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    SMALL HORSES IN WARFARE

    [Illustration: _Frederick Taylor, pinxt._ ON THE ALERT.]




    SMALL HORSES IN WARFARE

    BY

    SIR WALTER GILBEY, BART.


    ILLUSTRATED

    VINTON & CO., LTD.

    9, NEW BRIDGE STREET, LONDON, E.C.

    1900




    CONTENTS.


    HORSES IN THE CRIMEAN WAR
    CAPE HORSES
    PONIES IN THE SOUDAN
    BURNABY'S RIDE TO KHIVA
    POST HORSES IN SIBERIA
    PONIES IN INDIA
    PONIES IN NORTHERN AFRICA
    PONIES IN MOROCCO
    PONIES IN EASTERN ASIA
    PONIES IN AUSTRALIA
    PONIES IN AMERICA AND TEXAS
    ARMY HORSES OF THE FUTURE
    BREEDING SMALL HORSES
    APPENDIX




    LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.


    ON THE ALERT
    BASHI BAZOUK
    ONE OF REMINGTON'S HORSE
    SIX ORIGINAL PENCIL SKETCHES BY HENRY ALKEN
    GIMCRACK


_The present seems an appropriate time to put forward a few facts which
go to prove the peculiar suitability of small horses for certain
campaigning work which demands staying power, hardiness and independence
of high feeding. The circumstance that the military authorities have
been obliged to look to foreign countries for supplies of such horses
for the war in South Africa has suggested the propriety of pointing out
that we possess in England foundation stock from which we may be able to
raise a breed of small horses equal to, or better than, any we are now
obliged to procure abroad._

_Elsenham Hall, Essex, May, 1900._




SMALL HORSES IN WARFARE.


The campaign in South Africa has proved beyond doubt the necessity for a
strong force similar to that of the Boers. Their rapidity of movement
has given us an important lesson in the military value of horses of that
useful type which is suitable for light cavalry and mounted infantry.

Since the war broke out we have seen that we possess numbers of men able
to ride and shoot, who only need a little training to develop them into
valuable soldiers, but our difficulty throughout has been to provide
horses of the stamp required for the work they have to perform. The
experience we have gained in South Africa goes to confirm that acquired
in the Crimea, where it was found that the horses sent out from England
were unable to withstand the climate, poor food, and the hardships to
which they were subjected, while the small native horses and those bred
in countries further East suffered little from these causes. It was
then proved beyond dispute that these small horses are both hardy and
enduring, while, owing to their possession like our English
thoroughbreds of a strong strain of Arab blood, they were speedy enough
for light cavalry purposes.

Breeders of every class of horse, saving only those who breed the
Shetland pony and the few who aim at getting ponies for polo, have for
generations made it their object to obtain increased height. There is
nothing to be urged against this policy in so far as certain breeds are
concerned; the sixteen-hand thoroughbred with his greater stride is more
likely to win races than the horse of fifteen two; the sixteen-hand
carriage horse, other qualities being equal, brings a better price than
one of less stature; and the Shire horse of 16.2 or 17 hands has
commonly in proportion greater strength and weight, the qualities most
desirable in him, than a smaller horse. Thus we can show excellent
reason for our endeavours to increase the height of our most valuable
breeds; and the long period that has elapsed since we were last called
upon to put forward our military strength has allowed us to lose sight
of the great importance of other qualities.

Breeders and horsemen are well aware, though the general public may not
know or may not realise the fact, that increased height in the horse
does not necessarily involve increased strength in all directions, such
as greater weight-carrying power and more endurance. Granting that the
saying, "a good big horse is better than a good little one," is in the
main correct, we have to consider that the merits which go to make a
useful horse for campaigning are infinitely more common in small horses
than in big ones.

All the experience of campaigners, explorers and travellers goes to
prove that small compact animals between 13.2 and 14.2 hands high are
those on which reliance can be placed for hard and continuous work on
scanty and innutritious food.




HORSES IN THE CRIMEAN WAR.


During the Crimean War I was located for a short time at Abydos in Asia
Minor, on the shores of the Dardanelles, and had daily opportunities of
seeing the horses and studying the manoeuvres of some 3,000 mounted
Bashi Bazouks and Armenian troops who were encamped there under General
Beatson in readiness for summons to the Crimea, whither they were
eventually dispatched.

