RETIRED HORSES
The Army retires horses when age or injuries make them unsuitable for
the rigors of cavalry duty. Several of B Troop's retired horses are
living comfortable lives in horse sanctuaries or on privately owned
pastures. Below are some of the success stories of the past and those
available to be adopted or sponsored in the future.
For questions or more information concerning our retired or retiring horses, contact Chris Zimmerman at zimmermc@powerc.net
BIG LOU:
Big Lou was retired in 2003 due to advanced age after serving the Army
for over 10 years. He was best known for his gentle nature,
reliability, and smooth ride. He was living on a ranch near Crawford,
Texas where he enjoyed a well deserved retirement with his old cavalry
buddy Peanut. He passed away quietly on 29 Jan. 2010
DERRINGER:
Derringer had been with the Troop for only a short while from 2001 to
2004 when he was retired due to a heart condition. He was sent to a
horse sanctuary in Chandler in 2004 where he remained until recently.
Due to overcrowding at the sanctuary he was transferred to Whisper's
Sanctuary in Elgin. There he somehow sustained an injury to his
shoulder while in pasture. Although we initially thought it was a torn
muscle a veterinarian determined that the shoulder was actually broken.
To prevent further suffering to Derringer it was decided that he should
be euthanized.
We had hoped that Derringer would enjoy many more years of retirement at the sanctuary and so this is a huge blow to those who loved him. He was unique in that he had a heart branded on his shoulder which went well with his subsequent US brand. Derringer was also a very spirited horse and was ridden in all the events that B Troop typically participates. As such Derringer has earned his place upon Fiddlers' Green.
SHORTY:
Shorty was retired in 2001 due to age and medical problems after
serving the Army for over 10 years. He went to a therapeutic riding
program in Phoenix for a couple of years, but was having trouble with
the heat. He was eventually adopted locally, and lived a life of ease
on Fort Huachuca. He died off old age in 2006.
PEANUT:
Peanut retired in March 2006 and joined his buddy Big Lou in Texas.
Peanut was an extremely fast horse in a charge having been a race horse
prior to his Army years. Peanut now enjoys his favorite past time which
is eating.
SARGE:
Medically retired due to an injury suffered while performing a charge
on Fort Huachuca. He served the Army for over 10 years. Sarge died 6
October 2006 due to a medical complication brought on by old age and
was buried in the B Troop pasture with full military honors.
STOGIE:
Stogie retired in March 2006 and currently lives at Whisper's Sanctuary
near Elgin, Arizona not far from Fort Huachuca. He is part of a small
herd of rescued and retired horses and enjoys his days basking in the
sun in a large grassy pasture. He still remembered those troopers and
ladies that would stop by to visit him and always had time to share a
carrot with an old friend. Stogie passed away on January 12, 2013. He
was approximately 30 years old at the time of his death. He was one of
the favorite riding school and sidesaddle horses due to his gentle
nature. He was a very friendly horse and an excellent ride.
BANDIT: Bandit was retired in 2006 due to arthritis in one of his pasterns. A
large, black Tennessee Walker, Bandit spent his final years as "herd
boss" at Chris & Debbie's ranch in Whetstone, Arizona.
Bandit went to Fiddler's Green on 22 October, 2014 and is now joined with his best friend and companion, Hightower.
HIGHTOWER:
Foaled in Oklahoma on 25 May 1982, Hightower began life as a
thoroughbred race horse. No one knows what he did in the intervening
years but he was picked up by B Troop on 21 May 2001 and quickly became
one of the most solid horses in the Troop. He was often used as a
commander's horse until his advanced age began to catch up with him.
Diagnosed with Cushings disease in August 2007, he was retired on 13
December.
He was adopted by Chris & Debbie and enjoyed his retirement on their ranch in Whetstone, Arizona. After a slip and fall in October 2009 Hightower began to have problems which turned out to be the beginning of heart failure. To spare him further pain it was decided to euthanize him. He was buried in the B Troop pasture with full military honors.
NATCHEZ:
Natchez was purchased by B Troop on 11 May 2002 and was a real pistol
right from the start. Although a training challenge initially he
eventually became a commander's horse for a year and a half.
