Riding Troop

[Unknown C/S]

Do the Strat's still have the riding troop? Just curious due to tight budgets, army reorg, manning numbers. etc. Have not heard anything about them, or if they still exist.

(Wait a minute.....could be a viable mode of transport in mountainous Asian countries........... hmmmmmm.  >
- go anywhere mobility, cross country capable, swims, quiet, fuel efficient, no spare parts shortage, environmentally friendly, provides extra set of eyes & ears. (EMP proof) and not computer reliant-  yet smarter than the operator, can be recycled....sort of. An easy sell to the bean counters in Ottawa)

(sharpen up that lance TCBF, kind of takes you back to your Trooper days battling Boers  ;D)


Note: LdSH (RC) riding troop is a ceremonial troop that operates/performs on horseback and travels (limited) the country as goodwill ambassadors. It reflects the Armoured Regiments calvary roots.

 

[Caleix]

so um....what was the question? do we still have riding troop? I'm thinking yes for ceremonies....anyone care to enlighten this topic?


Caleix

 

[Unknown C/S]

Yes. The question is, have the Strat's kept the ceremonial riding troop? With all the belt tightning I always figured their days were numbered.



(The rest was a tongue-in-cheek cost saving measure by Ottawa to deploy mounted riders... :)

 

[George Wallace]

....anyone care to enlighten this topic?
Caleix

It is too early in the morning for an answer.  The Army of the West is still in bed.    ;D

 

[Caleix]

excellent observation...im sure if i was awake as well i could come up with something too lol

Caleix

 

[Unknown C/S]

GW,

Too early for me as well, pulled a night shift (as you can see by the time of the post) I'll wait and check back this evening. Besides if they still have the horses they'll be shovelling *#@*
Just curious

 

[Michael OLeary]

Is not the riding troop financed by non-public means?  It shouldn't be affected by internal CF cuts, other than OP or PERS tempo affecting the availability of troops.

http://www.strathconas.ca/smt_info.php

From the link, horses and uniforms are funded by the Ceremonial Mounted Troop Foundation, and remain Foundation property. However, some aspects of transport are publicly supported.

Who owns the horses?

The mounts of the Strathcona Mounted Troop are provided through the Ceremonial Mounted Troop Foundation, and remain Foundation property.  The mounts are neither purchased by nor maintained by the Canadian Forces or the Department of National Defense.

Does the Army issue the uniforms and equipment?

The uniforms, accoutrements (badges and buttons) saddles and tack are not the property of the Canadian Forces or the Department of National Defense.  These items are provided through the Ceremonial Mounted Troop Foundation, and remain Foundation property.  Neither the Forces, nor the Department provided replacement or maintenance.

How does the Strathcona Mounted Troop Travel?

Public support is provided in transporting the Strathcona Mounted Troop.  Personnel transport, support vehicles, and a tractor to haul the horse trailer are provided by the Edmonton Garrison.  The twenty-horse trailer purchased in 1998, however, was provided by the Ceremonial Mounted Troop Foundation with the assistance of the Wild Rose Foundation.

 

[Unknown C/S]

Within the Armoured Regiments, it commonly known that the LdSH troop is administered through non-public funds. As you stated soldiers being made available could be a different story. Op tempo combined with recruiting woes could potentially make this a raw nerve.
I always believed that it was and is a worthwhile endeavour. (just as ceremonial guards on Parliament hill the Citadel and snowbirds.)
Are they still functioning? Is there any negative feelings on the horizon? (ref: manning issues)

 

[George Wallace]

Although Tom wasn't really in the Riding Troop, one of his co-workers Chris was.  That may open opportunities for some of that 'Mounted' Trg to begin in Rainright.  With the amounts of Armd soldiers being posted out to CMTC Wainwright, we may be seeing new 'trends' developing for the Armd Corps.  Remember that American SF troops used horses and mules in Afghanistan, so a precedence has been set.   ;D

 

[Unknown C/S]

GW,
You mean Tom's first posting wasn't South Africa? And that scarf he wears was not knitted by Queen Victoria....................I'm shattered

 

[George Wallace]

Within the Armoured Regiments, it commonly known that the LdSH troop is administered through non-public funds. As you stated soldiers being made available could be a different story. Op tempo combined with recruiting woes could potentially make this a raw nerve.
I always believed that it was and is a worthwhile endeavour. (just as ceremonial guards on Parliament hill the Citadel and snowbirds.)
Are they still functioning? Is there any negative feelings on the horizon? (ref: manning issues)

I think that we are getting into a 'spider's web' when dealing with Ceremonial Uniforms.  We have talked about the Strats uniforms already, but the RCD uniforms are in a large part financed by the Guild, as I assume the RCR Association finance their Scarlets.  They are probably, in some way linked to NPF, but not for more than Insurance reasons.  They should fall under NPP, Non-Public Property.  They belong to the Unit, funded through finances raised from donations to the Unit Association/Guild/Foundation.  

