Our 40th President.

hillslider · Jun 9, 2004

When I got home tonight I happend to flip to CNN on the tube. Watched the coverage of President Reagans funeral procession. Really impressive. Learned alot. Thought the riderless horse with the boots on backwards to be very cool. So much history and tradition. Those color gaurds are impressive. No politics here.....just history and respect for tradition.

NIXON · Jun 9, 2004

Yup! My DAD was buried at Arlington with same ceromony .
I did my best not to choke up. But when I actually saw the horse drawn caison,flag draped coffin and the lead horse with the boots turned backwards in the stirrups . I did in fact choke up . In fact right now after 32 years it stll affects me .

riptides · Jun 10, 2004

The flag that drapes President Regans coffin now lying in state is the same one that flew the day he was inaugrated.

How is that for keeping track of details. Praise to the government workers who manage the details.

-Mike Z.

gsganzer · Jun 10, 2004

I was listening to it on the radio during my drive home last night. I had to fight the urge to pull over to the side of the road, remove my hat and stand with my right hand over my heart. It was pretty moving.

The only thing that irked me, while listening over the radio was the sound of police sirens in the background while they played hail to the chief. I would have thought the police in Washington would have known better then to blare the siren during that special moment.

Gatorboy · Jun 10, 2004

( I would have thought the police in Washington would have known better then to blare the siren during that special moment. )

I was watching it on MSNBC, and they said that it was an ambulance that had to take someone from the Capital to the hospital -- they had no further details. With all the people that were lining the streets, I'm sure the sirens were necessary, but unfortunate.

Tractors4u · Jun 10, 2004

I have seen it before, but never knew the background on it. Why are the boots backwards?

MikePA · Jun 10, 2004

Why are the boots backwards? 
Represents the commanding general looking back at his troops.

Although all funerals the Caisson Platoon takes part in are full honor funerals, the ones with a riderless horse are a special honor, usually reserved for soldiers or Marines who have the rank of colonel or above, and for enlisted men ranked sergeant major or above, or heads of state. The reversed boots in stirrups on a riderless horse symbolize a fallen military leader.

hillslider · Jun 10, 2004

The boots in the stirrups mounted backwards reprsents the comander in chief looking back at his troops. If I remember right it was something that came out of the Civil War era. Forgive me if the details are not perfect.

Bird · Jun 10, 2004

( The boots in the stirrups mounted backwards reprsents the comander in chief looking back at his troops. )

And this morning, they mentioned on NBC that it represented the fact that he would ride no more. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

hillslider · Jun 10, 2004

And I guess this was very sentimental for the Reagans since he enjoyed horses so much. One of his better known quotes..." The best thing for the inside of a man is the outside of a horse"