Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Waler.

This is coolbert:

From that wiki entry: "Horses in World War I" we have another MILITARY BEST!

The Australian Waler horse. Finest horse of the cavalry that fought as such during the Great War [WW1]!

"The Australians primarily rode Waler horses . . . The majority of horses in the Corps were Walers and there is no doubt that these hardy Australian horses make the finest cavalry mounts in the world ..."



The Australian soldier instantly recognizable from even an distance by the appearance of the slouch hat those troops deployed beyond Australia proper all volunteers no conscripts!!

That indigenous Australian horse, called a "type" and not a breed the Waler a combination of many breeds and ideally suited for the arid and "rough" terrain as found in the Middle East. A "type" of horse accustomed to hard work under difficult conditions, tough and able! BEST!

"The Waler combined a variety of breeds; particularly the Thoroughbred, Arab, the Cape horse (from the Cape of Good Hope), Timor Pony and perhaps a little Clydesdale or Percheron. It was originally considered only a 'type' of horse and not a distinct breed. However, as a landrace bred under the extreme climate and challenging working conditions of Australia, the Waler developed into a hardy horse with great endurance even when under extreme stress from lack of food and water. It was used as a stockman's horse and prized as a military remount. Walers were also used by bushrangers, troopers and exploration expeditions that traversed inland Australia."

During the Battle of Megiddo the Australian light horse troop advancing at a rate exceeding any and all other military units of modern times for which there is a record! Movement by horse, the soldier fighting dismounted!

coolbert.

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