Time for another cavalry story.

From 1979 till 1982, I was assigned to the First Cavalry Division Horse Platoon, stationed at Fort Hood, Texas.

One of our duties with the Horse Platoon was to assist with the First Cavalry Division Association reunion each year. At that time, (late ‘’70s early ‘80s) there were still some old horse cavalrymen around. Most had served “between the wars”, the 1920’s and 30’s. One of them was a distinguished looking fellow we only knew as The Colonel. He still wore his silver mane in a combed back 1930’s style and had a neatly trimmed Clark Gable moustache. At first sight, there was no mistaking that he was an old school officer and gentleman. 

One year, the main event of the reunion was a horseback ride from Fort Sam Houston, in San Antonio, to Fort Hood, in Killeen Texas. Roughly 150 miles that we covered in five and a half days. There were roughly a dozen of us plus a varying number of civilian riders. They were mostly younger veterans or their family members. The Colonel rode the entire distance on a borrowed horse. 

Several days in, we came to a small creek. Since we were following the roads, we normally had crossed creeks and rivers on the bridges. This one was narrow and had nice grassy banks on either side. Our lieutenant decided that it would be a grand thing if we were to jump the creek in formation at the gallop. The civilians crossed the bridge, but the Colonel stayed with us. 

We formed up in a column of twos and waited for the civilians to get well clear of the area. The lieutenant gave the command and we galloped across the creek two by two just as pretty as you please. Then the lieutenants eyes bugged out and he looked like he had swallowed his tongue. We looked back and the Colonel’s borrowed horse was pitching a fit in the creek. He was half in and half out of the saddle. One of our guys muttered “Oh ****, we killed the Colonel!”. 

We watched in horror as the old Colonel fought his horse across the creek, regained his seat and cantered up to the lieutenant. With fire in his eyes he shouted “By God, that’s the most fun I’ve had in years! Good call Lieutenant!”