SCOTT SIMON, host:
Some soldiers and their horses from Fort Riley, Kansas, are on their way to Washington, D.C., today. The 1st Infantry Division Commanding General's Mounted Color Guard will ride in Tuesday's inaugural parade. They're one of a handful of mounted Army units in the U.S., and the only ones taking part in this year's ceremony. Carla Eckels of member station KMUW in Wichita, Kansas, caught up with the Color Guard in Kansas last week.
CARLA ECKELS: Sporting black Stetson hats, bright red shirts and blue jeans, 14 soldiers are leading their horses out of their trailers in a grassy area near the river in downtown Wichita. Army First Sergeant Dean Stockard(ph) says the Mounted Color Guard is practicing in Wichita to help the horses get adjusted to urban environments.
First Sergeant DEAN STOCKARD(ph) (1st Infantry Division Commanding General's Mounted Color Guard): Similar to what they'll face in Washington, D.C., basically trying to have the horses and the riders be comfortable with the sounds of the streets, the feel of the roads, the different surfaces that we may encounter in Washington.
ECKELS: Eighteen troopers are traveling to D.C. Fourteen will ride in the parade, while four will assist as ground crew. Stockard rides the lead mount, a white horse making its second appearance in the inaugural parade.
First Sergeant STOCKARD: This is Cyclone here. He originally came from the (unintelligible) of Kansas area. He's a 10-year-old quarter horse. He originally came off of some Robert Redford bloodlines. So, Robert Redford has his own bloodlines in quarter horses, and this is one of the horses of that bloodline.
ECKELS: The animals swish their tails as the soldiers brush down their coats and check their hoofs before lining them up in formation to practice marching before a local crowd. Stockard says they practice exactly what will take place once they approach where Barack Obama and other dignitaries will be seated.
First Sergeant STOCKARD: At the point in time that we do detachment eyes left, I'll give the hand salute. The soldiers will turn their heads to the left, the colors will dip slightly to give honor and pomp and circumstance to the new president of the United States.
ECKELS: After the horses have paraded through parts of downtown, an eager crowd waits for the soldiers to dismount.
(Soundbite of people applauding and cheering)
Staff Sergeant WILLIAM JOHNS(ph) (1st Infantry Division Commanding General's Mounted Color Guard): I'm Staff Sergeant William Johns. This is my horse, Jecodi(ph). We call him Chewy(ph) for short. It's easier for the little kids to pronounce. After being injured in Baghdad and - healing up and coming full circle, then having to go to inaugural for a new president, it is - most people can say it's priceless.
ECKELS: On Tuesday morning, the Fort Riley Color Guard will get a police escort to the ceremony and wait its turn to become part of history in this year's presidential inaugural parade. For NPR News, I'm Carla Eckels in Wichita.