80 OUR CAVALRY. 



the horses' backs becoming sore ; and a few 

 years afterwards the 1st Life Guards in 

 marching the short distance between London 

 and Nottingham, suffered much, with the ex- 

 ception of one troop, by their horses' backs 

 becoming sore. The troop which escaped this 

 malady did so from unusual care being exer- 

 cised by its captain, a proof that this subject 

 requires elucidation by a trial of marching 

 under different plans of management. Looking 

 at the enormous expense of this force, no pains 

 should be spared calculated to prevent this 

 evil. 



By the trial here recommended— if pro- 

 perly carried out — important knowledge would 

 be acquired of the causes which produce sore 

 backs, as well as the best means of either 

 wholly getting rid of that evil, or diminishing 

 it. 



But how different would be now our situa- 

 tion if a few years ago Government had tried 

 some crosses with well selected Arab horses 

 to improve our cavalry. If that experiment 

 had been made, even on a very small scale, we 

 should by trying now the produce against our 

 present horses at the picket-post, and by long 



