Riding Halls & Other Horse Related Buildings

stablesgt
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Incredible! Is there anything that is not on the WWW. As you can see, from the exterior, it certainly fits the bill. No, the ghost didn't appear while I was getting examined for a hernia. But this does remind me of my favorite army story. We were sitting in rows of chairs waiting to be taken to the airport for a luxurious flight to exotic Ft. Jackson. I was about five rows back. The Gideons were passing out pocket size Bibles. They of course had started at the first row. They had gotten to my row when someone up front, who had been flipping thru the little book exclaimed: "It ain't got no pictures!".
Philip S
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Culver Military Academy claims to have the country's largest indoor riding hall:
http://www.culver.org/theacademies/pics ... anship.asp

Their webpage describes a fascinating horsemanship program based on cavalry traditions:
http://www.culver.org/students/special_ ... semanship/
Be sure to watch the movie!! I am amazed that such a place still exists.
Philip S
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I cann't find a picture of their old riding hall but here are some interesting links to a revival of interest in horse cavalry at Norwich University, VT:
http://www.rherald.com/News/2002/0307/F ... e/f08.html
If you look carefully, both horses appear to be wearing Phillips saddles:
http://www.norwich.edu/corps/cavalry.html
Tim Roth

It is interesting to consider these great old halls and of course sad to realize they are no longer being used as intended.

I realize it is not of a military nature, but the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 2002 spent 76.5 million dollars in upgrades at the State Farm Show Complex. Over half of that amount was spent on a new Equine hall and the attending barns etc. that were needed to support it. I am grateful that our state realizes that the equine industry is a viable part of our economy.

My company was fortunate to be asked to do the granite and tile work in this wonderful building for which we are honored.

The state police here also have a mounted unit but I'm not sure if this is their HQ's or not.There needs to be an official unit assigned to this facility. Perhaps other states should take up the mantle and recognize the usefulness of these magnificent old halls!

I also agree that riding is a better use of time than golf.[:)]
Philip S
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There was a strong cavalry connection to the PA Farm Show complex. The PA guard cavalry used to give exhibitions there. Cavalry officers also participated in the Fall Penn Nat'l Horse Show.
Pat Holscher
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<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Tim Roth</i>
<br />It is interesting to consider these great old halls and of course sad to realize they are no longer being used as intended.

I realize it is not of a military nature, but the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 2002 spent 76.5 million dollars in upgrades at the State Farm Show Complex. Over half of that amount was spent on a new Equine hall and the attending barns etc. that were needed to support it. I am grateful that our state realizes that the equine industry is a viable part of our economy.

My company was fortunate to be asked to do the granite and tile work in this wonderful building for which we are honored.

The state police here also have a mounted unit but I'm not sure if this is their HQ's or not.There needs to be an official unit assigned to this facility. Perhaps other states should take up the mantle and recognize the usefulness of these magnificent old halls!

I also agree that riding is a better use of time than golf.[:)]
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

While diverting somewhat, this post caused me to recall the story of our big arena and golf. No obvious connection, I'll grant you, but the politics of some sporting things are interesting.

Having not really been involved in it in any fashion, I may get some of this somewhat in error, but the general gist of this will be accurate anyway. Several years back our local Fair Board decided to build a big arena at the fair grounds. One of the purposes was to have a large public indoor riding arena, athough the building can be used for other purposes. The proposal was somewhat controversial, and there was even some public commentary basically slamming those who might want to ride indoors (mostly those involved in various rodeo type competitions) as a special interest group unfairly expecting taxpayer money, etc. Ultimately, however, the controversy sort of died down when the town started hosting the College National Finals Rodeo, and it became necessary to have the building. It is pretty nice. It's huge, and the riding space is very large, larger than the riding hall of the former 115th Armory. It also gets a lot of use. People rent it to practice riding, and various groups, like team ropers and Cowboy Action shooters, dog trial folks, etc. hold events there. So it is working out well (although it really echos, making watching a cowboy action shooting event rather painful).

At the same time all this was developing, the county was debating what to do with a large landspace vacated, and in need of reclamation from, an old refinery. Of course, after all the options were considered, the decision was made to build a golf course. Now, I have nothing against golf, mind you, but the lack of controversy is interesting. We have three golf courses already, and we aren't that big of town. And we are in the fourth year of a really bad drought, with the city threatening to ration water used for lawns every year. You'd think that the golf course would be controversial, but it wasn't

Really no point to this post (and I'm hoping to avoid floods of angry email from golfers). Just an interesting observation on what generates controversy, and what does not.

