Call to Arms:
How Reenactors Train a Civil War Cavalry Horse

On almost any weekend from April through the fall, you can visit a battlefield park or museum from Gettysburg on down through the South and travel back in time. The Civil War continues as reenactors recreate the events of the 1860s.

Most of the members of the various reenactment units are good amateur historians who enjoy telling spectators about life in the camps, how their weapons fire, and where their units saw action. There are marching drills, artillery demonstrations, and staged skirmishes.

Although spectators enjoy all that, the arrival of a mounted unit is sure to draw them away from the guns and campsites. Whether staging a cavalry charge, demonstrating mounted drills and maneuvers, or taking part in a battle, cavalry units are always the most popular draws.

Not all horses can handle cannons firing, banners waving, bugles sounding, and men rushing by as the scream the Rebel yell. It takes a lot of time and training to ready a horse for life as a four-footed reenactor.

Human reenactors are passionately dedicated to accuracy and authenticity, so it's no wonder that the breeds they choose as mounts are those that were used during the Civil War. Tennessee Walkers, Morgans, Quarter Horse types, and grade horses are the most popular and temperamentally suited breeds. Thoroughbreds and other warmbloods are usually too high-strung to adapt to the noise and confusion. Other breeds, like Trahkeners, might have the right temperament, but weren't around at the time.

A typical mounted reenactment unit is the First Maryland Cavalry. This is an unusual group, since they recreate almost any era of mounted cavalry, not just the Civil War. Their horses are trained for Napoleonic Wars through World War II mounted actions.

For the Civil War, they recreate part of Jeb Stuart's cavalry. They train and ride 'campaign style,' which means they carry everything they need for themselves and their horses. Fully kitted out, they carry carbines, sabers, canteens, sleeping rolls, and other equipment, all of it clanking and bumping as they ride.

During a battle, the horses have to adapt to other horses and riders galloping around them, gunfire sounding at point-blank range, and occasionally losing a rider when he's 'hit.'

As with any training, it starts very simply. Whenever possible, an experienced horse works beside a green one.

"It's really the best way to let a new horse know that everything is all right," says Ron Roberts, the Major and Commander of the Brigade. "There can be all kinds of confusion going on, but if the other horses are just standing there, then the new horse will probably do the same thing."

A lot of the confusion comes from sudden movements, so that's what Roberts concentrates on first.
"You first have to see how they handle things flapping around their heads - flags, sabers, and quick changes of scenery. If a horse can't handle that, you may as well quit right away and find another horse. He'll never handle the noise and excitement of battle."

To start, someone slowly waves a cloth or jacket at a mounted horse from 25 feet away. After a few minutes, the person approaches, still waving the cloth until the horse gets too nervous or the cloth is in front of the horse's face. Eventually, the cloth is placed over the eyes. The objective is to let the horse get used to the idea of being momentarily blinded by a flag or heavy smoke.

Saber training is similar. The rider slowly passes the saber on either side of the horse's head, in front of the eyes. Soon, the movement is faster and closer. After a while, a horse pays more attention to flies on its rump than to the cloth and saber.

Although that's pretty easy, getting a horse used to gunfire can be a very exciting experience, says Wayne Gregory, a Sergeant in the cavalry.

"You start with a percussion cap and a revolver. The charge makes no more noise than a child's cap gun, but if a horse isn't going to like that, you'll know it real soon."

Like other training, Gregory advises starting from a long distance away. A volunteer stands 30 or 40 feet away and fires the revolver away from the horse. If nothing happens, it's repeated until the gun is fired as close as 15 feet.

Now it gets even more interesting, according to Gregory. "You give the horse a lot of praise and hand the gun to the guy in the saddle, then get out of the way. He points the gun behind him and high and gets ready for anything. Then he fires. This is the first time the noise happens without the horse being able to see it and the first time the sound has been that close. If the horse is mellow, you repeat it, each time bringing the gun closer to the horse until you fire it right over his head."

That's the easy part. After all, a cap gun doesn't make all that much noise. A horse can get used to the 'pop' pretty easily. Now, the rider and volunteer start over, this time with a gun loaded with black powder, the sort of weapon and charge used in the reenactments.

The volunteer marksman starts much farther away and usually where he can dive for cover should the horse decide it doesn't like that much authenticity. If the horse doesn't mind the noise and smoke from a distance, he usually doesn't mind it closer, but if he'' spooked by that first blast of black powder, chances are he's not going to reenact the Civil War.

Training horses for saddle-to-saddle combat is yet another skill. Saber charges are practices with only a pair of horses at a time. They carefully walk around each other while men engage each other in a slow-motion fight. It's very slow and simple at first. Sabers are slowly waved and passed in front of the horses. Gradually, more horses are brought onto the scene ad the level of action is increased and sped up.

The wild, free-for-all charges seen in the movies aren't all that common in reenactments because of the danger of someone actually getting slashed by accident. But there is a lot of practiced, controlled chaos, with the clash and clang of metal, men yelling and sometimes firing weapons while the saber fight continues.

There's not a lot of training for jumping, although Roberts recommends it. He likes horses to be able to take a 2- to 3-foot barrier. He thinks it's a useful skill for both horse and rider, and something that is occasionally needed. Jump training is usually easier for the horses than for the riders, he notes, since few of the men have any English or hunt seat background.

When a new horse goes to a reenactment for the first time, he might not get much closer to the action than the spectators' parking lot. Staying near the sidelines with other horses is almost certainly what the rider will try to do. If the horse seems enthusiastic about the situation, the rider might get on the fringes of the battle, or carry messages from headquarters to other points. But the safety of other riders, mounts and reenactors is more important. No one will rider his horse into a situation where he isn't confident of his mount's reaction.

Finding the right riders is as important as finding the right horses. "There are two kinds of men who want to become cavalry reenactors," says Roberts.

"One is a horseman who hopes to become a reenactor. He already owns his horse and trailer and can ride. They tend to work out the best. The other is a reenactor who wants to join a cavalry unit. He usually doesn't have much riding experience."

"The skill of riding takes a lot of work. Just learning how to ride in formation, in the field, keeping up with the rest of the unit is a slow process. I tell people they have to ride at least once a week for at least a year to reach the minimal riding skills required."

There's also a large financial commitment. The saddle alone costs somewhere between $800 and $900. Don't think you can get away with what you ride for pleasure, either. Authenticity is paramount for reenactors. The saddles are carved beechwood. It's covered with rawhide that is sewn on when it is wet so that it tightens and hardens as it dries. It's designed for the comfort of the horse and for durability. Add on the authentic girth, breastplates, coat straps and other basics, and you're out about $1100. Your pistol, carbine, saber, and saber belt will put you back another $1100. Your basic uniform comes with a price tag of about $500.

But the reenactors stay enthusiastic about their hobby. They feel a great sense of duty to demonstrate the history of the times to people. And in so doing, says Roberts, "We do honor those men and horses."

To find a reenactor group near you, try an Internet search for "Civil War Reenactors." The author found more than 80 sites. Or contact the reference section of your local library for their list of groups and associations. Local parks and museums, particularly those with Civil War connections, are also good sources for information.
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