Photo By Spc. David Dumas | The 1st Cavalry Division Horse Cavalry Detachment conducted Horsemanship Intensive...... read more read more
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FORT CAVAZOS, Texas - The 1st Cavalry Division Horse Cavalry Detachment conducted Horsemanship Intensive Training, Aug. 23, on their detachment grounds. The training provided desensitization and familiarization training for the horses and aided troopers in understanding the fundamentals of horseback riding.
“This training is the foundation for everything that we do. We can talk and explain horsemanship any day, but this training is the time we set aside to really put it into practice,” said Sgt. 1st Class Kyle Minor, assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division Horse Cavalry Detachment. “All the stuff we talk about, all the lessons, this training allows them to use it.”
Given that the newer horses within the detachment are unaccustomed to the various sounds and activities that are utilized in their role, the training served the purpose of introducing them to these experiences.
“Since some horses have never heard gunfire or have ever seen smoke, they will go through desensitization training,” said Minor. “We train them to get used to the things that usually scare them.”
With the help from the 3rd Infantry Regiment “Caisson” Platoon, the horse detachment was able to use their knowledge and expertise to assist in the training.
“We started off with the basics of flexing your horse, we then moved into barebacking, followed by practicing lunging,” said Sgt. Gabriel Pope, military horseman assigned to Caisson Platoon, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment. “This training for the riders is to practice the skills they already have and a little refresher in case they forgot something, as well as to enhance what they may not know yet.”
During the training, numerous skills were retaught and perfected, with certain aspects of the training held with higher importance.
“We can talk and explain horsemanship all day, but this training is the time we set aside to really put it into practice,” said Minor. “So all the stuff we talk about, all the lessons, this training allows them to use it.”
Within the horse detachment, the Troopers emphasize the importance of knowing your horse, as horseback riding success lies in a good understanding of your horse and its behavior.
“The most important thing they learn during this training is to understand your horse's behaviors,” said Pope. “So, in any scenario where the horse becomes scared or uncomfortable, our Troopers will know how to handle it without losing control of the horse.”
Additional techniques were also trained upon to optimize the use of the available time.
“During the training, we pair our least experienced riders with our more experienced horses and then the opposite where we pair more experienced riders with our less experienced horses,” said Minor.
As the training came to a close, the instructors were satisfied with the achieved outcomes.
“The training was very good, there is some stuff I would like to bring back to my barn and implement as well,” said Pope. “The way they do things here is a lot different from how my unit does it.”
Training to uphold the traditions of the 1st Cavalry Division will always be the priority of the Horse Cavalry Detachment. However, it is important that others remember the dedication it takes to uphold those traditions.
“The training develops both the riders and horses. Riding is not as simple as just jumping on the horse and going somewhere, there’s a lot to it, and most people don’t understand that,” said Minor.
| Date Taken: | 08.24.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 08.30.2023 13:38 |
| Story ID: | 452089 |
| Location: | TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 104 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, First Team Horse Cavalry Detachment Conducts Training, by SPC David Dumas, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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