Photo courtesy Quartermaster Museum

The procurement and training of horses and mules for military use was the function of the Quartermaster Corps from 1775 to 1957. 

The U.S. Remount was an organization formed in 1920 to promote the breeding of suitable horses for the Cavalry. The idea was that the Remount would provide stallions to individual breeders to use in the upgrading of their own stock. Generally, the fillies would be kept by the breeders, and the colts would be available for purchase by the Army.

The vast majority of the stallions used by this program were Thoroughbreds. Morgans, Saddlebreds, Standardbreds, Arabians, and a few other breeds were also used, but probably 80 to 90% of the stallions were Thoroughbreds. Most were 'second-line' runners, who might not have been used for breeding for racing, but were felt to be useful for breeding, not racehorses, but light riding and work horses. Thus, you don't see many big stakes winners, but sound, well built horses.

In tracing the events that led up to the organization of the Remount Service, it seems desirable, purely as an historical recital, to state briefly the efforts made by the authorities of the War Department during a long period of years to establish some central agency to supervise matters pertaining to the supply of suitable remounts for the Army.

In The Beginning
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The procurement and training of animals for military use has been a function of the Quartermaster Department since its inception in 1775.  Animals were used for transporting supplies and men prior to the use of motor vehicles. At that time, transportation overland meant movement by horses, mules, and oxen. The purchase or hiring of horses and wagons, and finding forage for the animals, were major headaches for the early Quartermaster Generals.

The first Quartermaster General, General Thomas Mifflin, told Congress in 1776 that to perform his mission he would need: "200 wagons with four horses each, 50 ox teams with two oxen each; and 50 drays with, one horse each, besides 100 strong horses for the artillery, and 50 for expresses and commissary."

In 1778, Congress adopted General Mifflin's plan for reorganization of the Quartermaster Department and included "a commissary of forage" and "a commissary for horses and wagons" as two of the major officials.

Remount Service
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large numbers of animals were delivered to freight cars 
for overseas duty during the First and Second World Wars

"It is believed that the results contemplated in providing for open market purchases at posts can best be obtained and the greatest advantages thereof secured to both horse raisers and the Army by the establishment of a remount service, to be a separate division of The Quartermaster General's Office, designated 'Remount Division,' and under charge of an officer of the Quartermaster's Department, specially selected by the Secretary of War, on the recommendation of The Quartermaster General of the Army, who would supervise all purchases of animals.

"There should be a main office (headquarters) located in The Quartermaster General's Office, and three or more remount depots, to be properly organized, located, and equipped, and the same number of remount districts; all to be under supervision and control of the officer in charge of the remount division and subject to his inspection. To each of the three or more remount depots would be assigned a remount district, and each depot and its tributary districts would be in charge of an officer of the Quartermaster's Department, preferably detailed from the cavalry or field artillery and especially adapted for this duty. Each depot would be provided such employees and equipment as needed to perform its functions.

"Under the supervision of the officer in charge of the remount division, the officer in charge of each remount depot would have control of all matters pertaining to the management thereof, and be accountable and responsible for all animals, supplies, property, and funds necessary to the successful operation of the depot.

"He would personally superintend the care and handling of the horses under his charge, and see to it that the horses were well fed and cared for, gently and kindly handled at all times, and properly exercised and broken.

"When directed by proper authority, he would purchase young horses, to conform with specifications, within the district assigned to his remount depot, to which they would be shipped.

"He would be required to acquaint himself with, and keep a record of, the number and class of horses, how bred (if possible), by whom owned, where located, and generally complete data of the horse and mule production of his district, and be prepared to direct a purchasing officer, or to go himself, to the place most suitable for the establishment of sub-depots in case of an emergency, and where the best horses could be found."

Maj. Gen. James B. Aleshire, then Quartermaster General
Report for the Fiscal Year 1907

In 1908, Congress authorized the Remount Service, which was to procure horses, condition them, provide initial training, and issue them to using units. Before that time, horses and mules for Army use had been purchased by the Quartermaster Department under contract after advertising for bids. This practice had been quite unsatisfactory in terms of getting a number of older horses, many in poor physical condition. The first remount depot was at Fort Reno, Oklahoma.  The Front Royal, Virginia, Depot was opened in 1911.

The principle function of the Remount Service during peacetime was to procure, process, train, and issue horses, mules, and dogs (1942-1948) for military use and to train personnel in animal management. It was also responsible for purchase of forage for these animals. 

