Ownership Of Reenactor Horses

Joined
Aug 12, 2011
Location
Elliott Bay
What is the usual arrangement for reenactors who use horses - cavalry, artilery, wagon trains? Is each orse individually owned and maintaned or are the horses part of commercial stables and boarded at one place. I can only admire reeactors who go to the trouble and expense of organizing mounted units.
 
Most are owned, maintained and hauled by the individual. There are a few reenactors who keep horses for others or rent them out, but in general, everyone is responsible for their own. I used to reenact with a horse in the 1990s so was more aware of the situation then, but still know a few reenactors that ride or have wagons and it still seems to be true.
 
As far as I am concerned, thats the most expensive branch of civil war reenacting. Any type of horse usage. Arty you buy a cannon and it can sit in your garage for when your not using it. Horses are a year around expense. Feeding, training, upkeep(shoeing, vet bills, feed). Hats off to any who use Horses!
 
Those who I am acquainted with are owners of their own horses and have occasionally more than one horse and will loan/lease/borrow/barter to another person for them to ride if the other horse isn't lame/sick.

There are some re-enactors to who have a farm and will board horses for others.

If I have some spare dollars, I often give them a 'donation' as to help any of them who may need the help. Most though, sufficiently support themselves and haul their horses to these events without expectations of help from other branches of the re-enactment community.

M. E. Wolf
 
I've passed the information to a friend who is a Cavalry re-enactor with the 2nd US Cav., Co. "A" --Amish teach their horses to drive also, so I'll pass it along to the Artillery guy I know who has teams.

M. E. Wolf
 
WOW! I would love to get in touch with someone who could rent me one for the 150th Chickamauga,if anyone knows who to talk to.It has always been my biggest bithch about the personna i portray,that I am inauthentic from the get go because i would have been mounted most of the time.I have ridden before but a long time ago,so i would need a short tutorial and a really gentle old plug,hehe.
 
I own horses myself and what I heard is most of them are usually owned by the individual... horses aren't the thing to be loaning, accidents can happen and bad things occur after it.

I've heard of people sending them to the Amish or Mennonites who can train them to drive/ride, etc... basically keep them calm in certain situations. My dad and I are actually sending one of ours to the Mennonite community, since he's a work horse and is bored with nothing to do.
 
I own horses myself and what I heard is most of them are usually owned by the individual... horses aren't the thing to be loaning, accidents can happen and bad things occur after it.

I've heard of people sending them to the Amish or Mennonites who can train them to drive/ride, etc... basically keep them calm in certain situations. My dad and I are actually sending one of ours to the Mennonite community, since he's a work horse and is bored with nothing to do.
I can sure understand that.particularly a horse in a noisy reenactment situation.What i would like to do is just try it once.Not going to take it into a battle scenario.just ride it from point a to b and tie it up while i sketchAs a special artist for a newspaper,it would just be neat to be mounted at one event,at least.would be nice for a photo-op as well,hehe.Sketching from the saddle
 
WOW! I would love to get in touch with someone who could rent me one for the 150th Chickamauga,if anyone knows who to talk to.It has always been my biggest bithch about the personna i portray,that I am inauthentic from the get go because i would have been mounted most of the time.I have ridden before but a long time ago,so i would need a short tutorial and a really gentle old plug,hehe.

Kealbo54,

I'm sure if people got to know you, see you ride to make sure you aren't mean to horses or the horses unsuitable to you, that you can ride and of course you'll need to waive liability, as horses are 'animals' with a mind of their own--so the hazard of mounting a stranger has to be lessened.

That said, I would get a hold of Cleburne's Division (reenactors group) which is in charge of registration, to see if there is a solution to things. Re-enactment safe horses is a horse that has years of exposure so, they are gold nuggets to those officers and Cavalry impressions who must get their needs met first.

At the 150 Chancellorsville, one guy would get off and another on to go into another scenario. So, do see what you can negotiate and always be open for suggestions.

Just some thoughts.

