Linneus Ahearn

Biography

Greetings.  I am 56 years old, born near Baltimore, Maryland and have been reenacting for over 10 years.    My horse experience goes much further back however.  My parents placed me on my first equine at age 3, which I vaguely remember, but it wasn't until age 7 that I worked and trained my own horse (a Welsh pony stallion named "Dixie") and taught him tricks as well as to keep me on his back.  At age 13 I had a job at a riding stable, mucking stalls and taking guests for trail rides in return for the use of a favorite black mare and trail privileges. Later I graduated to exercising the horses at the stable who did not get out much.  I actually bought my first horse at age 17, a Standardbred mare for $88 at a local auction.   I have had no lengthy formal instruction really, just a desire to understand horses and what makes them do what they do.  With the benefit of many good books, clinics, good teachers (and some that were not so good), as well as observation, I progressed through that school of hard-knocks many horse owners pass through on the way to becoming horsemen.  When I look back I am surprised I survived this era as I did many foolish things, including riding hell-bent-for-leather backwards on my horse.  I even survived getting dragged in a horse race and getting bucked off to hang by my head in an overhead grape arbor without injury.  I guess you can surmise that I did not grow up in the shadow of the wealthy horsey set which I feel helped me as much as hindered me.   Having to do without gimmicks made me discover other ways to get what was needed from the horses I rode.  Snaffle bits and baling twine sufficed for bridles and a blanket and a surcingle made of rope made for my saddle in my early years.  I never could get used to a western saddle after that (too much between me and the horse) and mainly rode in a flat saddle when my finances could afford to purchase one.

Marriage entered the picture at age 24 and after a honeymoon in Oregon we quit our jobs to move there, buying a small farm in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains on the edge of the lush Willamette Valley.  We had our horses, cows, goats, sheep, hogs, chickens, rabbits, dogs and cats.  All are gone now except the horses, dogs and cats.  With a daughter growing toward a horse interest we got a series of ponies and horses to show she joined 4-H, then got into open showing and eventually breed showing Quarter Horses, Thoroughbreds and Paints.  I helped haul horses to breed shows and accompanied the Oregon Youth Team as co-advisor to the Nationals for two years.  Meanwhile, we stood stallions at stud and bred mares.   We had a small foaling operation for other mare owners for several years and never lost a foal.  This background introduced me to many trainers who are or were world renown as well as many different ideas on training horses.  Showing horses got to be an expensive ordeal for us and we backed off, sold our mares and cut down the workload.  Trail riding took up most of our interests - Oregon is a beautiful place to ride in the wilderness.

One day I went to a Civil War reenactment at Silver Creek Falls State Park and was disappointed to see no mounted cavalry in the battle.  After inquiring about this I gave my name to the US and CS cavalry commanders to see if I could help them get horses on the battlefield.  The US commander never called but the CS commander did within a week.  I set up training events at my farm, created a camp site down by the river and borrowed horses from my neighbors.  These reenactors convinced me to join their unit, the 9th Virginia Cavalry, and wear a borrowed uniform at an event.  Riding my thoroughbred mare in my dressage saddle at my first battle I managed to capture the Union's flag without a weapon due to the fear the flag bearer had of my horse when I demanded his surrender.  (in fact he handed that flag over rather quickly).  The boys knew I was hooked when they saw me return with the flag in hand and a huge grin.

I joined the 9th in 1991 and was mentored by its commander, Karl Davis, who had minimal experience as a horseman but had much enthusiasm and knowledge in other areas.  During that time I was amazed at the lack of safety or even basic horse knowledge and started a crusade to find some cavalry unit somewhere who had some decent guidelines.  Some had a few lines on horse safety and responsibilities but not what I was in search of.  I was helped most initially by the 9th Virginia Cavalry back in Virginia (this unit is no longer reenacting) to develop a safety program for horses and riders.  In my research I also tried to stick close to the manual used by the CW cavalry in the eastern theater, Poinsett's Cavalry Tactics.  I read also many diaries and letters and regimental histories.  With the help of other horsemen we developed a mounted skills test to ensure our mounted reenactors could ride and control their mounts.  We presented an abuse clause to our riders borrowed directly from the other units bylaws.  In consequence I worked my way up in the 9th Virginia reenacting rank ladder from trooper, corporal, sergeant, 2nd Lt, 1st Lt, to Captain.

For many years I have set up training sessions for riders.  We have the option of riding twice a month with other units at these organized training weekends.  All mounted units who take part in our training sessions have great respect for each other and have become good friends.