Waler Horse Owners and Breeders Association Australia Inc

The Cavalry Trooper — The ideal cavalry horse should (if price has not to be considered) be of the heavy weight or thick-set of the hunter type. His chief requirements as regards confirmation are as follows:
1. That he should be up to the weight he has got to carry, which is usually about 18 stone. But he should on no account be too heavily topped for his legs, or for the work he should be called upon to do. His loins, therefore, should be strong, his shoulder blades long, and his legs should be as short as is compatible with the possesion of sufficient speed for military purposes.2. His legs and feet should be particularly sound and well able to stand work. As he will be called upon at times to go fast and to leap, his back his back tendons should be more or less parallel with the cannon-bone, and he should have no tendency to undue width of fetlock.3. His fore-hand should be light, so that his legs and feet may continue sound, and that he may be able to do his school work properly.4. He should have a good carriage of the head and neck, so that he may be obedient to the rein.5. He should be a "good doer," and have a strong constitution, which will usually be the case with a horse that has a bright eye; soft, cool skin; deep rounded barrel; full flank; firm, prominent anus; and is well ribbed up.6. In times of peace, the height will usually vary from about 15.1 to 16 hands; but for war purposes, when endurance is of paramount importance, the height should not exceed 15.2 and may be as low as 14.1, especially if Arabs are employed.

The Officer's Charger — A cavalry officers first charger, with all the useful points of the cavalry trooper, should have undeniably good looks, and a showy carriage of the head and tail, which should not be docked. As he will have to carry less, and will cost considerably more than an animal in the ranks, he should be well bred, and, with a rider of ordinary weight, he should approach the type of a handsome thoroughbred hunter. A second charger should have all the useful points of a first charger; but need not be so good-looking. The colour will, as a rule, depend on regimental regulations. Speaking generally, he should not be less than 15.3 during peace time; because a man at the head of a regiment of cavalry, or of a battery of Horse or Field Artillery, looks best on a tall horse. On a campaign, the height should be the same as that advised for a cavalry trooper.

The Artillery Horse — Artillery horses are divided into those for Horse Artillery and those for Field batteries. As the teams of the former have to manoeuvre with cavalry, and also drag their guns, they require to be exceptionally strong, smart horses. The latter, as they are supposed not to go faster than a trot, are stronger and slower horses than those of the light cavalry. The wheelers are active, light-built cart-horses. For their work, they need to be somewhat thick in the shoulders, short on the leg, and of considerable weight to stop the gun when the order to halt is given. The hind-quarters, loins, and the hocks should, therefore, be particularly strong. The riding-horses of the Nos.I and markers of field batteries should be of the light cavalry type.

The Mounted Infantry Horse — should be of the same type as the cavalry charger, and should be about 14.2 high.
The Light Vanner — which we meet in vans, buses and tram-cars, should be of similar type to Field Artillery wheelers; in fact, active, light cart horses that can trot freely and at fair speed.

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