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11/17/10, 04:49 PM
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Farm Goddess
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Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 261
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He's Coming!!!
MWH Bullet (Old Guard Caisson Platoon) is on his way!!!  I'm very excited! He'll be here tomorrow afternoon. The haulers are totally in love with him. They said he jumped on board, unloaded once so they could pick up another horse, was super easy to walk around, ate some grass, and hopped right back on the trailer like "Ok, where to now?"  Good to know my new boy is a gentleman even in unfamiliar surroundings!
Any tips for how long I should wait before I take the first ride? I want him to be comfortable - I've never gotten a horse from hundreds of miles away, only moved my own.
Side note, Heinz Co. wanted to adopt Justin and Gordy back (the only two Heinz horses available from the platoon) but it looks like they were unsuccessful. 
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11/17/10, 08:48 PM
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Animal Addict
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Maryland
Posts: 12,211
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May I suggest getting that camera warmed up NOW, because we will be on strike til we see pics.
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Becky
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11/17/10, 09:49 PM
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Just living Life
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Join Date: May 2002
Location: Now in Virginia
Posts: 8,277
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Sounds like a really wonderful horse, can't wait to see photos!
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Shari
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11/17/10, 09:56 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Idaho
Posts: 322
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This post is worthless without PICTURES!!!!! lol. just kidding. Very happy for you. I haven't moved horses any longer distance than from one end of town to the other, but I was riding the next day. My sister has moved them all over the country. I think she gave them around three days or so to settle in?
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11/18/10, 09:45 AM
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 703
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Oh, this is so cool! I can't wait to see pictures. Lots of pictures.
I used to live up in that area and we would go visit the barn when I was kid. We could get in to do that because my dad was military. It was such a nice barn. It had the old cobbled floors, clean as a whistle, everything polished, and the horses were so nice. Black Jack was still alive way back then.
You shouldn't have to wait too long to be able to get on him. They don't take those horses unless they are bombproof to start with. They have to be used to all sorts of strange things happening.
Again, I cannot wait for pics.
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11/19/10, 08:36 AM
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Farm Goddess
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Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 261
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I wanted to take pics when he arrived yesterday but they got there after dark!!! AND I have to work til after dark today! GAH!!!
Bullet is bigger than I remember and totally PERFECT in every way. He's just a big sweetheart! The guys opened the trailer and he was asleep; opened his eyes when they untied him like, "oh, are we here?" They didn't want to leave him, kept going on and on about how good and easy he was and how they'd love to take him if I didn't want him. Yeah, right!
Bullet was not at the training barn where I'd ridden him in August. The Old Guard had taken him to Arlington to be retired in style. His mane and (short) tail were silky and flowing, his shoes had been pulled, he was bathed and show sheened within an inch of not smelling like a horse, and his lead rope was PRISTINE snow white. The haulers got there at 7am to avoid DC traffic but were delayed 2 hours, so the platoon gave them a full tour of the Caisson barns. (One of those barns was just renovated to the tune of $5mil. It has, as Stonybrook said, the original cobbled floors AND original wooden beams! It did not have a good fire suppressant system. Now there are 4 inch water pipes running throughout and the entire barn can be soaked by pressing a button.) Then the platoon gathered around so all the soldiers could say goodbye to Bullet. Many gave him hugs. I didn't get a horse, I got an icon!
The board that convened had only one caisson rep. They graded each applicant on a scale from 1-134 (why 134??). My application was unanimously approved and I got 4/6 scores of 134. The DOD thinks I'm an A+! Heinz was considered in the adoption process - they wanted to retire Justin and Gordy on a large farm - but the Army ultimately decided both horses were young enough they'd have a better life being privately owned and ridden.
I feel like a 7 year old with her first pony, only he's a giant war horse!  Looking at him it's easy to imagine the terror of infantry as his ancestors levaded or caprioled to get themselves and their riders out of danger! I measured his withers last night and am hoping to pick up a saddle tomorrow. Needless to say, there will NOT be any swinging up to ride bareback! (It'd make for some funny youtube vids though!) I'll post pics ASAP!!
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11/19/10, 11:20 AM
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Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Ocala, FL
Posts: 3,540
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I will gladly pitch in to get you a camera with a FLASH!!!!! I sooooooo want to see this guy! 
