First Ceremony of the Year

Boots and saddles.

Today was the day of the quarterly retirement ceremony, which B Troop always participates in.  The number of soldiers used in the ceremony has gradually receded to the point where only the honor guard and the cavalry are on the field.  We had seven riders today, plus the mountain howitzer crew.  

Apache trying to exit, stage left.  

The plan was for the CO to ride Blade, but Blade got a skin infection and had to be replaced by the Wonder Horse.  The results were predictable.  This was also the first ceremony for the new XO.  His horse, Cochise, has a tendency to act antisocial toward Ruger, who was going to be in the #2 slot, so the XO traded with the 1SG for his horse, Monte.  It has also been three months since the horses were last on the parade ground, so that always ads to the fun.  

Ruger (with colors) reeling after getting bumped by Charlie.

Apache demonstrated his usual dislike for the whole thing by constantly moving while on line. Normally, when he is in the line, he just stands there and paws the ground.  However, since he was on the end, he constantly separated from the line instead of standing there and digging a hole in the ground.  Cochise was in line next to Journey who kept the little rascal under control.  Monte, who was on the right end of the line, was fairly steady, but getting irritated at times with Ruger, our five-year-old newbie, who was fidgeting too much for the old veteran's tastes.  It is one of the traits of the older, calmer horses to keep the younger ones in line. 

At the end of the ceremony, the troopers lined up to do there charge, but as they were lining up, Charlie backed into Ruger (carrying the guidon) delaying his take off.  Unfortunately, the howitzer crew pulled the lanyard before Ruger was moving and he decided right then that he had had enough and needed to get away from the whole scene.  I didn't realize what had happened as I was trying to snap photos of the charge.  However, as the troopers reassembled up at the top of the field, I heard the crowd laughing.  I looked back down the field to see Ruger and his rider, still carrying the colors, trotting up the field behind the flags.  

Troopers thundering up the field.

The rest of the horses did well enough and no bodies or hats were left on the parade ground after.  And, of course, the crowd loved Ruger's antics.  People watch cavalry charges for the same reason they watch NASCAR races.  It's the accidents, they live for.  For years, now, I will hear about the horse that stayed behind during the charge.  But, as we say in the cavalry, any charge you can walk away from is a good one.  

Ruger trying to sneak up the field without being noticed.