964 VETEEINAEY HYGIENE 



A.D. 385, is a rescript which confines the weight of the 

 saddle and bridle to 56 lbs., and orders that the cloak bag, 

 which presumably contained the spare kit, should not 

 weigh more than 35 lbs., the cloak bag to be forfeited and 

 the saddle broken in case these orders were disobeyed. 

 The Eoman saddle and impedimenta weighed 6 stone 7 lbs., 

 while our cavalry saddle and impedimenta weigh but one 

 pound less. The reduction of one pound in weight in 1,500 

 years is not very creditable. 



The Man-at-Arms in the reign of Henry VHI. rode a 

 few pounds short of 26 stone, but he rode a cart horse 

 which he only mounted when he came into action, and the 

 length of his charge was under a hundred yards. The 

 German Cuirassier is shown by the official handbook 

 published by our Intelligence Department to ride 23 stone, 

 and though we have given 19^ stone as the weight carried 

 by our cavalry this is the minimum, while many horses are 

 carrying 21 to 22 stone. 



On this matter we have nothing to add to what was 

 written eight years before the war in South Africa 

 occurred.* 



' I feel I have said enough on tliis pomt ; the error we are making 

 must be patent to all. I protest most solemnly against the crushing 

 weight a horse has to carry, and leave it to the combatant authorities 

 to decide in -wh&t way it can be reduced if cavalry in the field is to 

 remain efficient for any length of time. As matters stand at present, 

 it would not be a very difficult calculation to ascertain how many 

 horses free from sore back would remain to us, say out of our 1st Army 

 Corps, after a three months' severe campaign. 



' If we can afford to kill off these horses by having others to replace 

 them so well and good ; as a matter of fact, we know that to replace 

 them is an utter impossibility. Let us deal with this question while 

 we can. We all believe there is a great future for cavalry in our next 

 campaign, that future they will never see unless the question of 

 saddles and weights are settled in favour of the horse. . . . 



'We are bound to recognise a cavalry horse must be capable of 

 undergoing severe exertion ; if he sinks under it it is his fate ; it cannot 

 be helped ; if he gets a sore back through it in the majority of cases it 



* Op. cit. 



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