Zachary Taylor’s Horse Grazing
The 12th president treated the White House lawn as a pasture for his war horse. During Taylor’s brief 1849-1850 term, Old Whitey freely grazed on executive mansion grounds, delighting tourists who petted this veteran of the Mexican-American War. Staff complained about the mess, but “Old Rough and Ready” ignored their concerns. This unusual arrangement displayed Taylor’s continued connection to his military past while serving as commander-in-chief.
