Blueskin (horse)

Washington on Blueskin
Washington Receiving a Salute on the Field of Trenton, another portrayal of Blueskin

Blueskin was a gray horse ridden by George Washington. He was one of Washington's two primary mounts during the American Revolutionary War. The horse was a half-Arabian, sired by the stallion "Ranger", also known as "Lindsay's Arabian", said to have been obtained from the Sultan of Morocco.[1][2]

Blueskin, due to his white hair coat, was the horse most often portrayed in artwork depicting Washington on a horse.[3] Washington's other primary riding horse was Nelson, a chestnut gelding said to be calmer under fire than Blueskin. Both horses were retired after the Revolutionary War and lived out their lives at Mount Vernon.[4]

References

  1. ↑ Hur, Ben. "Washington’s Best Saddle Horse". Western Horseman (January/February 1946). Retrieved 20 December 2014.
  2. ↑ University of Virginia. "Frequently Asked Questions: Military/Government". The Papers of George Washington. University of Virginia. Archived from the original on 13 December 2006. Retrieved 2006-11-21.
  3. ↑ Feldman, Laura. "Horses of War". American Cowboy. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
  4. ↑ "Nelson". George Washington's Mount Vernon. Retrieved 20 December 2014.