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Return to the Model Horse Gallery Home Pageby Didi Hornberger
Some model horses which come with "factory" brands are sometimes difficult to find classes to show in, with accuracy. Models with European Warmblood registry brands are fairly easy to categorize, because they with "purebreds", and registered Stud Book Breed Associations. Spanish models brands deal with Stud Book Registries, and sometimes are indicative of the rancho where a Spanish horse was bred. Models carrying war paint and/or added "feathers" in manes and tails are pretty straightforward, for selecting classes. But American Remount horses were crossbreds, so where does the factory-branded "U. S. Cavalry" model accurately fit, in model show classes??
This month's Breed Highlight focuses on correctly showing your model as an "American Remount", with an added excellent added reference for making accurate and stunning tack for your Cavalry Horse entries!
Several Breyers and Stones carry the U. S. Cavalry brand, usually on the left shoulder – among them are the gray Breyer "Riley" (Smarty Jones mold), and gray Stone "Custer" (ISH). In both instances, these are factory painted-on brands. While their brands limit where they can show "authentically", they are of course "perfect" to show as "American Remount" entries!
The U. S. Remount Service ran from 1908 – 1948. According to the Remount Service Progress Report in the NY Times, from December 26th, 1992, only the "best quality" stallions were approved to produce "light" military horses for the U. S. Army. The specific breeds chosen to produce the Army Remounts, and the number of each breed standing, were the following:
Since the vast majority of Remount stallions in service were Thoroughbreds, many of the American Remount horses would have been "TB type", which is (one of several) conformation considerations when showing your model horse as a Remount.
Many of our modern day breeds are descendants of American Remount stallions, including (Surprise!) the palomino stallion, Trigger Jr., of Roy Rogers fame. Trigger, Jr. was a grandson of Sir Barton, the first winner of the Triple Crown. After Sir Barton retired from racing, he stood as a Remount Stallion at Fort Robinson, Nebraska, in 1932.
The ideal cavalry horse stood 15.2 – 16.2 hands, weighed between 1,100 – 1,300 pounds, and was preferred to be of a dark, solid color, altho artillery teams were usually of matching colors, including grays. Remounts were trained in manners, leads, bugle calls, the sound of gunfire, jumping, and swimming. They were also trained to develop a 4-mile-per-hour walk, and became accustomed to their place in the troop. Larger horses which were used to pull canons and caissons were broken to harness and then driven, as well as ridden. Remounts were also used for polo, dressage, and jumping competitions between military units.
The four Remount purchasing and breeding districts were located at Front Royal, Virginia; Fort Robinson, Nebraska; Fort Reno, Oklahoma; and Kellogg's Arabian Horse Farm in Pomona, California. In October 1943, the Kellogg Arabian Horse Farm was donated to the U.S. Remount Service, along with the outstanding Arabian horses which had been bred there.
Remounts included mules as well as horses. When Japan invaded the Philippines in January of 1942, mules were used during the delaying action fought by the Philippine scouts as the army fell back to Bataan. Two large gray pack mules were attracting strafing fire from the Japanese Zero fighter planes. Since camouflage netting was nonexistent at that place, the commanding officer of the veterinary hospital there decided the mules were too attractive of a target. He managed to acquire several cases of green Putnam cloth dye, filled a fifty gallon drum with water, and mixed the dye. The dye was then applied to the mules using burlap sacks. The dye ran all over the mules, causing light and dark stripes in mottled camouflage patterns!
Sine the American Remount is a "crossbred horse," documentation as to "type" is advisable when your American Remount show entries. Your documentation needn't be extensive. I have used only the above statistics for my cavalry-branded glossy Breyer "Riley", altho I should probably add that he is "half Thoroughbred", or was sired by a TB Remount stallion, as befits his conformation and pose.
Check out this interesting website on American Remounts.
There is also a brand new book available on the market, dealing with the American Remountt, called "War Horse - Mounting the Cavalry with America's Finest Horses", by Phil Livingston and Ed Roberts. (ISBN 1-931721-21-1) I have only started devouring this interesting hardbound book!
Also, for anyone who loves making "cavalry tack" for models, the very best reference book available is "The American Military Saddle, 1776 – 1945", by R. Stephen Dorsey & Kenneth L. McPheeters (ISBN 0 – 9631208-4-0) This large, hardbound book features sizeable black and white photos of every piece of military tack from McClellan saddles to harnesses to bits, stirrups, saddlebags, pack saddles, saddle cloths, girths, Guidon boots, valises, and everything in between which was used by the real mounted cavalries between the dates in the title. My hubby and I reenacted Civil War (1861 – 1865) Mounted Cavalry with our own (real) horses for 7 years, so in addition to using our real (repro) cavalry tack, I have also used this book to reference several sets of totally time-accurate miniature tack for my models.
This is not a "how to" book for model tack-makers, but a book about real military equipment for real horses. However, it is a "master" tack-maker's" dream of accurate information and original photos! And if you don't make your own tack, but you'd love to field an accurate "mounted cavalry" performance entry, this is the source to go to, to see what authentic cavalry tack actually looked like!
And here's a novel idea, for turning an O.F. un-branded model into a "cavalry-branded Remount", without also turning it into a "customized model" at the same time! Try a temporary stick-on brand, but be careful of what you use to make the brand stay on the model for brief duration, so as not to impair the model's finish. (Glossy models should work better for this, since the gloss finish is usually more durable than a matte finish.) Pages of small black stick-on letters are available at craft stores, such as Michael's and A.C. Moore. Be certain that your stick-on letters are in proper scale. Cavalry brands were usually located on the horse's left shoulder. Because there is no "permanent" change to the model using stick-ons after it has left the factory, they should fall into the same category as "tack", or "dressing" of your model, and should not be considered as "customization". (A "painted-on" or "purposely indented" brand would be considered "customization", since those modifications are permanent alterations of a factory model.) A word to the wise – if contemplating using stick-ons, TRY THEM OUT CAREFULLY at home first, and be SURE they are not going to affect your model's finish. I would also recommend not applying your stick-ons until right before your model's show class, and removing them immediately afterward. Also, if there is any doubt over whether using stick-ons is acceptable as "non-customization" by any particular show judge, please check with your judge(s) before using them. Remember that your stick-ons cannot be "permanent", in nature. (Ever tried "stick-on horse shoes for models???)
Enjoy your "American Remount" entries!
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