Horses in Warfare Throughout History

In the past, horses were used by the military as great tools of war because of their speed, endurance, and strength but nowadays they usually only see action in army displays. They were able to endure hardshpis we simply cannot, weather and challenging terrains as they went to the battlefield.

Horses have been involved in warfare since we were able to domesticate them and the first record of horses being in battle dates back to 1350BC. War horses were able to pull more weight than their bodies, so soldiers used them for thousand of years to carry heavy loads to and from the battlefield. Horses often took the bullet for their owners. During the World War 1, a lot of horses estimated to be about eight million were sacrificed due to the aggressive charges and artillery hauls in the muddy drenched grounds. Some died due to diseases, wounds and exhaustion. This was the last time horses were used prominently as new technology forced them out of the battlefield.

Some of the most famous war horses from history include:

1. Bucephalus- this was the first celebrity horse, and it was a favorite of Alexander the Great who acquired at the age of 13. Bucephalus went with Alexander to many battles and later died of fatal injuries during the Battle of Hyades, a fight between Alexander and Indian King Porus in 326 BC. To remember it, Alexander built a city on the banks of river Jhelum and named it after Bucephalas. The Pak town Phalia is named after the horse where it was believed to have died.

2. Marengo- this is one of the famous war horses in history, and French empire Napoleon Bonaparte owned it. Its name is from the Marengo Battle between France and Austria after it displayed astounding capabilities and carried the emperor safely. He accompanied Napoleon in many campaigns, but he was captured by the British forces while in war by British officer Lord Perte. Marengo lived in England until its death in 1831, and the skeletons can be found at the Chelsea national army museum.

Marengo

3. Kasztanka-a famous horse that belonged to Marshal Jozef Pilsudski, the Polish war hero. Her name meant chestnut because of the unique color she had. She went with her master to many battles in Austro-Hungary and also in Germany during World War 1. Kasztanka was at the Polish independence day on 11 November 1927 together with her master and she died later on 23 November 1927.

4. Traveller- he was a gray American Saddlebred horse born in 1857. General Robert E. Lee bought him in 1862, and he was a favorite war horse because of its speed, courage, and strength in combat. He carried the general during battles, including the American civil war and even accompanied him afterwards. Traveller developed tetanus in 1871 and died because there was no treatment then. 5. Sergent Reckless- a famous war horse that was of Mongolian bred and owned by the US military and trained by the US Marine Corps. During the Korean War, she used to carry supplies and weapons and also wounded soldiers. She was known to have intelligence as she made solo trips. She was made a sergeant in 1954 and was selected by life magazine as one of the 100 all-time American heroes. She died in 1968.

5. Sergent Reckless- a famous war horse that was of Mongolian bred and owned by the US military and trained by the US Marine Corps. During the Korean War, she used to carry supplies and weapons and also wounded soldiers. She was known to have intelligence as she made solo trips. She was made a sergeant in 1954 and was selected by life magazine as one of the 100 all-time American heroes. She died in 1968.

Sergent Reckless