Page 8 - Ft. Irwin High Desert Warrior 6-5-15

8 High Desert Warrior www.aerotechnews.com/ntcfortirwin
June 5, 2015

Your Troopers

11th ACR Horse Detachment demonstrates tradition

Story and photos by Capt. Christinea Wagner

Public Affairs Officer
11th ACR

Friends of the Fort Ord Warhorse welcomed the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment Horse De- Sgt. 1st Class Roman Hacker leads fellow Horse Handlers of the 11th Armored Cavalry
tachment to their former home station after 75 years of being away from the Monterey Bay area in Regiment Horse Detachment on a beach ride at Salinas River State Beach in Marina,
California to celebrate the history of U.S. Army Cavalry, May 9. Calif., May 8.

The Blackhorse Regiment and the City of Marina share a unique cavalry history. Years before being requires plenty of practice, according to Spc. Travis Gunter, a level two horse handler.
decommissioned and turned into the Marina Equestrian Center, Fort Ord was once part of the Presidio “We practice numerous times, different speeds all the way through, sometimes just portions that
of Monterey. Horse cavalry units trained there until 1942 and the Blackhorse Regiment was stationed
at the Presidio of Monterey from 1919 to 1940 as the 11th Cavalry Regiment. Director of Friends we struggle with individually to make sure we have every aspect of the show down pact,” Gunter said.
of the Fort Ord Warhorse, Margaret Davis, shares this history in explanation for inviting the Horse During their trip to Monterey and Marina, the Horse Detachment also found time to ride their
Detachment to participate in Fort Ord Warhorse Day as a major highlight of this year’s celebration.
See TRADITION, page 9
“Participating in this event was definitely important for the Detachment [since] we try to represent
the traditions of the 11th Cavalry Regiment,” explains Sgt. 1st Class Roman Hacker, Horse Detach-
ment First Sergeant. “Just being able to attend this event where the Regiment had been stationed and
stabled for 20 years was amazing … but the most enjoyable part was talking to the people that had
a lot of knowledge of us and Fort Ord.”

While the event allows community members to commemorate the City of Marina’s historical ties
to the U.S. Cavalry, Warhorse Day also enriches the experience of being part of the horse detachment
for current horse handlers. Hacker explains that, “it’s good for the Soldiers to see one of the places
that we came from at one point and recognize what they are representing and the traditions they are
trying to keep alive by doing what they do.”

The Horse Detachment demonstrated an array of traditional cavalry horsemanship and maneuvers
to include the use of sabers and revolvers while mounted and at a gallop. Preparing for such an event

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