The horses on which these troops were mounted ranged from 14 hands to
14.3; all had a strong strain of Arab blood, and had come with the
troops from the Islands of the Archipelago. They were perfect horses for
light cavalry work. The economy with which they were fed was surprising:
their feed consisted principally of chopped straw with a small daily
ration of barley when the grain was procurable, which was not always the
case; and on this diet they continued in condition to endure long
journeys which would have speedily broken down the best English charger
in the British army.




CAPE HORSES.


The universal opinion of residents in South Africa is against the
introduction of imported horses for general work, inasmuch as they
cannot withstand the climate, hard living, bad roads and rough usage
which make up the conditions of a horse's life in the Colony.

In past years, before the present war, large numbers of English
horses have been sent to Natal for military service, but the results
were not satisfactory; all became useless, and the large majority died;
the change from English stables and English methods of management to
those in vogue in the Colony almost invariably proved fatal.

  [Illustration: BASHI BAZOUK]

Some five years ago, when discussing with Mr. Cecil Rhodes the
advisability of introducing into Cape Colony English sires to improve
the stamp of horse bred in South Africa, he gave his opinion against
such measures. He pointed out that highly bred and large horses were
unsuitable for the work required in the Colony; they needed greater care
in housing, feeding, and grooming than the conditions of life in South
Africa would allow owners to bestow upon them. The hardships attendant
upon long journeys over rough country, the extremes of heat and cold
which horses must endure with insufficient shelter or none at all, must
inevitably overtax the stamina which has been weakened by generations of
luxurious existence in England.

Mr. Rhodes considered that no infusion of English blood would enhance
the powers of the small colonial bred horse to perform the work required
of him under local conditions; that though thoroughbred blood would
improve him in height and speed, these advantages would be obtained at
the cost of such indispensable qualities as endurance and ability to
thrive on poor and scanty fare.

It is however permissible to suppose that a gradual infusion of good
blood carefully chosen might in course of time benefit the Cape breed.
The use only of horses which have become acclimatised would perhaps
produce better results than have hitherto been obtained. The progeny
reared under the ordinary conditions prevailing in the Colony would
perpetuate good qualities, retaining the hardiness of the native breed.




PONIES IN THE SOUDAN.


The late Colonel P. H. S. Barrow furnished a most interesting and
suggestive Report to the War Office on the Arabs which were used by his
regiment, the 19th Hussars, during the Nile campaign of 1885. This
report is published among the Appendices to Colonel John Biddulph's
work, _The XIXth and their Times_ (1899).

Experience, in the words of Colonel Biddulph, had shown that English
horses could not stand hard work under a tropical sun with scarcity of
water and desert fare. It was therefore decided before leaving Cairo to
mount the regiment entirely on the small Syrian Arab horses used by the
Egyptian cavalry. Three hundred and fifty of these little horses had
been sent up in advance and were taken over by the regiment on arrival
at Wady Halfa. Colonel Barrow thus describes these horses:

"Arab stallion. Average height, 14 hands; average age, 8 years to 9
years; some 15 per cent. over 12 years; bought by Egyptian Government in
Syria and Lower Egypt; average price, L18."

About half of the ponies had been through the campaign in the Eastern
Soudan with the regiment in February and March, 1884, and had returned
in a very exhausted state. In September of that year they were marched
up from Assouan to Wady Halfa, 210 miles; and when handed over to the
19th again in November, all except some 10 per cent. of the number were
"in very fair marching condition." From Wady Halfa the regiment
proceeded to Korti, a distance of 360 miles, at a rate of about 16 miles
per day, halts, one of one day and one of two days not included; their
feed consisted of about 6 lbs. of barley or dhoora[1] and 10 lbs. of
dhoora stalk; and on this rather scanty ration the horses reached Korti
in very good condition. Here they remained for eighteen days, receiving
8 lbs. of green dhoora stalk daily instead of 8 lbs. dry; the rest and
change to green food produced improvement in their condition.

[1] Dhoora is a kind of millet cultivated throughout Asia and introduced
into the south of Europe; called also Indian millet and Guinea corn.

While the main body rested at Korti, a detachment of fifty went to
Gakdul, 100 miles distant, on reconnaissance; they performed the march
in sixty-three hours, had fifteen hours rest at Gakdul, and returned in
the same time. Six of the party returned more rapidly, covering the 100
miles in forty-six hours, the last 50 being covered in seven and a-half
hours. During these marches the horses were ridden for eighty-three
hours, the remaining fifty-eight hours of the time occupied being
absorbed by halts.

