Veterans Equine Alliance

07/29/2026

Meditative munching

07/28/2026

Taking a break on school clothes shopping..,

07/27/2026

Awesome day with our younger grands! ❤️❤️🐎🐎

07/25/2026

Awesome time yesterday with the Grands! Can’t wait to have a day with them again!

07/22/2026

A quiet confidential conversation. One veteran to another. Your support is greatly appreciated.

07/16/2026

Your support of our work with veterans is deeply appreciated.

07/09/2026

Lottie now 6 years old.

07/09/2026

2023, Lottie is 3 yrs old.

07/08/2026

Sitting with the herd. Mesa and Corazón with gray fly masks. The other two are Reyna and Ro (herd alpha). The paint is Cochise and the bay is Starlight.

07/08/2026

This is fascinating…

Every year, the second week of July marks National Farriers Week, an event dedicated to honoring the equine specialists who help keep horses healthy through proper hoof care.

In the 19th and early 20th centuries, U.S. Army farriers were vital to the mobility of a horse-reliant military. They were responsible for trimming hooves and fitting horseshoes— duties that required both the fabrication skills of a blacksmith and a veterinarian's understanding of limb anatomy and physiology.

During World War I, farriers and horseshoers played a critical role in caring for the millions of horses, mules and donkeys deployed in the war effort. Because pack animals proved indispensable for transporting supplies, artillery and troops across war-torn and muddy terrain, they also became enemy targets. As a result, the non-combatant soldiers who cared for them could also find themselves in harm's way.

Despite their vital contributions during the Great War, technological advancements led to the phase out of the enlisted farrier military specialty by the beginning of World War II. The simultaneous evolution of cavalry troops from mounted to mechanized units further diminished the role of pack animals in a modern army. Yet, the U.S. Army's rich equine heritage continues to live on today through military working equid (MWE) programs at Fort Hood, Texas and Fort Riley, Kansas. The historical and cultural importance of horses in our country's military history was recognized when the U.S. Army introduced the Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) 08H, Army Equestrian, at the end of 2025.