Notable Horses
Copyright © White House Historical Association. All rights reserved under international copyright conventions. No part of this article may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Requests for reprint permissions should be addressed to books@whha.org
Gallery
-
This photograph of President Theodore Roosevelt on Bleistein was one of a series of twelve taken in 1902 as he took the horse over a variety of jumps. Roosevelt declared that the photograph was "the best picture I ever had taken or expect to have taken," and he gave copies to members of his cabinet.
Library of Congress -
President Zachary Taylor, a general known as Old Rough and Ready " during the Mexican American War, appears on his war horse Old Whiter in this Currier and Ives print. The scene depicted is the battle of Buena Vista in 1847.
N. Currier (Firm) -
Archie Roosevelt on his pony Algonquin, one of many pets owned by the lively Roosevelt children. In his most famous adventure. Algonquin was taken on the elevator up to the second floor of the White House to visit Archie when he was confined to his room with the measles. This photograph was taken outside of the new West Wing in 1903.
Library of Congress -
Andrew Jackson raced horses for most of his adult life. While he was in the White House he often entered his horses in races under the name of his nephew and private secretary Andrew Jackson Donelson, to avoid negative public opinion about the sport. Bolivia, depicted here in a. painting by Edward Troye, was one of Jackson s most successful racers. Oil on canvas, 1836.
Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, Williamstown, Massachusetts, USA -
Left to right: This stereograph of Ulysses S Grant’s horses was taken at Cold Harbor. Virginia, on June 14, 1864. From left, the horses were Egypt, named for the district in Illinois where he was bred, Cincinnati, and Jeff Davis, captured from the plantation of the brother of Confederate President Jefferson Davis.
Library of Congress -
President William Howard Taft's riding horse Sterrett stands outside the White House stables with a groom in 1909. The six-year-old horse was described as a golden sorrel and stood over sixteen hands high.
Library of Congress -
President John F. Kennedy standing outside the Oval Office in June 1962 with his children Caroline and John Jr. and their pony, Macaroni.
John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum/NARA -
President Ronald Reagan feeding his white Arabian El Alamein at his California ranch Rancho Del C'ielo in 1986.
Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum/NARA
It is difficult to imagine that just one hundred years ago horses were still the primary means of transportation. For some presidents, horses were not just a necessity but also a part of their image. Before photographs, the military presidents, especially, were often portrayed in paintings on horseback. Numerous portraits of George Washington in his role as general during the American Revolution depict him on a horse. Andrew Jackson’s equestrian statue climaxes Lafayette Park, across the street from the White House. Other presidents known for their military exploits include William Henry Harrison, who rode on horseback to his inauguration.
Horses that belonged to the presidents often achieved fame in their own right. The public was interested in knowing what horses and what style of carriage the president had. Zachary Taylor’s horse from the Mexican War, Old Whitey, accompanied him to Washington and enjoyed a pampered retirement on the White House grounds. Ulysses S. Grant, well known for his interest in horses, visited the White House stables daily. Cincinnati, Jeff Davis, and Egypt were three of the horses that had served with him during the Civil War and also traveled to the capital with the president. Newspapers and magazines fueled the public’s fascination with the president’s horses and carriages. An article from an 1887 issue of the Magazine of American History detailed the equestrian interests of the presidents and passed judgment on their abilities as horsemen. In 1902 Theodore Roosevelt and his horse Bleistein were featured in a full-page spread in the Washington Times, with photographs of the president and the jumper fearlessly going over a course at Chevy Chase.
Some of the earlier presidents were interested in horses for sport. George Washington, an avid foxhunter and a founding member of the Alexandria Jockey Club, was admired for his horsemanship. Thomas Jefferson also frequently attended horse races at the National Race Course, which was established at the new capital even before the White House was completed. Andrew Jackson was passionately involved in horse racing and even kept some racehorses at the White House stables for a time.
Later presidents were more interested in pleasure riding. Theodore Roosevelt and his family frequently went out riding together. William Howard Taft was the first president to make the transition to automobiles, although he and many presidents after him kept horses for exercise. It was common for residents of Washington, D.C., to see the president riding down the street. Even after the White House stables were demolished, Warren G. Harding and Calvin Coolidge took up horseback riding in an effort to escape the pressures of the Oval Office. While John Kennedy was in office, a temporary stable was erected on the South Lawn for family pony Macaroni as well as Tex, who was given to the Kennedy children by Lyndon Johnson. Most recently, Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan enjoyed horseback riding at their ranch in California.