When the Caisson Detachment of the Army’s 3^rd Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) takes part in a state funeral, it is the most important of their missions and the culmination of years of training.

On January 7 the famed caisson horses returned after an 18-month suspension of their program to escort the body of former President Jimmy Carter to the U.S. Capitol. The soldiers had been rehearsing this ceremony with their charges for months, and the somber procession was everything it should be.

According to the Caisson Detachment webpage of the Joint Task Force-National Capital Region/U.S. Army Military District of Washington, traditional caisson support for funerals at Virginia’s Arlington National Cemetery remains suspended for now due to the ongoing overhaul of the caisson horse program. However, this very special procession offered a glimpse at some of the positive changes underway.

Improving welfare standards

The caisson horses are now said to enjoy “first-class care and conditioning” at a Loudoun County, Virginia facility that is newer and more spacious than their previous digs at the old Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall.

For the procession, they sported redesigned, custom-fitted saddles and drew a modified caisson that is reportedly much lighter than those previously used (designed like traditional artillery wagons, caissons carry the caskets in military and state funerals).

The horses were also handled by soldiers with enhanced training, thanks in part to input from Olympic equestrian David O’ Connor.

Iconic tribute

The use of a ceremonial horse-drawn caisson in a funeral procession is one of the most iconic and meaningful tributes a nation can pay to a citizen who has served it well.

According to the Caisson Detachment webpage, it is “authorized for military funeral honors with escort for all Medal of Honor recipients, those who were prisoners of war (POWs) or who were killed in action (KIA), officers O-4 and above, and service members who attained the most senior enlisted and warrant officer ranks. The caisson is also authorized for all state funerals.”

This tradition echoes the historic wartime use of the artillery wagon to both deliver supplies to the front lines and return with the dead and wounded. The Caisson Detachment assumed the role of escorting our nation’s fallen to their final resting places at Arlington National Cemetery when the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) was reactivated at Fort Myer in 1948. The oldest active-duty infantry unit in the Army, the Old Guard serves as the Army’s official ceremonial unit, as well as escort to the president. Fort Myer, now part of Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, is located adjacent to Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia and across the Potomac River from the nation’s capital. 

Caisson teams and squads

A complete caisson team consists of seven horses: three pairs and one additional ridden horse known as the section horse. 

Following the caisson near the rear of a state funeral cortege is a single caparisoned horse, another ancient and very symbolic tradition.

This riderless horse is outfitted with a cavalry saddle, a sword and boots placed backwards in the stirrups, representing the soldier who will no longer ride in the brigade. 

Most of the horses used for funeral processions are dark-colored, but they can be either matched grays or blacks.

According to its webpage, the Caisson Detachment currently maintains 43 horses divided into three squads of 11 horses each: six wagon horses, one section horse, one caparisoned horse and several alternates.

No more neglect

There were once up to eight horse-drawn funeral services at Arlington National Cemetery every day, according to Stars and Stripes. However, in 2023, the Old Guard horses were found to be suffering from various health problems due to age, overwork, poor nutrition, unsanitary conditions and insufficient veterinary care. Amid the neglect, two horses were euthanized within days of each other due to gut impactions that may have been preventable. The horses’ traditional equipment was also deemed antiquated, their historic stable cramped and in disrepair, and their manure-filled turnout space limited, with little grass.

Since the suspension of the caisson horse program and the resulting reassessment due to these findings, Army staff have been working with experts to restore the Old Guard’s status as an elite unit of which the nation can be proud. Their emphasis is now on equine health, as well as the training and certification of the soldiers handling these special horses.

According to the Caisson Detachment’s webpage, more than 40 horses were retired from the program this past year; many of them were reportedly adopted by a private citizen and now live in Florida. New horses have been procured on the advice of Jim Westbrook, an expert on carriage and wagon driving who was hired as a consultant by the Army. And a new instruction protocol has been developed to bring the Caisson Detachment soldiers’ skills up to modern horsemanship standards.

‘Unique mission’

“The team has worked with some of the most renowned names in the equestrian community in preparation for the state funeral and their future support to ceremonies in Arlington National Cemetery,” reads the Caisson Detachment’s webpage. “The soldiers are first selected after an initial assessment to determine proper fitness and mentality. They then proceed to the 12-week Basic Horsemanship Course, which was created under the supervision and direction of Olympic gold medalist David O’Connor …”

“The riders are then paired with their horses for additional training here in Northern Virginia before heading to Ocala, Florida, for six weeks of immersion training,” the webpage continues. “While in Ocala, the squad works with a team of hand-selected trainers from around the world who specialize in every aspect of the required skillsets necessary for Caisson’s unique mission. Additionally, the team receives continuous training here in Virginia with the trainers to maintain proficiency and build upon the foundation established in Florida.”

The future

So, what next? According to a December 18 report in Stars and Stripes, the Caisson Detachment is expected to resume its regular schedule at Arlington National Cemetery as soon as is practicable under the Honoring Our Heroes with Dignity Act. This amendment was included in the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal 2025 and was approved by both the House and Senate.

The bill reportedly instructs the Secretary of the Army to complete renovations to the historic stables at Joint Base Myer–Henderson Hall. It also tasks the Army with ensuring adequate training of the horses’ handlers and establishing safeguards for the horses’ well-being, processes apparently already underway. In addition, it is said to call for the establishment of a fourth squad of caisson horses.

According to the Caisson Detachment webpage, there are still additional “conditions outstanding” that prevent the resumption of funeral support at this time. However, according to a December 20 article in SuchArmy, the Army may “proceed with limited caisson services even before fully meeting these benchmarks,” provided they can confirm the health of their horses and keep congressional committees informed of their status.

Jimmy Carter would no doubt be proud.

To read bios of the current Caisson Detachment soldiers and caisson horses, visit: https://jtfncr.mdw.army.mil/Caisson-Detachment/.

NOTE: Screenshots from ABC News live coverage of funeral procession