Major Howze Training

Troopers launching saber attack against targets

Today we practiced for the Major Howze event, one of the events at the National Cavalry Competition. I had previously scouted out a good trail between the stables and Chaffee Parade Field that provided plenty of stream crossings, gates, and steep terrain. The ride was a little more than five miles long. I asked another trooper, who couldn't ride due to a medical profile, set up the saber targets for us. I acted as the guide, Abdul of the Tallywacker tribe, who was to lead the troopers to the target area and who constantly referred to his charges as Yankee, pig-dogs.

The ride started out pretty well with everyone maintaining silence and holding formation despite the rugged terrain. We got through our first gate okay but the second gate was a big heavy iron contraption. The trooper assigned to handle the gate pulled his back muscles while trying to move the monstrosity. He, however, mounted up again and off we went. Being up front, Apache was relatively calm. Had he been in the back he would have constantly wanted to gallop. Since he was up front, and a little intimidated, he maintained a nice steady trot.

We forded two small streams in good order and up and down a couple ridges before descending down a long sloping ridge covered in grass. Eventually, we rode down into Huachuca Canyon where a good sized stream flows and the grass was about stirrup high. Apache shied a few times in the grass as there were creatures running around in it which bothered him. We crossed Huachuca Creek twice as it meandered through the canyon but there was no water in it this far down the canyon--surprising given the amount of flow in the creek less than a mile up stream. The creek had steep banks so I was expecting an ordeal trying to get Apache through but he forded it like a champ.

Finally, we left the grass and got onto a paved road. I signaled to the riders to dismount so we could let the horses catch their breath and to check their tack. Apache's saddle hadn't moved and his cinch was still tight so I began to walk him around a little. The other troopers wordlessly followed suit. After five minutes I signaled them to remount and we trotted on.

Since we were now on flat ground I didn't anticipate any further problems. We were only about 15 minutes from the target location. However, as we were trotting down a dirt road one of the horses went lame. I asked the trooper with the lame horse and the trooper with the sore back to fall out and wait by the paved road for us to come back and pick them up later with a trailer. The remaining four of us rode on.

Approaching the target area, I heard a small explosion in the distance. I wondered about it but figured it was coming from one of the numerous test facilities in the area. However, as we rounded the last corner coming up on Chaffee Field, I was shocked to see a half dozen tactical vehicles in our target area with a squad or two of soldiers in full battle gear running around. As we got closer I could see that they weren't in our target area but adjacent to it. As we rode up, their squad leader signaled for us to stop. She explained that they were in the middle of IED training (hence, the explosion I had heard earlier) and they were wanting us to leave the area. I pointed to our own target set and explained that we were going to attack them and would be gone in a couple minutes.

Our team leader signaled for us to draw sabers as we rode up to the target area. We quickly lined up, selected our individual targets, and wordlessly made a left flank and charged the targets. Apache was fine with this as he had no idea what we were doing. He maintained a good gallop in hand but I missed my first target somehow (my own fault) but nailed the second one. Our team leader hollered for another target pass since there were still some remaining due to the loss of two members of our team. However, Apache now understood what we were doing and started getting overexcited. I retired from the formation and dismounted to calm him down while the others attacked.

The second run went well and we regrouped to clean up the target area. I handed Apache off to the three remaining riders and jumped in the truck with the target materials in it and left to go rescue our two stranded riders. The lame horse seemed to have a stone bruise as opposed to a fetlock sprain so I administered bute and put him on stall rest once we got him back to the stables. Hopefully, he won't have any long-term problems. The trooper with the sore back took his own painkillers and prescribed hot tub treatment for himself at home.

It was a good ride and the weather was perfect. I've never been much of a fan of trail rides but tactical maneuvering through the wilderness at a trot is fun. Unexpected problems such as injured horses and drilling soldiers in the target area just adds to the challenge. It was a great way to spend a Saturday morning.