OUE CAV4LKY HOUSES. 211 



CHAPTEE X. 



OTJE CAVALBT HOBSES. 



VERY many of our troop-horses are unable to carry four- 

 teen stone of weight, even at home, although they are 

 well fed and exposed to no privations ; therefore, we 

 need not bs surprised when they are campaigning, and 

 subjected to great privations, that they should break 

 down under an average weight of about eighteen stone 

 the weight of the dragoon and his full equipment on 

 active service. 



The horses of the household cavalry are considered 

 the best in the British army ; but there are great num- 

 bers even among them that would be quite unequal to 

 the weight they would have to carry if they were on 

 active service having, for the most part, weak loins, 

 and being deficient in many qualities essential for carry- 

 ing weight. The incapacity of our cavalry horses to 

 carry much weight, is of very little consequence while 

 peace continues, but in the event of war a large por- 

 tion of our dragoons would be dismounted after a month's 

 active service, thus increasing the demand for useful 

 horses, always consequent on war, which would be met, 

 as was the case during the Russian war, with an unsa- 

 tisfactory response. 