Unfortunately, he was discovered to have navicular disease in his front hooves. He was kept going in the Army for a few years through navicular treatments but eventually the treatments became ineffective and he had to be medically retired on 13 December 2007. It was decided that he would do best in an environment with soft ground and a "no shoes required" policy. Thus, Natchez found his way to the serene pastures at Whisper's Sanctuary where Toni can look after him, RJ and Stogie.
RJ:
Rotten John, a thoroughbred, was with B Troop for over 10 years and was
a former racehorse. He was well known in the Troop as a horse that was
extremely fast and nearly unstoppable in a charge. There are many stories out there - he tossed a few troopers in the pond at Fort Lowell when he stopped and they didn't!
Unfortunately he also had a chronically bad back and had kidney stone
problems. Although reasonably healthy he was judged by the Army to be
too dangerous to ride and too difficult to keep healthy. He was adopted
by Toni & Ross at Whisper's Sanctuary in Elgin where he relaxed
with his Army buddies Natchez and Stogie.
RJ passed away on 1 Feb. 2013. He was fine in the morning but went downhill fast after lunchtime. He had a twisted bowel and was euthanized in the afternoon to prevent him from suffering. RJ was a very well known B Troop mount, a great horse but very fast. Many thanks to Toni for taking such wonderful care of him during his retirement, I know he had a great time at the Whisper's Horse Sanctuary.
BIG WHISKEY:
Big Whiskey: is another off-the-track thoroughbred who somehow wound up
with B Troop. A victim of a trailer wreck he was dumped on the used
horse market by his owners in late 2003 and was traded to B Troop in
December. A very large and temperamental horse, he turned out to be
completely unsuitable for B Troop. Various trainers tried to work with
him but no one had the time or patience to make him suitable for Army
work. He was discharged honorably from the Army on 13 December 2007 and
now enjoys a less stressful life along with his buddy Bandit at Chris
& Debbie's ranch in Whetstone, Arizona.
CODY:
Cody retired from the Army on Wednesday, 19 January 2011 after nearly
12 years of service in B Troop. He was only 17 years old, which is a
little bit younger than B Troop horses are usually retired. However, he
had problems with his front legs which caused him to take short, choppy
little steps. He became very slow and it was hard to get him into a
canter. Last year he was restricted from doing charges or the riding
demonstration because he was having problems with his legs.
He would do what was asked of him but it became harder and harder for him. Out of fear that he would become permanently lame he was retired once a good place became available for him. He will live at a local property with another horse (a mare) where he can enjoy his final days doing what he likes most--standing around and eating.
For questions or more information concerning our retired or retiring horses, contact Chris Zimmerman at zimmermc@powerc.net
We had hoped that Derringer would enjoy many more years of retirement at the sanctuary and so this is a huge blow to those who loved him. He was unique in that he had a heart branded on his shoulder which went well with his subsequent US brand. Derringer was also a very spirited horse and was ridden in all the events that B Troop typically participates. As such Derringer has earned his place upon Fiddlers' Green.
Bandit went to Fiddler's Green on 22 October, 2014 and is now joined with his best friend and companion, Hightower.
He was adopted by Chris & Debbie and enjoyed his retirement on their ranch in Whetstone, Arizona. After a slip and fall in October 2009 Hightower began to have problems which turned out to be the beginning of heart failure. To spare him further pain it was decided to euthanize him. He was buried in the B Troop pasture with full military honors.
Unfortunately, he was discovered to have navicular disease in his front hooves. He was kept going in the Army for a few years through navicular treatments but eventually the treatments became ineffective and he had to be medically retired on 13 December 2007. It was decided that he would do best in an environment with soft ground and a "no shoes required" policy. Thus, Natchez found his way to the serene pastures at Whisper's Sanctuary where Toni can look after him, RJ and Stogie.
RJ passed away on 1 Feb. 2013. He was fine in the morning but went downhill fast after lunchtime. He had a twisted bowel and was euthanized in the afternoon to prevent him from suffering. RJ was a very well known B Troop mount, a great horse but very fast. Many thanks to Toni for taking such wonderful care of him during his retirement, I know he had a great time at the Whisper's Horse Sanctuary.
He would do what was asked of him but it became harder and harder for him. Out of fear that he would become permanently lame he was retired once a good place became available for him. He will live at a local property with another horse (a mare) where he can enjoy his final days doing what he likes most--standing around and eating.