Evening star., 1936-04-04
A HORSE VALHALLA
Departure of Three Fort Myer Veterans
Emphasizes That, at Long Last,
Such a Haven Now Exists.

"remount" baked and stalled Tor long
sweating hours. Jumbo gnashed and
harried in vain. When both animals
were turned loose in the corral later
Jumbo whirled upon the remount,
kicking and slashing so savagely that
the battered sluggard had to be de-
stroyed.
This Herculean boss horse" met
his own day Of judgment before the
present retirement policy Of the War
Department was in force. When he
was condemned Artillerymen pooled
their scanty pay and asked to buy
and maintain the now useless horse
at their own expense. The request
was granted.
SIMILAR appeals from enlisted men
have saved scores Of other horses
and mules in the past-from riderless
Bay Billy, leader Of victorious
charge up Marye's Heights in 1852.
to Mile. Verdun, born under shell fire
in France. Within the last decade.
due to motorization of artillery and
cavalry, the total number of Army
horses has decreased from 5000 to
$1,000. Obviously such vast number
Of discarded animals could not all be
retired to q life of ease Excess able
bodied animals therefore were sold.
while crippled and useless ones were
destroyed.
The three remount depots. however.
with their wide pastures and ample
hay offer a haven where a few de-
serving veterans may be supported at
little expense. In the select company
already enjoying the grasslands Of
Front Royal, where the Fort Myer
horses are in retreat, is the beautiful
thoroughbred JEFF, wartime mount Of
Gen. John j. PerShing.
At the present moment the question
of discarded war horses attracts at
tention in England. After the World
War, due to the shortage Of shipping
space, British officials in Egypt sold
% 900 army animals in native mar
kets. In 1922 Mrs. Godfrey Brooke
discovered that these war veterans
epitifully starved and over-worked
by impoverished peasants. At her
instance fund was raised to ransom
the surviving horses and end their
suffering. Today she pleads to prevent
similar misfortune when the cavalry
regiments in Egypt, already slated
for motorization, abandon their
mounts
This problem is familiar to the
United States Army. Long ago orders
forbade the sale of horses on the
Mexican border or in the Philippine
Islands, where poverty and hard con-
ditions mean inevitable suffering to
the discarded animals. The soldier Is
deeply concerned to place his faithful
ally, when possible. in such q horse
heaven as may be practicable on
earth.
IN THIS desire he is joined by many
an officer whose show ring career
had its inception astride Flash or
Applejack, and many another who.
entrusted with the task Of popping UP
the exhibition rides, found Baldy's
willingness to experiment with any
kind of stunt a boon to the invention
of new routines.
Within the last five years Flash has
seen service at the National Capital
horse show and other nearby events
where Fort Myer entered Q team to
battle for jumping honors, and old
Applejack was not so long ago a
standby of the officers speciality
classes in the riding hall.
The fame Of these old-timers Is not
by any means limited to the posts
where they put in their terms Of
service. Troopers and officers trans
ferring from one station to another
carry with them the tales Of the
wonder-horses they encountered at
their last posts. Flash is probably as
well known in the Philippines today
as In the Third Cavalry, while Baldy's
fame has spread much further than
the reputation Of certain less spec
| tacular colonels, or even the renown
of few of the quieter brigadiers
Wherever Cavalry officers or SOL
diers gather there is always talk Of
the troopers mount that could Jump
! over the moon, while every Artillery
man, whatever his rank, surely drove
once upon time at least one wheel
horse that could pull o howitzer into
position unassisted and, If necessary,
take range and fire.
Now at last the heroes Of these
legends will end their days in blue
grass valhalla and the dottng troopers
who once unused bitterly that generals
die in bed but famous horses get shot
like mad dogs will agree that justice
at last Is done unto the kings Of the
animal kind