Pat
Tim Roth

I agree Pat that the politics of any public building is in itself an interesting study.

Consider the time frame when in the U.S.A. being identified with "war" became unpopular and we will probably see when many of these facilities fell into disrepair and alternative uses.

Even DuPont company changed their focus from munitions to an ever diverse field of manufacturing which gave us such wonderful scientific advances through their R&D.Of course all of that came through profits generated by their miltary connections.

I also am not anti-golf, but a pragmatic look does seem to indicate that the money will follow the politicians passions - how many of my senators and representatives play golf vs. how many are involved in equine activites? So it is no surprise when our public lands become golf courses - But I never had a golf club or golf ball give me that friendly "Let's Go" look that a horse will or willingly participate in the activity.
Kelton Oliver
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<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Tim Roth</i>
<br />
I never had a golf club or golf ball give me that friendly "Let's Go" look that a horse will or willingly participate in the activity.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

But then, I never whacked a horse with a golf club, either. If you were nicer to your clubs and balls, maybe they would be more willing! [;)]
Mike K.
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The old riding hall at Norwich U. was torn down a few years ago to make way for a new Hockey Arena. The old one had been the Hockey Arena for a number of years. The old stable adjacent to the riding arena is still there. For those who are not aware, NU is the oldest private military school in the US. I will try to post some photos of Norwich soon.
phill

As a young man I spent a lot of time at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in the 18 series barns. These were supposed to be the old home ofm the local cavalry guard unit. I took some pics. if I can verify the old stories will post them. I also have the manual and some pics. of one of the troopers.

Phill
Tim Holekamp
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I realize I am a bit slow in bringing this back up, but I am just now back from a weekend at Culver (Military) Academy in Culver, IN (about thirty miles or so south of South Bend) and wanted to throw in my two cents in addition to the very good info posted by Phil about the school and the program. My kids have been to their very successful summer camp program for about ten years and now my youngest is in her third year in the winterschool.
What is most noteworthy to those here is that Culver is more or less a final hold-out for what might be called the US Cavalry's horsemanship culture. I do now more fully realize that that is a moving target, as the "culture" changed almost continuously over time. What started it at Culver was the decision to purchase all the horses and most of the equipment of a reserve unit of horse soldiers in Cleveland back in the last decade of the 19th century. I believe they bought about forty horses, all of whom were black, thus leading to Culver's well-known Black Horse Troop, a unit of paraders comprised of the best students at the school. (I think it was Phil who pointed out a couple of years ago that the presence of a blackhorse unit in northern Indiana is a bit whacko historically, as black horses were strongly associated with the Army of the South.) Culver's Black Horse Troop has appeared in about a dozen Presidential Inaugural parades since then, including the last one. Since they have now a "sister" school, Culver Girls' Academy, there is a unit of girls as well (our daughter suffered through the eight hours of mounted waiting in the sleet-drenched streets of Washington, followed by a few minutes of true 1600 Pennsylvania Ave Glory two years ago).
The stable at Culver is definitely military. One huge room with about 100 open tie-stalls, tackrooms full of military and other saddles and other tack, and at least an attempt to keep alive the "little things" about how the cavalry did things. I imagine that there was little that changed after that 1890's purchase, so that may be when the Cavalry "culture" was set there. There is a great need for someone with a broad knowledge of US Cavalry history to go through Culver's relics and current scene to pin down just what is of considerable historical significance and what is not. Some of those things may be about to be put aside, I think.
The photograph of the outside of the riding arena that Phil linked to is better than the one I took yesterday to show you, so I won't bother to post it. They do indeed have one pretty phenomenal indoor. I paced it off at 300+ by 90 feet, with about a thirty foot ceiling. Makes a pretty doggone good venue for polo, and for many other things equine as well. Wonderful viewing bleachers for several hundred spectators too.
The parade units (BHT and Equestriennes) still do their thing well, but the big team sport there now is indeed Polo. The girls just finished second in the Interscholastic finals, ending up second in the nation behind a slightly better team from Baltimore (Garrison Forest). The level of play is right on the edge of equivalent to college polo, but not quite. Lack of experience means mallet skills are a very significant factor in outcome differences. The interesting thing is that generally the girls play a rougher version of the sport than boys, much more hard-knock contact, but slower ball motion, due to hitting strength differences. That means less speed in riding as well, giving more opportunity for "ride-off" contact. The boys do not like to scrimmage with the girls - they tend to get hurt...but as our Tori puts it, "They get over it."
To an increasing degree, good basic horsemanship is back in bloom there, with a lengthy course in equine science offered and selected by a fair number of students.
Culver enjoys a steadily increasing academic status (which in now pretty high, believe me), a slightly diminishing military emphasis (but very strong commitment to leadership training), and an alumni body that seems to be almost limitless in its willingness and ability to fund the school's progress. About 700 high school kids is the whole shootin' match in the winterschool, but there are 28 academic buildings on an 1800 acre campus. They just opened a 14 million dollar math/science building. And a 7 million dollar library about 8 years ago. There is talk about an even bigger re-infusion of $ to the riding program, but that amazing historical stable arrangement MAY get lost in the process. It remains to be seen where they go with regard to preservation of cavalry culture overall.
If anyone here develops a personal interest in this school and would like to know more, please feel free to contact me.
PS As a coincidental sidebar, I happened to have dinner two nights ago at Culver with the fellow who was the last person to "run" the polo program at the now-non-existent Armory in downtown Chicago, a delightful fellow named Les Johnson, who coaches a girls' polo club team in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Joseph Sullivan
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Interesting, and good to hear. My old military school, St. John's in Washington DC, not only went co-ed, it dropped the military pretty much completely as far as I can tell. Never had a horse program, though.

