11/11/2026
As we sit in humble remembrance of all the lives sacrificed throughout the Wars of the past, I'd like to take a moment to reflect on the vital role our Equids (horses, donkey and mules) played in the first World War, where they were pivotal as more then cavalry animals. They were literal life savers and as vital as the soldiers they assisted. They did it with bravery and solitude, many sacrificing their lives in the service of mankind. May they all rest in peace as they wait on the other side of the rainbow bridge.
A war horse is often thought of as a huge cavalry charger or a smart officer’s mount. But during the First World War (1914-18), horses' roles were much more varied. Their contribution included carrying and pulling supplies, am******on, artillery and even the wounded. Without these hard-working animals, the Army could not have functioned.
The BritishArmy’s Remount Department spent £67.5 million (about £3 billion in today’s money) purchasing, training and delivering horses and mules to the front. There were not enough horses in Britain that were fit for Army service, so large numbers had to be brought from abroad. Canada, for example, sent about 130,000 horses.The Army’s Remount Department spent £67.5 million (about £3 billion in today’s money) purchasing, training and delivering horses and mules to the front. There were not enough horses in Britain that were fit for Army service, so large numbers had to be brought from abroad. Canada, for example, sent about 130,000 horses.
On the North-West Frontier of India and in East Africa, the nimble-footed mules of the Indian Army carried huge loads in mountainous terrain. This included special artillery guns that could be taken apart and transported by teams of eight mules.
The success of the British war effort was largely dependent on draught horses. Often, the mud on the Western Front was so thick, or the desert sand of the Middle East so deep, that motor vehicles could not drive through it. Instead, it was left to horses to deliver cart loads of supplies, medicine, food and am******on.
Pulling ambulances was one of the most important roles of draught horses. They could quickly transport injured soldiers from casualty clearing stations to field hospitals. Along badly shell-damaged roads, it would have been a very uncomfortable way to travel.
