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NEWS

The Norwich Guidon
Feb. 26, 2004

Two cavalry horses put down because of illness

By Kylee Dalmata
Norwich Guidon Managing Editor

Kathleen Donovan, a member of the Norwich Cavalry, is seen here with Jedson, one of the two horses which had to be put down this week because of illness.

In 1948, the last of the Army horses assigned to Norwich University were led away. The Corps of Cadets, then all troopers, could do nothing but watch as the animals, which had taught them to ride and shown them what it meant to be a cavalryman, were taken away and shot.

Since then, Norwich has been an infantry school, but the cavalry tradition remains, containing all that continues to make cavalry a breed apart.

“Working with horses is an experience that cannot be easily explained,” said Kathleen Donovan, a junior communications major who is the platoon sergeant for the Norwich Cavalry. “Working with the cavalry horses goes even beyond that.”

Sadly, two of the Cavalry’s horses had to be put down this week because of illness and age.

Norwich does not own any horses, but rents them from Phoenix Stables, a rescue barn in Williamstown. Phoenix Stables gives a home to horses that often have nowhere else to go, and turns these animals, many previously abused, into cavalry mounts, according to Deb Brown, owner of Phoenix Stables.

The uniqueness of the Horses at Phoenix Stables encourages a great deal of personal attention from the troopers. Trusting a horse to not throw the rider in the middle of a parade while they are holding a saber takes a lot of work.

Troopers are taught early in their training that their primary weapon is not the saber or rifle, but their horse. This knowledge creates a bond and a partnership that runs very deep.

Anyone who has ever had a pet would understand a part of the bond that forms with these animals, and anyone who has ever had to watch that pet die would likewise understand part of what the Norwich Cavalry troop went through this past week.

On Monday, the stable was forced to put down one of its horses due to a sudden medical condition, called a twisted gut, that would have killed the horse within hours.

On Friday, troopers spent hours helping to walk another horse that had suddenly taken sick. The horse, Jedson, was taken to a veterinary hospital in Milton, Vt., on Saturday morning. On arrival, he was diagnosed with toxic levels of poison from a ruptured intestine and had to be put down.

Jedson’s death was devastating to the stable and the troop. Not only was this the second death that week, but Jedson was one of the six horses that made up the cavalry parade team. Without him, the troop, still struggling to make a mark on campus, will be hard-pressed to find a horse suited to parade duty. According to Donovan, Jedson was one of the more challenging animals to work with, but made up for it by caring so much for his rider.

“It’s a hard thing to have to live with, making that kind of decision to put a friend down,” Brown said. “But Jedson was 38; that’s 89 in human years, and he had a great time here. We couldn’t let him suffer after everything he’d done for us.”

The Norwich Guidon is a twice-monthly student newspaper distributed at Norwich University. It provides laboratory experience for students in the Communications program. Claims asserted by letter writers, editorials and other articles do not represent the positions of Norwich University. The Norwich Guidon welcomes signed letters to the editor. They should be no longer than 300 words. Unsigned letters will not be printed, but names may be withheld upon worthy request. All letters are subject to editing for length and good taste. Mailing address: The Norwich Guidon, Communications Center, Norwich University, Northfield, VT 056632. www.norwich.edu/guidon. If you have any questions or comments about the paper, please contact Professor Ken Bush at kbush@norwich.edu.