alafarmnews

Dignified Percheron Provides
Unique Service to Troy Families

By Kellie Henderson

The new Green Hills Funeral Home in Troy is the epitome of polished elegance.

From the lofty arches of its 250-person capacity chapel down to the beauty of the natural stonework and fine antique furnishings throughout the 10,000 square-foot facility, no detail is

Benny Pinckard, co-owner of Green Hills Funeral Home, and Dickerson, a 16-hand Percheron gelding, offer a stately touch for a final farewell to a loved one.

Krissy Pinckard, co-owner of Green Hills Funeral Home, feeds Dickerson some Horizon Excel horse feed, which helps keep him in shape to pull the carriage hearse.

A dignified horse of immense proportions, Dickerson’s services are a unique feature several families have used since the facility opened in December of last year.

"Dickerson may even be one of the first plans we had for the funeral home," said Krissy Pinckard, who with her husband Benny, opened the funeral home on the grounds of Green Hills Perpetual Cemetery.

A family business now in its second generation of Pinckards, Krissy said Dickerson first visited Green Hills when a friend’s mother was laid-to-rest there.

"We contacted Mr. Ray McKinney from the Birmingham area who drove a horse drawn carriage for weddings, funerals and other special occasions. He brought Dickerson down here for Lucille Shoemaker Harris’s funeral in April of 2007, and we couldn’t believe how beautiful an addition he was to the service," said Krissy.

"When Mr. McKinney told us he was planning to sell all but one of his horses, we felt very fortunate he made Dickerson available to us," Krissy said.

While Benny said Dickerson is considered small for a Percheron, his stature is his most striking characteristic. In addition to his impressive size and glossy black color, Krissy says that Dickerson has the perfect temperament for his position.

"He’s very gentle anyway, but it’s amazing how he knows he’s at work when he comes to Green Hills. It’s like he knows he’s supposed to be this perfect beast, so that’s what he becomes. Anybody can tell it’s not his first time pulling a carriage. If he could talk, he could tell you how to hitch the carriage to him," she said.

According to the Percheron Horse Association of America, the breed originated in France and served as a war horse until the invention of gunpowder, at which time they became stagecoach horses. The breed had both the strength and endurance to carry heavy loads for extended time periods, and after the invention of railroads Percherons became agricultural workers and draft horses at rail yards and loading docks. They first came to the U.S. following the Civil War, where industrialization and westward expansion required larger, stronger horses. Percherons are considered willing workers of high intelligence, and Benny said they have a remarkable memory for geography.

"Once a Percheron is shown a particular route, it registers in the horse’s memory bank. He wants to go the same way he went last time, returning to the same place he’s stopped before," Benny said.

Benny Pinckard, dressed in a manner fitting for the occasion, complete with tails and top hat.

The black hearse Dickerson pulls was custom made in Michigan by Justin Carriage Works and was delivered by the company directly to Green Hills. Benny said the gleaming wood interior is trimmed with red velvet curtains and is large enough to accommodate oversized caskets.

"They match each other perfectly," Krissy remarked of Dickerson and the hearse, both of which are highlighted with gleaming touches of silvery grey and steel.

Benny and Krissy have several horses on their farm, but they say the other horses definitely understand that while Dickerson may be gentle, he’s no pushover.

"He is the boss among the horses, no doubt about it. And he’s happy here with a fan on him to keep him cool and free choice of groceries," Krissy said, and she added that Dickerson’s groceries come from the Pike Farmers Co-op.

Green Hills Perpetual Cemetery was opened in 1955 by Benny’s father Ray Pinckard, and Benny explained an on-site funeral home was always part of his father’s overall plan for the cemetery. He also thinks his father would appreciate the addition of a horse-drawn hearse.

"Having a funeral home located within the cemetery was the biggest part of his dream and I think he would see this added service as a complement to his plan for several reasons. His relationships with other people in the livestock community were important to him. He was proud of his military service, and horses have served an important role in the funeral services of soldiers; and he was personally invested in the death care industry. The carriage seemed a perfect added dimension to his vision for Green Hills," said Benny.

Benny drives Dickerson and the carriage himself, dressed in a manner fitting for the occasion, complete with tails and a top hat, and the Pinckards are pleased to make Dickerson available for services at locations other than Green Hills.

"It’s really an impressive emotional component to a funeral service," stated Benny, adding how that impression became clear to him during the service of Mr. Bill King of Troy.

"It had been a rainy afternoon, and as we started around the cemetery to the graveside, flashbulbs started going off. It was unreal how moving it was for people. It’s a beautiful way to honor someone," he said.

Green Hills Funeral Home Directors Lynette L. and Jerry S. Dansby have a combined 32 years in the funeral industry, and Lynette said they’ve never worked anywhere else that offered a similar service for funerals.

"The horse-drawn hearse is an emotional yet beautiful exit to a funeral service," she said.

Kellie Henderson is a freelance writer from Troy.