The Breeding Program
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Morgan stallion Ulysses foaled in 1927 at the government farm. 
Donated by the Bureau of Animal Industry to the Remount Program

In April, 1918, a plan for the breeding of a suitable type of cavalry horse was submitted to the Secretary of War by The Quartermaster General and approved on May 15, 1918.  This plan authorized the Remount Service, in cooperation with the Bureau of Animal Industry, to obtain as many stallions as were required from interested Owners or horse breeding associations either by donation or purchase and to transport selected mares to the existing permanent remount depots for breeding.

Thirty-nine thoroughbred stallions were secured-four by purchase, the balance by gift. Approximately 1,500 mares were shipped for breeding purposes to the Remount Depots at Front Royal, Virginia, Fort Reno, Oklahoma, and Fort Keogh, Montana. However, an examination of the mares selected in 1918 clearly showed that a great many of them were unsuitable to breed to light stallions and it was decided that the maintenance "of this number of mares was too extensive a project and too expensive for the Government to undertake. As a result of this the Army breeding plan as it is known was evolved

Yearlings, Fort Robinson Remount Depot, taken September 20, 1932
Photo courtesy Nebraska State Historical Society

The plan provided substantially for the placing of suitable light sires at breeding centers throughout the country at the service of farmers and breeders willing to raise riding horses of the required quality and who are located in communities where suitable mares are available. This service is furnished at a nominal fee. Stallions are delivered at Government expense to local agents who arrange for service and collect the fee there for. A local horseman or farmer of good standing interested in breeding is usually selected as agent.

The success of the breeding plan was due in no small measure to the material support given by the horsemen and horsewomen of the United States in every section and on all occasions.

1930 - Sundance F500. In 1937 an agent of the government to use as a rehabilitation stallion out of the Colorado Springs Remount Station. Sundance was chosen to be used on saddle-type mares after the government agent and John Whisanad had inspected many stallions of other breeds. The agent felt that Sundance was "...the best all around saddle-type stud they had seen." ~ Chico the dam of Sundance F 500 was a black appaloosa with dapples spots from Navajo Indian Stock. "Wyoming leopards : this group of leopards horses claim such descendants as Sundance F 500, Ben Lowe, Bambi E, Sunspot Revel and a host of modern show winners. This colorful group of leopard spotted Appaloosas are merely descendants of Chief Joseph's Stock that the army dispersed in this area following the Nez Perce surrender in October of 1877." source The Complete Book of the Appaloosa by Jan Haddle (First Edition)

 For the purposes of breeding and purchasing operations, the United States was divided into geographical regions each with a Remount Depot. At the beginning of World War II there were seven depots, but reduction in need resulted in six locations by 1944 Front Royal, Virginia; Lexington, Kentucky; Sheridan, Wyoming; San Angelo, Texas; Colorado Springs, Colorado; and Pomana, California. The Pomana depot was donated to the Army by W. C. Kellogg, a fancier of Arabian horses. Mr. Kellogg hoped that the Army would continue his efforts to perpetuate good Arabian stock.

The Remount Service performed several functions in the area of horse breeding. The breeding farms were selected as carefully as the animals themselves. Civilian breeders contracted with the Army to breed horses. Records indicate that the Army purchased approximately 75% of the foals resulting from the breeding program, although it assumed no responsibility to purchase foals or pay expenses related to the care and maintenance of breeding stock. The Army horse breeding plan continued throughout World War II. Approximately 39,000 foals were produced during the war years. In 1948, congress transferred the breeding program to the Department of Agriculture. The breeding program was discontinued in 1949 and the remaining stock and equipment was sold by the Department of Agriculture.

The Remount Service's principle functions during war were to supply replacement riding horses and the draft animals required to haul ammunition, water, food, and heavy artillery and to evacuate the wounded. Motorization and mechanization in the 1930s reduced the need for animals, but did not make them completely obsolete.

The Remount was closed down in a series of steps, starting soon after World War II. Eventually, most of the stallions were sold to the public and the various depots and other effects were turned to other uses by the Army.

Stud books may list the dam as "mare by Govt. horse" - which means a Remount stud.

Sources:
Notable Quarter Horse Sires by Phil Livingston
Dr. Theodore H. Reed, Director of the National Zoo
Sundance 500 International
The Story of Sundance F-500 by Mary Manley
Archives of the U.S. Army Quartermaster Museum, Fort Lee, Virginia by K. M Born who supplied the following sources:
The Remount Service Past and Present By Major A. A. CEDERWALD, QM-Res. The Quartermaster Review – November-December 1928
Compiled and Researched by Christy E.