The Green Cavalry Horse

People seem to think that all cavalry mounts were perfectly trained and ready to go on campaign and into battle with no issues. The reality, sad to say, is somewhat different and even the smallest things can cause problems unless horses are conditioned for it. Even things as trivial as the noise of a saber being drawn or waving a sword above the horse's head can cause a real rodeo unless the horse has been desensitized.

The following is a brief description of some of these issues from a history of the 7th Indiana Cavalry from the American Civil War (and 1861 in particular) as quoted in The War Horse by Louis A. DiMarco (an excellent book, by the way):

The horses having been but recently drawn, had never been exercised in drill. Some of them had never been backed.... The men were as green as the horses. Some of them never having been on a horse's back, did not know how to mount. Those who had wild steeds, had great difficulty in maintaining their positions in the saddle, and some in attempting to mount suddenly found themselves on the ground. However, after great effort, the horses were sufficiently quieted, so as to stand in reasonable proximity to each other. The hour having arrived for the review, the companies were marched to the parade ground, and the regiment, after long and patient effort, formed in a reasonably straight line. Governor Morton and his Staff, accompanied by Colonel Shanks, took their positions in front of the regiment. Colonel Shanks, in genuine military style, gave the command "Draw Sabres:" The men obeyed the order. The sabres in being drawn made a great rattling and clatter, and waved over the horse's heads, the sight and sound of which greatly frightened them. This was more than they could bear. Some of them reared and plunged, depositing their riders on the ground; others darted over the commons, their riders hatless, holding on with both hands to the horses' manes, or the pommels of their saddles, presenting pictures not in keeping with accomplished equestrianism....So ended the first grand review of the regiment.

I have pretty much experienced all of the above and it's gratifying to know that I'm not alone in some of the trials I've undergone trying to get Max ready for cavalry work. The key here is TRAIN! TRAIN! TRAIN! It just goes to show that some things have never changed. :-)