The War Office and Horse Transport. 247 



Cape authorities to cable home the suggestion 

 that all remounts should be sent out to South 

 Africa without shoes, because there had been 

 a few cases of horses getting hurt by kicks 

 during disembarkation. This gentleman and 

 his trustful superiors appeared to be totally 

 unaw r are of the fact that unshod horses in 

 stalls on board ship would knock their fore 

 feet about a good deal during a voyage to 

 South Africa, and that it would be impossible, 

 under the present conditions of this war, to 

 have large numbers properly shod on landing. 

 On a steamer in which I went to South 

 Africa with remounts, my commanding officer 

 was a Militia subaltern who, by his own 

 showing, had had no practical experience with 

 horses. He was, however, very keen to take 

 veterinary charge, and decided to do so, on the 



