34 THE HORSE AND THE WAR 



mentioned. Either of these subjects is worthy of more space than can be 

 devoted to it in this chapter, but a brief description of both would appear to be 

 desirable. Broadly speaking, three types or classifications of horses have been 

 purchased and exported from the United States and Canada — cavalry, light 

 artillery, heavy artillery. Experts have known for some time, and our purchas- 

 ing activities have proved beyond contention, that the cavalry horse as we 

 know him in England does not- exist in North America in any numbers which 

 are appreciable for modern war requirements. What have been bought as 

 cavalry are the best that can be procured, but that is all. The cavalry horse 

 is not a commercial factor in America, and that, in a nutshell, is the reason 

 of the scarcity of the type. 



The light artillery horse is the commercial equine article of the country, 

 and has proved himself good through and through. It is a remarkable fact that 

 after the export of hundreds of thousands of this class of horse the high standard 

 is still being maintained. The requirements for the light artillery horse are : 

 Height, 15 h. 2 ins. to 16 h., weight about 1,200 lb., short on the leg, short in the 

 back, strong in the neck and quarters, and as much quality as procurable. 

 The best of these horses are bought from the states of Iowa and Illinois. The 

 strains of Shire, Clyde, Belgian, Normandy and Percheron are the predominant 

 types, and it is a matter of contention which is the best. One can only give 

 one's opinion that, from what one has seen, a predominating Percheron strain 

 appears to give by far the best results. 



Heavy artillery horse production in any quantities in America has been a 

 recent innovation, and it has been, and is, a very difficult matter to procure an 

 appreciable number of such horses which possess the requisite weight. Two 

 classifications have been purchased so far : those of a minimum weight of 1,400 lb. , 

 and those of a minimum weight of 1,500 lb. It must be remembered that 

 American and Canadian breeders hate hair on the leg, and consequently the 

 so-called heavy horse of North America with practically clean legs never looks 

 the weight of his cousin in this country. Complaint has been made that the 

 American heavy horse is too light ; but when the writer left America in March, 

 1918, there were then coming in many heavy horses which would compare 

 well with our heavy cart-horses. In this class, again, Iowa and Illinois are 

 predominant, though many good heavy horses have been bought in Canada. 

 The same strains are predominant, and, though the Percheron maintains his 

 high place, the Shire blood runs him very close. 



At long last we come to the mule, which, though he occupies this tardy 

 position, is probably the most serviceable and satisfactory animal used in the 

 war. Indeed, the writer, who has had experience of both horses and mules with 

 a battery in two theatres of the war, would unhesitatingly say that if he had the 

 remounting arrangements for any future war, mules would supplant horses to 

 the greatest possible extent. Though for purchasing purposes mules in America 

 have been divided at different times into several classifications, as a general 

 principle mules may be regarded as being divided into three main categories — 

 heavy mules for heavy artillery purposes in Eastern war theatres, light draught 

 mules which have practically taken the place of horses in wheeled transport 

 other than artillery, and pack mules for pack transport. The heavy mules run 



