Happy Presidents’ Day: Celebrating Our Nation’s Leaders and Their Horses
Clinedinst, Barnett McFee, photographer. President Roosevelt and son, Theodore Jr. c, 1907. Image. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <https://www.loc.gov/item/2013649840>.
By: Brittany Bevis
Happy Presidents’ Day! With the pending election on everyone’s mind, this holiday seems to have even more significance this year. Traditionally celebrated on the third Monday of February, it’s officially called “George Washington’s Birthday” by the federal government.
Historical records show that many of our nation’s leaders either owned and rode horses, kept ponies for their children, and, in the case of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, loved the breeding side of the industry and focused on improving horse racing bloodlines.
It’s a well-known fact that Ronald and Nancy Reagan loved riding horses on the grounds of their Rancho Del Cielo in Santa Barbara, CA. However, did you know that Caroline Kennedy’s pony, Macaroni, frequently grazed on the White House grounds and greeted foreign dignitaries? Also, a photo of Macaroni was featured on the cover of LIFE magazine (Sept. 1962) and the tiny equine helped inspired Neil Diamond’s song “Sweet Caroline.”
![Underwood & Underwood, Copyright Claimant. [Theodore Roosevelt on horseback, holding a rifle]. 1905. Image. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, .](http://www.equinechronicle.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/37605r.jpg)
Underwood & Underwood, Copyright Claimant. [Theodore Roosevelt on horseback, holding a rifle]. 1905. Image. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <https://www.loc.gov/item/2013651382>.
Do you know which president was called “the greatest horseman of his age,” by Thomas Jefferson? That would be George Washington. Also, it’s been said that John Adams believed that if he didn’t ride every day, he would become ill. We can all relate to that!
There’s also rumor of a story involving the Roosevelt family’s pony, Algonquin. Apparently, Roosevelt’s sons, Quentin and Kermit, snuck the pony into an elevator in The White House so he could pay a visit to their brother Archie, who was sick with measles.
![Walker, Lewis E, photographer. President's stables White House in the background. [Between and 1858, 1857] Image. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, .](http://www.equinechronicle.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/31991r.jpg)
Walker, Lewis E, photographer. President’s stables White House in the background. [Between and 1858, 1857] Image. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <https://www.loc.gov/item/2011660268>.
Presidents and their Horses: (courtesy of Presidential Pet Museum, 2016).
- George Washington- Nelson and Blueskin (he is thought to have been a blue roan)
- John Adams- Cleopatra
- Thomas Jefferson- Caractacus
- Andrew Jackson- Bolivia, Emily, Lady Nashville, Sam Patches, and Truxton
- John Tyler- The General
- Zachary Taylor- Old Whitey
- Millard Fillmore- ponies Mason and Dixon
- Ulysses S. Grant- ponies Billy Button and Reb
- James Garfield- Kit
- Theodore Roosevelt- ponies Algonquin and Fedelity,
- John F. Kennedy- ponies Macaroni, Tex, and Leprechaun and horse Sardar
For in-depth information about these horses and ponies, an excellent resource is PresidentialPetMuseum.com. Also, be sure to check out History.com’s feature on the origins and background of Presidents’ Day.
