Heroic Horses

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The bond between a person and a horse can be very close. So while horses are normally cautious herbivore that flee from danger, they will do almost anything to defend a person they love. In the following stories horses face attacks from dogs, bears and crocodiles and brave the terrors of war.

Erin Bolster was leading a trail ride when a grizzley bear attacked a child rider. He turned his horse Tonk and they charged and drove away the bear. Heroic Tonk went on to appear on the Late Show with David Letterman in October of 2011.

Sometimes heroism comes in unexpected forms. Magic shares many qualities with the famous warhorse Bucephalus discussed later in this hub. She is jet black with a white blaze and striking blue eyes, just as Buchephalus was said to be. But not only is she a mare, Magic is a miniature horse who will never carry anyone into battle.

Magic is a therapy horse who traversed stairs and stands quietly in elevators to give comfort to people living is residential facilities. Her visit have help one person reengage with life, beginning to talk and interact with other people after years in withdrawn silence.

When an aggressive dog attacked riders in a parade, Sunny Boy squared up and kicked the dog to protect his owner.

Jim Morris had not seen the crocodile by the side of the river. But when it attacked, Dancer took him quickly to safety. Although, to be fair, Dancer was probably more focused on getting his own horsey self out of the crocodile infested waters, and the rider was fortunate enough to come along for the ride.

Sgt. Reckless was a Mongolian mare that delivered tank ammunition to soldiers in the Korean War, and carried the wounded back for treatment. She cross a dangerous no man's land almost one hundred times in the midst of heated battles, steady under fire and even after being wounded twice. She survived the war and returned to the United States, was made the only horse to be named a marine, and she died at the age of twenty. She is memorialized by a statue at Camp Pendleton, where she is buried.

Captain Miles Keogh called his horse Comanche to honor his bravery as he was wounded many times and continued to carry his rider stalwartly. Comanche is best known as the only survivor from Custer's party after the battle of Little Bighorn. He was found seriously wounded two days after the battle.The 7th Cavalry cared for him until his death at the age of 29.

Bucephalus was the horse of Alexander the Great. Buchephaluswas said to have saved Alexander's life in battle so many times there was a joint cult of both man and horse. It is said that when Bucephalus was wounded in an attack on Thebes, he would not rest or allow any other horse to carry Alexander.

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