When dealing with some of these matters the links become quite confusing at times.  DHH has a say, as the Uniforms must follow the designs and cuts of the "Sealed Pattern".  The Associations land up collecting 'Charitable Donations' to purchase the Uniforms and Equipment, and that involves Revenue Canada and all the legalities of 'Charitable Organizations'.  The Unit NPP will keep the Uniforms and Equipment on their 'DA' Account, which really isn't a DA at all under NPF.  Of course the weapons fall under the Unit DA.   The Pers are CF.  On and on.  It keeps the RAO and other accounting agencies on their toes.

Michael O'Leary is much more knowledgable on these matters than me, so I may have got some of the lines crossed or wrong.   :-[

PS

I think Tom was just a babe in the Woods outside Fort William at the time.  I think the scarf was a hand me down from his Uncle Bob, an old Finlander from Port Arthur.   ;D

 

[Unknown C/S]

I am trying to stay on the "rails" here. The question was in no way meant to get into a re-hash of public funds / non-public funds, uniforms, ceremonial kit etc. (MD took us down that lateral......)

The issue here, in an atmosphere of slicing resources pretty thin in the CF to maintain deployments etc. is:

a. Is the riding troop carrying on as normal?

b. Are there winds of change on the horizon as it becomes more difficult to justify maintaining the troop? (manpower)

Just as the Snowbirds came under fire for being a luxury (by the public) and, (I am out of my league here,) The naval gun run was scaled back. Is the Riding troop destined to be a piece of history or perpetuated by re-enactors in the future

(Joking aside, using horses as a long range recce or patroling has been used effectively by other forces, and may very well aid in operational taskings, and thus prolong the life of the riding troop as we know it)

 

[Gunner]

a. Is the riding troop carrying on as normal?

Yes, it is one of several demonstrations teams sanctioned by the army (2 RCHA Gun Run and Skyhawks be the other two).

b. Are there winds of change on the horizon as it becomes more difficult to justify maintaining the troop? (manpower)

For about 17PYs the army has an outstanding resource to tap into our western heritage.

 

[a_majoor]

The CMT is (or at least was, I could be out of date here) manned by members of the Regimental Recce Troop. Similarly, the Smowbirds also have (or at least had) a wartime operational tasking, which I believe had something to do with EW or SEAD (not attacking but rather acting as "cats paws" to decieve the enemy or force them to reveal themselves). Someone more current help me out here.

While you could make the case that high precision flying is a valuable asset in airforce EW and SEAD missions, the case for a mounted troop in wartime is a bit less clear, the CMT had some pretty fine looking "high performance" mounts back in the day, which might need a lot more maintainence than could be provided in the wilds of Afghanistan. If the CMT was mounted on those shaggy Mongolian ponies though....

 

[Gunner]

The CMT is (or at least was, I could be out of date here) manned by members of the Regimental Recce Troop.

It's "SMT" not "CMT".  Members are posted to the SMT, it is not a secondary duty.

Similarly, the Smowbirds also have (or at least had) a wartime operational tasking, which I believe had something to do with EW or SEAD (not attacking but rather acting as "cats paws" to decieve the enemy or force them to reveal themselves).

Must be a long time ago as they don't fly operationally capable aircraft.

Ceremonial and/or demonstration teams are there to "connect with canadians" and maintain our heritage.  There is no operational capability associated with them.

 

[GGHG_Cadet]

The Governor General's Horse Guards also have a Riding Troop. It isn't that big but they put on a good show.

 

[RangerRay]

The Governor General's Horse Guards also have a Riding Troop. It isn't that big but they put on a good show.

Really?  Do they perform duties similar to the Lifeguards and Blues and Royals in London?  Or are they more of a musical ride troop?

 

[Unknown C/S]

Gents,
  Can we keep the topic between the arc markers?

(The GGHG Ride is in no way comparable to LdSH Riding troop. Nuf said.)

 

[George Wallace]

I don't think that they have a 'Riding Troop' per say.  If I am correct, they have access to a couple of horses for Ceremonial Functions.

They don't serve the same function as does the LdSH (RC) Riding Troop, the Snow Birds, nor the 2 CMBG and Naval Gun Runs.  As such they don't really fall into the CF in any way shape or form, other than being 'rented' on an irregular to basis.

 

[Spr.Earl]

Any one watch on CBC about the training the Life Guards and Blues and Royals go through?
It was a 4 part documentary,takes the trooper's who are from the inner city,farms etc. and teaches them how to ride,jump,gallop,charge,everything a cavalryman need's to know,then their Uniform's.
Watch it if it comes on again,it's a good watch.
The programme is called: The Queens Cavalry.