military Times·6d·FAQ
The U.S. Army is ending most of its ceremonial horse programs as part of its overall warfighting realignment to save about $2 million annually.
The Old Guard ceremonial caisson units will continue to operate at Joint Base San Antonio and Arlington National Cemetery for burial honors.
The horses will be adopted out, with some potentially donated to organizations. None will be sold, and the focus is on finding suitable homes. A board reviews applications to match horses with the best possible homes.
The Army will close ceremonial cavalry units at Fort Cavazos in Texas, Fort Carson in Colorado, Fort Sill in Oklahoma, Fort Irwin in California, Fort Riley in Kansas, and Fort Huachuca in Arizona.
History
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