Caisson

The Home of the Old Guard!

Our first stop will be the Caisson of Ft. Myer, Virginia.

Follow the Paw: If you love horses, visiting the Old Guard is a must and if you want to be trained to manage horses, there is job-potential, you can join the Army as an Infantry soldier. The historical value role of the military base, the horses, the marching band, is well worth the visit.*
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Our Story: How did Spike’s paw-print end up at the home of the Old Guard, Ft. Myer, Virginia. 

Well, it all began when we got off the road from hauling Home Depot goods with a major American trucking company. That was our bucket-list Goal #1: Drive a long-haul vehicle over the road (OTR) for one year. Badda Bam–we succeeded with that one!

Then, serendipitously, Spike’s favorite American Uncle–invited us to Virginia to stay with him and his girlfriend. Whoohoo, she had two female dogs, pugs! What a boon for Spikey–new friends!!

The coolest part was that Spike’s adopted-human uncle worked at Ft. Myer as an Old Guard Military Police Officer. He gave us our first tour of the military base and the world-renowned Caisson.

So what are the Caisson? The word caisson is actually a gun mounted on a two-wheeled plank. The military used these to mount cannons and later to carry the draped coffins of soldiers who served our country with their lives. And so, as culture goes, the word caisson has now come to refer to the horses themselves: The Caisson. 

*Yes, civilians can get passes to visit military bases that offer tours or that have public attractions.

Note: The horses in the photos are actually just visiting, much like you would do. They are Missouri’s well-known Clydesdale horses who travel in the big red rigs!