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Think you are a good rider ? Could you do this ?
I often see and hear folks spouting off how great a rider they are. However, if you ever saw what the U.S. cavalry of long ago was capable of doing, you would be awestruck. Here are some photos. Thoughts ?
Ruffian has a point. Although we would not do much of this with our horses today, back when horses were an important part of battle, both horse and rider were conditioned to perform in ways we think as crazy today. You have to hand it to their riding skills. As for you ranters, I am guessing you never served your country in the military under hostile situations. It often calls for extreme skills and determination at times to survive. The men in these photos are veterans of one of the most horrific war in world history. Don't knock them. Many don't know this, but in some rare situations, horses are still used in military situations today.
BTW , you can give the german cavalryman standing on his horse to shoot some credit. He IS wearing a helmet. lol
9 Answers
- 8 years agoFavourite answer
I have to agree with you. The Cavalry was one of the most talented riders there were. They don't get enough credit.
@ Linda M - just stop while you are ahead. You don't know what you are talking about. They trained there horses to be able to do this because they never knew what they were going to have to do. Horses are extremely athletic animals and can tolerate a lot. Especially ones as conditioned as those. People are so sensitive about everything now a days. As if every damn thing that their horse does that is the slightest bit of challenging, is going to kill them. Get some education before you rant.
@ Intrinsic Random Event - Next to useless?!?!?! This type of training as saved many lives! Are you kidding me!?
- 8 years ago
Ah, alas, that was in the time of glory and war. The mounted police don't do this, nor do we have much left of a cavalry unit in America. In the UK it is the same, though I think Russia and Germany could still be doing a few things like that with their horsemen, though only as a sort of show and display thing for tourists.
My own horse was a police mount. She's brave, honest, and next to bombproof. To that end.... the training paid off. Though it was more like walking through a pit filled with empty plastic water bottles and standing still when guns are fired from atop their backs. So I have a horse that goes about anywhere over any terrain and isn't afraid of guns, dogs, cars, or fireworks. Applause to today's cavalry units for practical horsemanship.
- 8 years ago
The athelticism of the horse is pretty amazing hey? Those were some big horses and carrying men loaded down with steel. And the men, they must have gotten HOT in those uniforms. I wonder how things might have been different if women were allowed to serve back then. I bet the photos would be of a dressage like nature.
- Anonymous8 years ago
Wow! Holy smokes! Those are incredible feats most of them. Not sure I would want to do that steep a cliff drop! Too dangerous when not a life or death situation. Those horses must trust their riders immensely. I hope they weren't brutally forced through most of that. In short answer, I would do the jumps. Not much difference between a picnic table, a jeep, a person and a cross country jump. I would not do the cliff drops. Not sure about the house but it still seems similar to the extreme CC jumps.
- partly cloudyLv 78 years ago
Hi Horace, here's a little video I thought you might appreciate!
I like the footage at about 5 min, from the race track the best!
- 8 years ago
Fascinating...
I wonder how many horses had to die in order to demonstrate skills that were next to useless on the battlefield...
Source(s): So, Horace, you're a veteran of the Great War (1914-1918)? You must be the oldest person on Yahoo answers... even back then, there were machine guns, and mounted cavalry were gun-fodder. My own ancestors charged fruitlessly into those machine guns at Gallipoli. Perhaps you are referring to wars from the Napoleonic era? Or the American Civil War? That was about the last time that horsemen were relevant in warfare.