M. E. Wolf
 
I own horses myself and what I heard is most of them are usually owned by the individual... horses aren't the thing to be loaning, accidents can happen and bad things occur after it.

I've heard of people sending them to the Amish or Mennonites who can train them to drive/ride, etc... basically keep them calm in certain situations. My dad and I are actually sending one of ours to the Mennonite community, since he's a work horse and is bored with nothing to do.

Having fond associations with the Amish in Maryland and Virginia in the past, I have trained horses myself and though no longer able, I would recommend training with the Amish or Mennonites. I've carried on their training, and taken horses and horse drawn vehicles into the city and drove them around the museums on the Mall where all those buses with tourists are, honking horns, bus noises, trucks, police, fire and ambulances sirens going off and being boxed in with cars in traffic, in addition to driving them at night.

I highly recommend anybody training horses for re-enactments to get help from friends and fellow equestrians to pop open umbrellas, and bang pots and pans, noise like fire crackers, musket fire, rifle and pistol shooting--let the horse stand dismounted and get used to these things first before mounting and after mounting, then I would trust a horse in shafts and harness if they passed the mounted phase. Walking the horse around these noises and actions is helpful as the eye perception of horses are different from nose to tail, so what won't bother a horse head on, may bother them when passing them. New harness horses are always spooky when other horse drawn vehicles were passing. So, expect the unexpected when dealing with horses. I also wouldn't feed them sweet feed, oats and high energy feed for a week before a event. Pellets worked great for me as well as grass, hay and such. Nobody needs a horse high energy during these events unless they are so laid back, they have to speed up to stop.

Just some thoughts.

M. E. Wolf
 
Kealbo54,

I'm sure if people got to know you, see you ride to make sure you aren't mean to horses or the horses unsuitable to you, that you can ride and of course you'll need to waive liability, as horses are 'animals' with a mind of their own--so the hazard of mounting a stranger has to be lessened.

That said, I would get a hold of Cleburne's Division (reenactors group) which is in charge of registration, to see if there is a solution to things. Re-enactment safe horses is a horse that has years of exposure so, they are gold nuggets to those officers and Cavalry impressions who must get their needs met first.

At the 150 Chancellorsville, one guy would get off and another on to go into another scenario. So, do see what you can negotiate and always be open for suggestions.

Just some thoughts.

M. E. Wolf
Very helpful hints,sir.thank you.It would truly be a hoot and a dream come true to be mounted for Chickamauga!Waiving any liability is no problem with me.I always take responsibility for my own stupidity.Maybe if someone was willing to lease me the animal and tack it would pay for thier gas to the event.,with little work in return besides another horse to keep in the camp.I would definately like to comb and curry it myself at the end of the day so as to get it used to me.
Absolutely no crazy riding or galloping around for me.Its neat to think this has a chance to become a reality.got to be careful to not get spoiled.
 
My beloved cousin in upstate South Carolina rides in a re-enactment group. They especially want her, as she is willing to wear a blue uniform which I take it makes her a scarce commodity. She provides her own horse and other members come by with the trailer to take her to the events. It's funny, cause she's a vegan and pretty much a peace Democrat type, but she absolutely loves tucking her long locks under a hat and firing a black powder gun while charging across a field. I hope one day to get to see her "in action". If she wears grey that day, I'll be her quadroon (or whatever) servant. If she wears blue, I'll just be the schmuck without a horse.
 
My beloved cousin in upstate South Carolina rides in a re-enactment group. They especially want her, as she is willing to wear a blue uniform which I take it makes her a scarce commodity. She provides her own horse and other members come by with the trailer to take her to the events. It's funny, cause she's a vegan and pretty much a peace Democrat type, but she absolutely loves tucking her long locks under a hat and firing a black powder gun while charging across a field. I hope one day to get to see her "in action". If she wears grey that day, I'll be her quadroon (or whatever) servant. If she wears blue, I'll just be the schmuck without a horse.
Ones political philosophy really has no bearing,hehe,I am a bit left of Mahtma Ghandi,myself(sp?)
 
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