World War I irrevocably changed the view of warfare in a number
of ways. The trench bogs, the introduction of tanks, weapons of
mass destruction (mustard gas) and the last-gasp reliance on
horses for either hauling artillery or cavalry officers through
the endless mud and muck. Animals were integral to the war
effort. According to the RootsWebAncestry.com website, the US
Army had six classes of animals to fulfill military hauling
requirements. These were: • For the cavalry: Active horses from
950 to 1,200 pounds • For hauling light artillery: Strong active
horses from 1,150 to 1,300 pounds • For hauling siege batteries:
Powerful horses from 1,400 to 1,700 pounds • For hauling
wheelers above 1,150 pounds or leaders above 1,000 pounds: pack
and draft mules Naturally, these animals required care and the
Veterinary Corps stepped in to help out. Below, is a YouTube
video showing some of the various steps taken to prepare a horse
for the war effort. While today’s military veterinarians still
take care of the ceremo