Joe
Philip S
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I haven't been able so far to find a good picture of the now razed Commonwealth Armory in Boston but his little article mentions it and has a nice description of horse sharing amongst Nat'l Guard units:
http://www.capecodonline.com/year2000/voices502.htm
Philip S
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I am not quite sure, but this appears to be the armory of the SECOND Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry:
http://syserver.library.drexel.edu/serv ... rmory.html
Pat Holscher
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Since this topic came up I'd become curious if F.E. Warren AFB in Cheyenne might have an old riding hall, but given the current emergency I didn't think I'd probably get in the front gate with "I want to look at your riding hall" as an excuse.

Turns out they did have one, as it is mentioned in a book I picked up today. I've even been in it, but didn't realize that is what it had been. The riding hall was build in 1908 and was supposedly the biggest in the West at that time. It was capable of handling a maneuvering a squadron at the time it was built. It was also used for children's riding lessons, for post children, on Saturday mornings.

When I was in it it was the post commisary. The text of the book I picked up indicated that they quite using it as a commissary in 1987, and that was converted into a recreation facility, featuring tennis courts and a running track. If I can find a picture of it, I'll post it.

Pat
Philip S
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A link to a picture and memories of the Essex Troop armory in Newark, NJ:
http://www.oldnewark.com/memories/rosev ... neshoe.htm
Philip S
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Two interesting cavalry armory castles:
Staten Island, NY:
http://www.dupontcastle.com/castles/siarmory.htm
Tacoma, WA:
http://www.theolympian.com/home/news/20 ... _ARC.shtml
Philip S
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An interesting story about the dedication of a memorial plaque to the Delavan Armory in Buffalo, NY after its demolition in 1999:
http://www.canisius.edu/newsevents/july ... elavan.asp
Pat Holscher
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<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Philip S</i>
<br />Two interesting cavalry armory castles:
Staten Island, NY:
http://www.dupontcastle.com/castles/siarmory.htm
Tacoma, WA:
http://www.theolympian.com/home/news/20 ... _ARC.shtml

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

Castle armories seem to have been surprisingly popular. Here's a Canadian example:

http://www.canadacastle.hpg.ig.com.br/M7_en.htm

Pat
Pat Holscher
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There's an old riding hall in here somewhere. Campbell Barracks in Germany, formerly a German Kaserne:

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ ... ll-bks.htm

Another look at Campbell Barracks, with a photograph of mounted German troops at the time the Kaserne was opened.

http://www.vcorps.army.mil/www/organiza ... mpbell.htm

In looking at this topic, I found some information on the Prinz Heinrich Kaserne, also used by the US Army, in Bavaria. It's riding hall is now the mess hall. Hmmm. . ..

Pat
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