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SARGA.CO – Something different filled the courtyard of Merdeka Palace on Sunday, August 17, 2025. It wasn’t just the flutter of the red-and-white flag or the firm steps of the honor guards—it was a sound rarely heard in the heart of the Republic’s power: the pounding hooves of horses.
A total of 145 horses from the 1st Cavalry Battalion “Sembrani” accompanied the Sacred Flag Parade in celebration of Indonesia’s 80th Independence Day.
For the first time in history, a full cavalry formation marched through the nation’s capital—standing as both living witnesses and guardians of the nation’s most sacred symbol.
For the commander, Lieutenant Colonel Cavalry Chandra Alit Saputra, the two months of preparation were not just about drilling formations, but also about building bonds.
“The challenge of a cavalry unit is that success only comes if the riders care for and love their horses. That is our true challenge,” he said, as quoted from Setneg.go.id.
Behind the saddle, a horse is never just a vehicle. They are partners, comrades-in-arms who move in harmony with their riders.
The rhythm of their hooves is more than a sound—it is the pulse of history, connecting the nation’s present to its past, from the age of kingdoms to today, when the Red-and-White is honored in the heart of a modern capital.
While the motorized escort led by First Lieutenant CPM Kowad Febby Fitri Frizaldy cleared the way, the Sembrani horses filled the space with a different kind of authority—majestic yet graceful. They moved in silence, but every strike of their hooves on the Palace asphalt felt like a prayer, echoing in unison with the hearts of millions watching on television.
Amid the grandeur, there were also stories of sacrifice. Febby had to miss his first child’s birthday to serve the nation. Meanwhile, Kirana Ashawidya Baskara—who last year served only as a reserve—was finally entrusted with carrying the Sacred Flag. Months of training from Cibubur to Monas paid off when the holy cloth rested in her hands.
But it was the horses that underscored the sacred atmosphere of the day. They made no sound, yet stood as symbols of loyalty. From the days when cavalry led the charge in battle, to the present when they serve as ceremonial guardians, horses have always been part of the nation’s journey.
This year’s flag parade was more than a ceremonial procession. It was a meeting of tradition, dedication, and love—between human and horse, between personal sacrifice and national duty.
And as the Red-and-White unfurled above the Palace sky, the sound of hooves bore witness: independence is not merely a gift from the past, but a trust to be safeguarded—step by step, generation to generation.
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