Command Sgt. Maj. Anglade Jean-Francois, senior enlisted adviser for the 1st Cavalry Division, poses for a photo April 16, 2026, at Fort Hood, Texas. The unit is putting one of its horses, AC Cotton, up for adoption, after the equine soldier’s roughly eight years of service. (Kevin Spence/U.S. Army)
People looking to give an animal a forever home have a chance for mane attraction involving an equine that once carried soldiers in a storied Army cavalry detachment.
That opportunity surfaced this week, when the 1st Cavalry Division announced in a Facebook post that one of its retiring horses is available for adoption.
Ricky Bobby, also known as AC Cotton, is a 17-year-old dark bay gelding now searching for a retirement barn after serving with the unit since 2018.
According to an April 28 document on the detachment’s website, AC Cotton developed a benign tumor that required surgery. Although the tumor was removed, he can no longer wear the unit’s tack.
“AC Cotton is an easy keeper, sociable with other horses, and would make a GREAT pasture buddy and trail horse,” the document stated.
Based at Fort Hood, Texas, the division is home to one of just four remaining horse-mounted units that preserve the legacy of the cavalry by pairing spur-sporting soldiers with their equine partners in a living tribute to the Army’s origins.
The 1st Infantry Division commanding general’s mounted color guard performs at Cheyenne Frontier Days in Wyoming on July 26, 2024. The mounted color guard is one of four remaining horse detachments in the Army and is used for ceremony and community outreach. (Koltyn Omarah/U.S. Army)
The military has a history of allowing service members to adopt working animals, such as retired military working dogs, though equine adoption programs remain less widely known.
One example is the Caisson Horse Adoption Program, run by U.S. Army North, which helps place horses from ceremonial units into new homes as the Army reduces its inventory due to budget constraints.
A cost-cutting plan announced in July 2025 initially aimed to eliminate several of the Army’s ceremonial horse units before being partially reversed months later.
Even so, some animals across the force were still rehomed or relocated as part of broader efforts to reduce program costs.
“The Army coordinated with community organizations around bases with animals suitable for adoption or transfer, and also with the U.S. Border Patrol, to properly vet interested individuals and organizations,” Maj. Travis Shaw, an Army spokesperson, said Wednesday.
AC Cotton is currently the only horse listed for adoption by the detachment, though the website says opportunities are regular.
