WASHINGTON — The return of military horses that have escorted caskets to gravesites at Arlington National Cemetery for more than 75 years will depend on the Army securing adequate pastureland, repairing rundown stables and improving training for handlers, officials said.

Unsanitary living conditions and a lack of open space for the herd to graze led to an indefinite suspension of the 3rd Infantry Regiment Caisson Platoon in May 2023 after several horses died, Maj. Gen. Trevor Bredenkamp, commander of the Army Military District of Washington, said Wednesday at a hearing of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee’s subpanel on disability and memorial affairs.

Lawmakers sought an update on the Army’s work to improve care for the horses and develop a plan for the resumption of horse-drawn funerals at Arlington.

“Caisson-pulling military horses were dying in 2022 because of the Army’s failure to provide proper food, veterinary care, pastureland and stables for the herd,” said Rep. Morgan Luttrell, R-Texas, chairman of the subcommittee. “Our caisson platoon should be the most elite organization of its kind on the planet.”

Known as the Old Guard, the caisson platoon of the 3rd Infantry Regiment has carried the caskets of deceased service members to gravesites at Arlington since 1948.

The caisson — a ceremonial wagon that bears the casket — is drawn by four specially trained horses. The processions are considered an integral part of traditional full-honor military funerals at Arlington.

“The Army has given us no estimate on a time or date when these operations will resume,” Luttrell said.

An Army investigation in 2023 revealed the horses were kept in cramped quarters with a lack of maintenance or care. The herd was grazing on land with construction debris and manure. Horses were consuming low-quality feed and suffering from parasites, according to the findings. Sand and gravel were found in the digestive tracts of two horses that died.

The problems evolved over time, said Bredenkamp, who also commands the Joint Task Force-National Capital Region. They included stables in disrepair, lack of open land to exercise and graze the horses, and handlers with little or no training in working with horses.

“After decades of neglect the platoon was taken out of commission — and rightfully so. But families deserve to know the Army is working diligently to returning the platoon to its rightful stature,” said Rep. Chris Pappas of New Hampshire, the top Democrat on the subcommittee.

Thirty-four families are now waiting for the return of the horse platoon to honor a deceased military member or veteran with full honors at Arlington, Bredenkamp said. More than 2,000 veterans have been denied the benefit of the iconic procession since the service was canceled, he said.

The Army Military District of Washington is responsible for military funerals with full honors to the nation’s veterans.

The herd size — and its health — directly relate to the wait time for families seeking to have the horse-drawn wagons in funeral processions of loved ones, Bredenkamp said.

The Army now is focusing on land acquisition, horse fitness and talent management. Plans are to secure 100 acres for permanent stables with pasture for grazing and housing for staff, he said.

About 40 horses have been retired since 2023 because of age, medical conditions or both, Bredenkamp said.

The Army might seek to change regulations to allow soldiers to stay in the caisson longer than a two- or three-year assignment to develop and use their horsemanship skills, he said. The service is also identifying a larger pool of equine veterinarians who can treat the herd.

Though the horses have been stabled at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall in Virginia for more than 70 years, there is no open pastureland left in the area, Bredenkamp said. Plans are to update stables at Fort Myer, which is next to Arlington, to use the paddocks when horses are working at funeral processions. But the herd will be kept at a larger permanent facility with pastureland, he said.

Renovations at Fort Myer will include improved ventilation at the barns, enlarged stalls and replacement of flooring to reduce the strain on the horses.

“Too many of our nation’s heroes have not been able to receive the full military funeral honors they have earned due to the Army’s yearslong mismanagement of the caisson platoon military horses,” Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., chairman of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee said in August.

A “haphazard and ineffective approach” to improving the health and living conditions for the herd led to the deaths of the military horses, he said.

Bost had asked for quarterly briefings about improvements underway for the caisson platoon program until it is fully operational.

The Army plans to have a herd of 80 horses to support funeral processions, Bredenkamp said. The service intends to resume operations when it can support 20 funerals per week, he said.

The Army has hired a herd manager and facilities manager, improved the diet of the horses and is using 10 acres temporarily in Virginia to graze and exercise them until a permanent facility is acquired.

“The Army is unwavering in its commitment to continue this solemn duty for those eligible and rending honors to those who have served our nation,” Bredenkamp said. “The horse-drawn caisson funeral procession is one of the most recognized traditions in the military.”

Rep. Juan Ciscomani, R-Ariz., said millions of dollars already have been spent to improve the program with poor results, including money paid to an instructor who harmed the horses.

“What changes is the Army doing to obtain mission-ready horses and take care of them?” he asked.

Working with the equine community, the Army is rebuilding its knowledge about caring for the horses and reaching out to breeders who train horses that pull wagons.

“We are seeking horses with the right temperament that can work on a horse-hitch team,” Bredenkamp said.

The Army also is raising awareness among the troops about opportunities to work with and train the horses.

“Caisson operations require specialized skills in handling the horses and conducting ceremonial duties. To meet these needs, we are actively recruiting soldiers interested in equine work and providing them with the necessary training to become proficient in caisson operations,” Bredenkamp said.

The Old Guard and the equine community are working together to support upgrades in living conditions for the horses, Julie Broadway, president of the American Horse Council, said in a written statement prior to the hearing Wednesday.

She said the Army also has pledged to improve the skills of those “entrusted with the care and safekeeping of these emblematic horses.”

“Management of the caisson herd on this historic military installation had deteriorated over the years. Frequent turnover among the horses’ caregivers — an inevitable result of deployments and reassignments — left gaps in knowledge and experience. Moreover, the equipment and saddlery were obsolete,” she said.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars is among the advocacy groups that submitted written testimony stating support for the return of the horse-drawn funeral processions at Arlington, after the conditions improve for the herd’s welfare.

Retired U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Jon Kreitz, an equestrian expert, said photos and videos posted online revealed “ill-fitted tack and dangerous riding practices” that put at risk the safety and welfare of the horses and their handlers.

These practices were “not with evil intent but from ignorance and a lack of cognizant oversight,” he said.

Kreitz said there has been a lack of education on the care required for the horses. He cited costly contracts and the hiring of civilian contractors who lacked skills and experience.

Bredenkamp was recently assigned oversight of the caisson platoon to address the problems, improve the welfare of the animals and return the service, Kreitz said.

“From my first meeting with Maj. Gen. Bredenkamp, it was apparent that he understood that the caisson platoon’s culture needed to change from the top down to resolve these issues,” he said.

“The general came in and has done amazing things to move forward,” Luttrell said.

Soldiers of the Old Guard will now undergo a 12-week basic rider course. Old saddles and other equipment will be replaced. The caisson wagon also has been redesigned to make it easier to maneuver.

“Our veterans deserve the best,” Luttrell said. “It is by far past time for the Army to make this a priority again.”