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I wanta be in the cavalry
flyingcollie
Member Posts: 197 ✭✭✭
Anyone reading have some experience, opinions, or info on "mounted" cowboy action ?
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Allen, isn't that what this foolishness is all about ? Near as you can come to a time machine ? [}:)] I'd volunteer to ride with Nate Forrest . . . 'course it's not the same if you have to pretend them balloons are damnyankees. [:D]
Horses weren't expected to carry more than 200 pounds.
I certainly wouldn't qualify to be a cavalryman, and few Americans would today. People were shorter then, and generally worked long hours at intense labor. Overall, they were thinner.
Yes that would have been something to have ridden with Nathan Bedford Forrest. What a great combat commander.
We went to the Nationals one year (as spectators) in Scottdale, AZ. It was awesome just to watch. The horses and tack that the pros have is cool just to look at.
I have known many that were in the 7th Cav.
[;)]
How old ARE you? [:0]
I have known many that were in the 7th Cav.
[;)]
That's kewl . . . but you didn't know their horses ! [;)]
Gato, where do you find interesting stuff like the weight req. ? I'm thinking a horse soldier was still traveling pretty light - saddle, carbine, sabre, side-arm and ammunition would weigh up pretty quick against that 60#.
I find the whole subject pretty fascinating. The McClellan saddle was used from just before the Civil War until horse cavalry was decommissioned after WWII. Lots of debate over "the last cavalry charge", but likely the last full cavalry assault (successful) was the Aussies at Beersheba in WWI - well worth the read, if you're interested.
"Cavalry" still isn't totally dead, if you count the special forces guys on those wily Afghan horses recently . . .
quote:Originally posted by us55840
I have known many that were in the 7th Cav.
[;)]
Lots of debate over "the last cavalry charge", but likely the last full cavalry assault (successful) was the Aussies at Beersheba in WWI - well worth the read, if you're interested.
Actually, the Poles probably had the last cavalry charge. Saw something on the History Channel on it years ago. Very, very impressive horseman AND tactics utilizing horses against tanks. Good thing for the Germans that the Russians decided to invade Poland also, or the Germans would've lost many more troops.
http://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/wwii/articles/polishcavalry.aspx
Jim
Jim
Yep, the uhlan lancers were legendary, and it's kewl to think they gave the Krauts a rough time . . . but they inevitably lost. [:(]
According to other online sources (ya gotta believe who's lying to ya [;)]) the last US Cavalry charge was in the Philippines in WWII. As noted, a lot of claims to "last cavalry charge", and it depends on what qualifications one might put on the "title". It's all good reading ! [:)]
See: http://www.limitstogrowth.org/articles/2012/10/07/historical-film-tells-polands-role-in-saving-europe-from-islam/
and: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1483182/posts
I'm not challenging your input . . . I just wanna know more.
?? Mighty interesting . . . I don't suppose you could point us toward some point of reference that documents this, or discusses it ?
I'm not challenging your input . . . I just wanna know more.
It was actually in a television documentary, on one of the 'educational' channels. I don't remember which channel, but there is a tendency to re-run these things periodically, so it will probably appear again. I believe the researchers backtracked on Army enlistment documents and compared signatures and handwriting, which led to two individuals being identified as the same person. If true, the guy would have deserted twice, so no wonder he kept his head down.
Custer also had a number of Crow scouts whom he dismissed as the tactical formations were deployed, as the scouts had done their job and were no longer needed. But about half of the scouts stayed, anyway. The several who split were located later by writers, and they gave testimony that is often overlooked, because some statements were unfavorable to Custer. One scout said that Custer could have enveloped the Sioux who were attacking Reno and avoided encirclement himself at the same time, but for some reason, Custer never moved. I think the Army should have canvassed all of the Sioux who later turned themselves in, for any details about the battle that they knew, but that was an opportunity that was missed.[B)]
I was in the Cavalry, 2/1 Armoured Cav in Viet Nam, 1968-69. We even had a horse, but mostly tanks and tracks.
I have a copy of the U.S. Cavalry requirements for confirmation and color when purchasing horses. The general guide lines for size and confirmation is what we used when selecting dude horses, when I worked for a packer and guide in Cody Wyoming. The Cavalry requirements made for good mountain horses.
W.D.
I hauled my green pony over to see about starting her on getting used to gunfire. I tied her in a corner of the arena, and true to her training to date, she pulled once at the first shot, then really quick, figured out she wasn't going to get hurt. Sound was loud in the covered arena, she'd shake her head a little at each shot. The riders often use ear plugs made from "kitty toys", little soft cloth-covered balls sold for cat toys.
Most of the horses were pretty rock-solid bridle horses, easy handling at a lope. Patterns are pretty intricate, it's no barrel race. In case you don't know, only blanks are used, the targets are balloons, the weapons are .45 SA pistols, the range probably no more than fifteen feet as the riders engage the targets on the course pattern.
Competetively, it's time vs. accuracy. The main thing is everyone had one helluvalotta fun. It will be a good goal for me to finish my green pony . . . she'll have to rate at a lope, and master flying lead changes before we can run a pattern at that gait, and I'll have to get used to not changing hands on the reins. I'm hooked ! You guys don't know what you're missing.
There's an old expression among packers and cowboys,"you can shoot off from any horse, but reloading is a *".[;)]
W.D.