An Equine Demo Fit for a Hero!

75 years ago, on June 25, 1950, the Korean War began in South Korea. At that time, a small Mongolian pony named Ah Chim Hai was 2 years old. No one could have imagined that this little pony would soon become America’s greatest war horse and renamed Reckless by the Marines who purchased her. 

Reckless was bred to be a racehorse - but she never raced because the war began.  She was the size of a large pony - just over 13 hands high. When Reckless was 4 years old, in October 1952, she became a US Marine when Lt. Eric Pedersen purchased her for $250 from a young Korean man to carry ammunition for his Recoilless Rifle platoon. The Marines absolutely loved Reckless - and she loved them. They would cover her with their flak jackets to protect her going up to the gun sites. She would sleep in their tents at night when it was cold and wet, she ate in the mess tent with them and loved to drink beer and Coke. She even enjoyed a Hershey bar when they could find them. The Marines became her herd, and she would follow them anywhere.

The Recoilless Rifle was a very dangerous weapon.  Each canister weighed 24 lbs and many times Reckless carried four of them which is about 120 lbs. with the pack saddle.  But during the heat of battle, she would carry up to eight of these rounds at a time. That’s about 250 pounds each trip! For four months each mission she went on intensified until finally her most heroic battle started on March 26, 1953, with the Battle of Outpost Vegas. 

In one day Reckless made 51 round trips from ammunition supply to gun sites. They would show her the way at first but then she would do it by herself! She walked over 35 miles through open rice paddies and up steep hills and averaged 8 rounds of ammunition a trip. She carried 386 rounds of ammunition up to the guns - which is over 9,000 pounds on her back.

Four months later the war was over on July 27, 1953. Her platoon gave Reckless a lot of credit for this, and she was promoted to Sergeant in April 1954 in Korea and came to America in November 1954 where she lived out her days at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in California. She was promoted twice to Staff Sergeant and retired in November 1960. Reckless died in 1968 at 20 years old and will always be remembered not just as a horse, but as a Marine!

We also can’t forget to highlight the wonderful pony returning to help bring this demo to life. Penny, also known as Annie, is a 21-year-old, 13.2 hand, Welsh cross pony, proudly owned by 11-year-old Katelyn Burns of Lesage WV.  In her previous homes, Annie competed through first level dressage and was a lesson pony in a hunter jumper barn.  Since 2023, Annie has introduced Katelyn to the world of Eventing, and safely carries her little human over jumps up to 2’3”. 

Katelyn and Annie participate in their local Davis Creek chapter of the US Pony Club, attending shows, lesson clinics, rallies, and other mounted events.  Away from the show and jumping scenes, Annie and Katelyn are usually found riding together on wooded trails around their home and have enjoyed participating the last two years in the American Heart Association’s Beach Ride at Myrtle Beach. Annie is a very special pony who takes great care of her person. Katelyn is grateful for the lessons and confidence Annie gives her, and the fun memories they make together!  Stop by the event stabling to meet Annie and by Robin Hutton’s booth which will be a part of the Breyer Experience to learn more about Sgt. Reckless.