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...'o shame on the mothers of mortals, who have not stopped to teach; of the sorrow that lies in dear, dumb eyes; the sorrow that has no speech... from -'Voice of the Voicless', Ella Wheeler Wilcox
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11/19/10, 08:51 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 703
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Maddiequus
Bullet was not at the training barn where I'd ridden him in August. The Old Guard had taken him to Arlington to be retired in style. His mane and (short) tail were silky and flowing, his shoes had been pulled, he was bathed and show sheened within an inch of not smelling like a horse, and his lead rope was PRISTINE snow white. The haulers got there at 7am to avoid DC traffic but were delayed 2 hours, so the platoon gave them a full tour of the Caisson barns. (One of those barns was just renovated to the tune of $5mil. It has, as Stonybrook said, the original cobbled floors AND original wooden beams! It did not have a good fire suppressant system. Now there are 4 inch water pipes running throughout and the entire barn can be soaked by pressing a button.) Then the platoon gathered around so all the soldiers could say goodbye to Bullet. Many gave him hugs. I didn't get a horse, I got an icon!
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I can't wait to see pictures of him. Those guys at those barns love what they do. They get up way early every morning and work all day long in all types of weather. They love those horses and it shows. I can't imagine them sending him without every single hair in place. Yes, you did get an icon.
I know you feel privileged to have him at your place, and well you should. He has helped bury many of our veteran's in honor.
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11/20/10, 12:48 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Earth-;D
Posts: 534
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I cannot wait for pics!
__________________
There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for a man-Winston Churchill
Your true character is what you are when nobody is looking. 
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11/20/10, 05:05 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 703
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Pictures? 
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11/20/10, 06:28 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Ocala, FL
Posts: 3,540
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<wimper>
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...'o shame on the mothers of mortals, who have not stopped to teach; of the sorrow that lies in dear, dumb eyes; the sorrow that has no speech... from -'Voice of the Voicless', Ella Wheeler Wilcox
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11/20/10, 06:39 PM
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Animal Addict
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Maryland
Posts: 12,211
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I am on strike. I will no longer read, post or even think about horses, in fact I will not even feed my own, until I see pics.
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Becky
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11/22/10, 10:14 AM
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Farm Goddess
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Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 261
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Oh gosh, you guys are gonna love me now...I don't know how to post photos!!! However...I did give Bullet a whole page of his own on my website! Enjoy!
http://www.ballyhoofarm.weebly.com
PS - I know my place looks AWFUL, we haven't had but 2 days of rain in 6 months. The pond is down 10 feet. Also, I got him running yesterday and MAN, I'd never seen that much muscle ripple! The Thoroughbreds beat him in pasture races, of course, but I think he had fun cutting loose. Welcome to retirement, buddy.
Last edited by Maddiequus; 11/22/10 at 10:16 AM.
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11/22/10, 10:25 AM
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Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Ocala, FL
Posts: 3,540
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 Finally! <yeay!!> He looks soooo sweet. Now you can truely say you have a bomb-proof horse!
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...'o shame on the mothers of mortals, who have not stopped to teach; of the sorrow that lies in dear, dumb eyes; the sorrow that has no speech... from -'Voice of the Voicless', Ella Wheeler Wilcox
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11/22/10, 03:18 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Earth-;D
Posts: 534
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I am so jealous! HE is AWESOME!
__________________
There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for a man-Winston Churchill
Your true character is what you are when nobody is looking.
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11/22/10, 03:24 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 334
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He looks extremely happy. I'm glad he has a great home to retire too.
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11/22/10, 04:57 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Austin-ish, Texas
Posts: 5,000
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I am living vicariously through you
SO happy for you that you have the honor of providing a retirement home for one of these most special horses.
I'm tearing up just thinking about it.
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"Perhaps I'll have them string a clothesline from the hearse I am in, with my underwear waving in the breeze, as we drive to the cemetary. People worry about the dumbest things!"
by Wendy
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11/22/10, 06:16 PM
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Animal Addict
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Maryland
Posts: 12,211
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Am I allowed to ask how much the adoption fee was, or is that really bad taste?
He is very handsome.
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Becky
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11/23/10, 08:58 AM
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Farm Goddess
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Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 261
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He's my giant puppy!! Love him so much!
beccachow, prepare to hate me..... *drumroll* He was FREE!! This was the first time they offered caisson horses to the public; I expect it'll be pretty successful and they'll do it again. Go on and get you one! 
One thing I realized the other day...last year we got snowed in, and now I have a horse I could ride or drive to the store (yippee!!). I was gloating because, with it being hunting season, he's fleabitten grey and pretty dang hard to mistake for anything (except maybe the StayPuff marshmallow guy from Ghostbusters)! Then I thought of riding him down a snowy road...I'll be invisible! Time to buy some bright orange hunting gear! lol
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11/23/10, 10:20 AM
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Uber Tuber
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Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Southern Taxifornia
Posts: 6,287
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He beautiful and sounds like a wonderful and stable boy!
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I yam what I yam and that's all what I yam.
Popeye
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