With the Blu-ray Combo Pack and DVD of Steven Spielberg’s epic adventure War Horse recently released, we step back in time to uncover some facts about the history of horses in war…
ANCIENT TIMES…
Horses have been used in combat for many centuries. Ancient empires used horses to carry soldiers and pull chariots, making armies mobile in some of the harshest climates in the world – but their uses do not stop there… Horses have also been utilized to supply transport for artillery, as well as for scouting and reconnaissance missions.
THE EARLY DAYS…
In Ancient Persia, both the horses and their riders were heavily armored for combat. Regular horses were too weak to tackle warfare in this way, which led to the empire breeding a heavier, more muscled horse that was capable of carrying the additional weight.
THE MIDDLE AGES…
Perhaps the most familiar images of armored soldiers on horseback date back to the Middle Ages when medieval knights in shining armor galloped around Europe. History suggests that the invention of gunpowder led to the eventual decline of the medieval knight.
GAME ON…
During this medieval time period, the popular game of jousting was created. Jousting was utilized both as a sport and to provide training for battle. The game allowed the soldiers to practice their horsemanship skills as well as highlight their prowess with the use of a lance, the weapon of choice on horseback in the Middle Ages.
WASHINGTON TAKES CHARGE….
In 1776, General George Washington helped establish the first mounted cavalry unit for the American Revolutionary War. The conflict took place between 1775 and 1783, which is a time period when the word ‘dragoon’ referred to mounted infantry.
THE U.S. CIVIL WAR…
Cavalry as an arm of the U.S. Army was firmly established by the American Civil War. The army’s ‘dragoon’ regiments were designated as ‘cavalry’ shortly before the start of the conflict. It’s estimated that the Union army utilized more than 825,000 horses in the war.
TRAVELLER AND LITTLE SORREL…
One of the most famous horses from the American Civil War is General Robert E. Lee’s horse, Traveller. The horse was originally named Jefferson Davis when he was born in 1857, but Lee renamed him in 1862. Although Traveller was Lee’s most famous horse, he was not the only animal the General rode. His other horses were named Lucy Long, Richmond, Brown Roan and Ajax.
MODERN WARFARE…
World War I and World War II were not the only modern conflicts that utilized horses. Thousands of wild horses were captured in America and shipped overseas for The Boer War in South Africa, which raged from 1899 to 1902. Figures suggest that more than 500,000 horses died during the course of the war.
WORLD WAR I…
The epic Steven Spielberg movie War Horse depicts the use of horses in World War I, which was one of the last conflicts to use armed cavalry during combat. After World War I, most conflicts were heavily mechanized with tanks, air strikes and modern artillery methods.
THE ROLE OF HORSES IN WORLD WAR I…
Not only were horses used in combat on the front line in World War I, but they were also used to transport wounded soldiers, supplies and artillery. In addition to this, they were also utilized for reconnaissance purposes and to carry messengers throughout the war effort.
A LOT OF HARD WORK…
It’s estimated that war horses shifted millions of tons of rations and ammunitions to the front line during World War I. They were also utilized to bring back the wounded on stretchers placed on carriages. Sadly, this led to many animals being caught up in mustard gas attacks or injured on barbed wire placed in front of the trenches. Many horses were left incapacitated in No Man’s Land.
THE DECLINE OF THE WAR HORSE…
The development of mechanized warfare methods, such as tanks, led to the decline of the use of horses during combat. The vulnerability of horses to modern machine gun and artillery fire reduced their usefulness on the battlefield, although they were far better than tanks at traveling over rough terrain and through deep mud.
TRAINING DAY…
War horses used in combat during World War I required a significant amount of training. Horses needed to be able to handle the sound of noisy weapons firing around them – as well as the general confusion of battle – without panicking. Other training methods involved the ability to be easily controlled with limited use of the reins. Why? So that the rider’s hands were free to wield a weapon.
WORLD WAR II
Although most images of World War II portray graphic pictures of tank convoys charging through enemy territory, as well as planes launching bombs from overhead, almost all countries still used horses during the conflict. The U.S., U.K., France, Germany, Poland, Italy and Hungary were among the countries that continued to utilize animals for the transportation of troops and supplies, as well as for scouting. Slowly, horse cavalry began to be phased out in favor of tank warfare.
THE SAD LOSS…
Despite the decline in the use of horses during combat, they were many equine casualties during the two world wars. Figures estimate that around one million horses were sent to help the war effort during World War I. Sadly, it’s believed that only 62,000 war horses returned. This is the often forgotten tragedy of the First World War.
THE MOVIE…
DreamWorks Pictures’ War Horse is a tale of loyalty, hope and tenacity set in Europe during World War I. War Horse begins with the bond between a horse named Joey and a young man called Albert, who tames and trains him. When they are forcefully parted, the film follows the extraordinary journey of the horse as he moves through the war, changing and inspiring the lives of all those he meets before the story reaches its emotional climax in the heart of No Man’s Land. War Horse will be released on Blu-ray Combo Pack and DVD.
Purchase the War Horse
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or the War Horse (Four Disc Combo: Blu-ray/DVD + Digital Copy)
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