US Army Revamps Horse Funeral Program After Deaths, Invests $30 Million in Overhaul
The US Army restarted its horse-drawn caisson program at Arlington National Cemetery in 2025 after a two-year suspension following multiple horse deaths linked to poor living conditions. The Army invested approximately $30 million in facility upgrades, new equipment, revamped training protocols, and enhanced horse welfare measures, including placing a veterinarian in command of the unit. The changes aim to ensure both mission success and animal welfare while honoring fallen service members in one of the military's most sacred ceremonial traditions.
The US Army's Caisson Detachment, which transports fallen service members to their final resting places at Arlington National Cemetery, underwent a comprehensive rebuild after being suspended in 2023 due to horse deaths caused by unsanitary living conditions. The Army invested over $30 million in the revitalization effort, which included constructing new facilities, reducing the weight of caisson wagons from 2,800 to 1,205 pounds, and completely restructuring training and leadership. The program now requires soldiers to complete 12 weeks of basic horsemanship training followed by six weeks of advanced instruction, often starting with little or no prior horse experience. A veterinarian, Col. Jason Crawford, now commands the unit with an explicit mandate to prioritize horse welfare alongside mission completion. The training emphasizes precision, composure, and the ability to handle unexpected situations, culminating in a validation test before soldiers can participate in actual funeral ceremonies.
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What Army horse soldiers go through in Arlington funeral training
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Inside the Army's $30 million effort to revamp its funeral horse program after a series of horse deaths
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