1963-Voice Of The Tennessee Walking Horse 1963 May Voice

3 Voice of the Tennessee Walking Horse Mew TWH Stables To Place Breed On Scenic Parade (Editor’s Note—An event of spe cial importance to all Tennessee Walking Horse people is taking place very near to Chickamauga National Park — second only to Gettysburg National Park in the annual head count of visitors to National Military Parks in the U.S.A. Here's a story about it. BAG.) l-'oaled in a blanket of history that may well make it one of the scenic attractions of the United States—the Battleground Stables of Ft. Ogle thorpe, Ga. is being brought to life by Chattanooga, Tenn. people. The ma jor beneficiary is expected to become the Tennessee Walking Horse indus try. Within another 30 days this 24-stall barn in the virtual center of a $125,000 site should echo with the whinnies and neighs of Walking Horses under the training of 27-year-old Billy Brantley— a grand-nephew of the late great James R. Brantley, founder of the lowering Allen Family in Tennessee Walking history. Dream Of Trio Comes True It’s a dream come true for horse- loving L. O. (Sheriff) Ledford, a lead ing Tennessee industrialist who helped pioneer the way for “industrial and residential heating by radiant Ceilheat electric cable;’’ his blown- haired, attractive daughter, Gloria, who has one of the most exciting “ways of riding" in the “Ladies to Ride” category of Walking Horse showing; and Gloria’s husband, Bruce Spencer, a 30-year-old Chattanooga graduate of the University of Georgia —who carries on his own advertising agency business. This triumvirate of proprietors—all Walking Horse lovers—is building for the future on hallowed ground. This site in within a Civil War can non ball shot of the area where the Battle of Chickamauga was fought in 1864—to become one of the bloodiest engagements in all warfare. The site itself occupies ground once a part of Fort Oglethorpe, a former U.S. Army post where cavalry were trained as late as World War II—before federal own ership of the area was largely discon tinued. The exact location was used for barracks in which German prison ers of war were housed. The barn itself measures 192 feet long and 44 feet wide with a 20-foot riding hall from end to end. Various innovations are incorpor ated in the barn to provide gravity flow of feed, both hay and grain; Battleground Stables at Ft. Ogle thorpe, Ga., was just a dream in this picture—but today it is rapidly near ing reality. Standing are President Fred Friend of the Tennessee Valley Walking Horse Assn, and Mrs. Gloria Spencer, secretary; below are Bruce Spencer and Trainer Billy Brantley. water connections in all stalls; the usual electric walker tor horse-cooling; an upstairs balcony for spectators, warmed by electric heating facilities promoted by “the Sheriff” — who earned the nickname early in life for no reason at all. City Water, Sewage Available All modern conveniences, including city (of Ft. Oglethorpe) water, a city sewer system, and other facilities are available to the structure. The site dedicated to Walking Horse develop ments covers approximately 12 acres with more available il needed. The facility will eventually front on Georgia State Highway 21 near U.S. Expressway 72 that is designed to be one of the major North-South traffic arteries of the nation. This highway development will pro ject Battleground Stables into the tourist eyesight of the nation; and the millions who motor to and from can not escape the sight of Tennessee Walking Horses in their natural way of living. The 12-acre project will include a lighted practice track 225 feet long, and some 120 feet wide; with seats for spectators who will have the sun on their backs in the afternoon—not in their eyes. Youngsters will have a well- equipped, tree-shaded playground to romp in, while the older folks are rid ing or watching horses. Weekly prac tice events are contemplated as the project develops. Plans specify no Sun day operations of any kind, except feeding and watering horses. Not far from the Battleground Sta bles is the Chickamauga National Park monument erected to the memory of Union General John Thomas Wilder —who with Iris Indiana cavalry staged one of the truly historic moments in the historical life of the Tennessee Walking Horse. General Wilder and his band raided Maury County in 1864 and stole McMeen’s Traveler from the farm of Mrs. W . J. Webster, daughter of a one-time sheriff at Columbia, Tenn. Mrs. Webster chased the raiders 30 miles on horseback, and found Travel er dead on the roadside at the county line. Exposure during this valiant trip apparently caused her to become fatal ly ill of pneumonia. Traveler was the greatest Tennessee Walking Horse sire of his day, and his untimely death at age 15 years changed the course of breed history from Maury County— with major factors of the breed later developing in Bedford County (Shelbyville) and Coffee County (Manchester). (Continued on page 4)

1963-Voice Of The Tennessee Walking Horse 1963 May Voice | Page 5