GERMANY. 273 



remount markets," and on these dates they make the pur- 

 chases. The remount commissions purchase only serviceable 

 and healthy remounts. No standard of weight is prescribed, 

 no training demanded. The sellers must furnish foal certifi- 

 cates. Cold-blooded horses are not accepted. The horses 

 must be from 15 to 17 hands in height. They may be either 

 geldings or mares. 



The horses are rounded up in bunches, placed in charge of 

 detachments furnished by neighboring regiments of cavalry, 

 and taken to the nearest remount depot. A few of the horses 

 are kept at the depots for as long as two years each. The 

 president of the commission determines definitely whether an 

 animal is suitable for purchase ; the ranking lieutenant alone 

 discusses with the owner of the horse the conditions of bar- 

 gain and the price, and the junior lieutenant takes the meas- 

 urements. 



The distribution of the horses to the different arms is made 

 by the inspector general of remounts, who visits the depots 

 for this purpose. The regiments send detachments to the 

 depots for the horses, which are transported to their regiments 

 by rail, except where the distance is short. The distribution 

 is now made in July. As the discharges of horses unfit for 

 service are made from the various organizations after the fall 

 maneuvers, the numbers of horses on hand are therefore for 

 some time above the regulation allowances. The regiments, 

 in consequence, are authorized to sell 20 horses each immedi- 

 ately after the arrival of the remounts. A regiment of cavalry 

 receives annually 63 horses; each squadron from 12 to 13. 

 There is supplied in addition the necessary number of ofiicers' 

 horses, known as officers' chargers. All lieutenants, and cap- 

 tains of the second class (captains drawing first lieutenants' 

 pay), of cavalry and horse artillery are entitled to one govern- 

 ment horse each. Each of these officers must also procure 

 and keep one additional mount. The service horse is deliv- 

 ered only after complete training, as it is not considered desir- 

 able for the officer to spend his time at the work necessary 

 for the training. At the end of four years the charger becomes 

 the property of the holder. The officer who does not take 

 advantage of his right thus to select a horse, receives in its 

 stead the average price of a remount horse, paid in five annui- 

 ties. An officer thus waiving his right to a government 

 charger is obliged to keep two horses of his own. The 



