The Equine Heroes of World War I

The urgent task given to the War Office in 1914 was to source half a million more horses for the British army.

Horses were essential for pulling heavy guns, transporting weapons and supplies, carrying the wounded to hospital, and mounting cavalry charges.

During the first year of the war, the countryside's shire horses and riding ponies were requisitioned by the government, causing heartbreak for farming families.

<p>After being transported across the Channel, the horses were initiated into the horrors of the front line as either beasts of burden or cavalry horses.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The high death rate had a devastating impact on the close relationships formed between some men and the horses, as they could do little to prevent their deaths.</p> Signup and view all the answers