Okay, here is a story to make you proud of animals. Reckless…the mare.
This horse was a pack horse during the Korean war, and she carried recoilless rifles, ammunition and supplies to Marines. Nothing too unusual about that, lots of animals got pressed into doing pack chores in many wars.
But this horse did something more….during the battle for a location called Outpost Vegas, this mare made 50 trips up and down the hill, on the way up she carried ammunition, and on the way down she carried wounded soldiers…
What was so amazing? Well she made every one of those trips without anyone leading her.
I can imagine a horse carrying a wounded soldier, being smacked on the rump at the top of the hill, and heading back to the “safety” of the rear. But to imagine the same horse, loaded with ammunition, and trudging back to the battle where
artillery is going off, without anyone leading her is unbelievable.
To know that she would make 50 of those trips is unheard of. How many horses would even make it back to the barn once, let alone return to you in the field one single time. So here is a clip of her story and photos to prove where she was and what she did….
She was retired at the Marine Corps Base in Camp Pendleton where a General issued the following order…she was never to carry any more weight on her back except her own blankets. She died in 1968 at the age of 20.
P.S. How bad was the battle for Outpost Vegas…..Artillery rounds fell at the rate of 500 per hour and only two men made it out alive without wounds. Just two. Reckless made it out too and she was wounded twice. She was decorated with the Purple Heart for her wounds in battle plus additional citation for service in Korea.
Visit the website dedicated to Reckless to learn more about this true American Hero.
Bob Burdekin grew up in the mid-western United States where his family raised Arabian horses. His first structured riding lessons began at the age of three to learn forward seat. This early love for horses solidified at the age of sixteen when he first began to learn the farrier's craft from former US cavalrymen.
A keen desire to expand his knowledge took Bob on a 40-year journey from Montana, across eleven western states and Canada, until finally settling in California. Along the way he learned pathological and corrective farrier skills from Scott Simpson (American Farriers Assoc.; inductee, Farriers' Hall of Fame); insights from Gene Overnick (developer of the Equine Digit Support System and creator of the Natural Balance shoe) and equine anatomy and physiology from noted veterinary specialists, Drs. Richard Scott, Bob Clark and Dean Essex.
In Canada, Bob was licensed to shoe Thoroughbreds at the racetracks in British Columbia, and all across Canada for Standardbred racing. There he met and was mentored by Bob Marshall, Sr. (a well known 3rd generation English farrier and father of noted farrier clinician Bob Marshall, Jr.). He also received additional training for work with hunter/jumpers and dressage horses from Kevin White, farrier for the Canadian Olympic Equestrian team. Bob was back-up farrier for Mr. White while he resided in Canada.
Upon returning to the United States, Bob was licensed by the California State Horse Racing Commission to work on race tracks throughout California. He was also on staff at UC Davis as the relief supervisor for the farrier staff at their veterinary medical teaching hospital.
Bob Burdekin's career has given him extensive experience in all facets of the horse industry. From backyard pleasure horses, cutters, reiners, 3-day eventers and dressage competitors to driving, halter and gaited horses, Bob has improved the comfort and performance of thousands of grateful horses.
Bob’s extensive knowledge base grew and expanded whenever he worked with horses, whether it be shoeing, ground work or riding. Bob made it his number one goal to learn to understand horses and learn what allowed them to become part of their society. Taking this approach allowed Bob into their world and an acceptance was realized that working with horses was learning their rules and learning to work within them.
Not satisfied with shoeing and corrective farrier work, Bob has devoted years to research and development of an educational program for horse owners, trainers, veterinarians and farriers to enable them to treat the whole horse with prevention of injuries and overall wellness in mind.
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