Legendary Arlington caisson horse adopted by Zebulon family
Klinger, a black Percheron horse who served with the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment Old Guard Caisson Platoon for 20 years, has retired and been adopted by the Turner family.
Posted — UpdatedYour browser doesn't support HTML5 video.
The only thing more impressive than his size is his story.
"Their day is normally four funerals a day. They start at 4 in the morning and its like a 12- or 14-hour day," Lee Turner said.
"My daughter Olivia and my wife and my other daughter Chelsea, we all started looking around and adopting, rescuing animals and bringing them here," Lee Turner said.
The Turners showed horses at the world level, competing all over the country for years.
"One of my friends that shows horses with me was in the service and she shared on Facebook about a year ago and I saw it and just brought it to my parents and said this is something we should look at doing," Olivia Turner said.
She started the application process, which included someone from the Army coming to check out their farm.
All of that is because of his service to the T.A.P.S. Program which works with survivors of soldiers killed in action.
The Turners first saw the gentle giant when they went to Arlington for his retirement ceremony. He became fast friends with the youngest member of the family--Chelsea Jones' son Rhett.
Dozer was too small to march in the caisson unit but served as a training horse during his career.
Now, they are settling into life at a slower pace.
"We just wanted to give these horses that gave so much of themselves for how many years they've been with the Army a place where they aren't asked to do anything but be pets," Olivia Turner said.
His first event at their farm, Barristers' Barnyard, is on Saturday from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. There will be vendors and a raffle to benefit the T.A.P.S. Program.
• Credits
Copyright 2024 by Capitol Broadcasting Company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.