Revival of the cavalry

[rupol2000]

I see no reason to neglect the cavalry in modern conditions of war, in the field it is not worse than the infantry, outperforms the infantry in speed and maneuverability, and nothing prevents the manufacture of body armor for horses.
It seems that the cavalry was abolished not for military, but for ideological reasons, and it needs to be restored.
Moreover, on the American Great Plains, there are ideal conditions for the maintenance of the equestrian army and there are equestrian specialists and riders

 

[Mr Natural]

Let’s keep innocent animals out of our petty squabbles.

 

[Confederate Soldier]

The German army in WWII Used a lot more cavalry than most folks would expect. Hitler wished for his army to be fully mechanized, but unfortunately for him, he just didn't have enough. To meet the needs, the army used horses as much as they could. The Russians did too, as well as the Poles. As many as 2,000 horses died a day on the Eastern front, from overworking, heart failure or wounds.


A modern cavalry would be excellent for Mountain engagements, where trucks just cannot go. We used them at times in Afghanistan for example. But elsewhere, it would kind of be a moot point because of the modern mechanization of our armies. Cavalry would be a good idea for specialty mountain combat units.

 

[rupol2000]

Let’s keep innocent animals out of our petty squabbles.

This is good for them, they are the same warriors as people, and when they are in demand in the army, their livestock is growing. Otherwise, they may disappear altogether. They must be used

 

[rupol2000]

View attachment 568325


The German army in WWII Used a lot more cavalry than most folks would expect. Hitler wished for his army to be fully mechanized, but unfortunately for him, he just didn't have enough. To meet the needs, the army used horses as much as they could. The Russians did too, as well as the Poles. As many as 2,000 horses died a day on the Eastern front, from overworking, heart failure or wounds.


A modern cavalry would be excellent for Mountain engagements, where trucks just cannot go. We used them at times in Afghanistan for example. But elsewhere, it would kind of be a moot point because of the modern mechanization of our armies. Cavalry would be a good idea for specialty mountain combat units.

If horses are not suitable for field battles, then why does the infantry still exist? Why is it better?

 

[Confederate Soldier]

If horses are not suitable for field battles, then why does the infantry still exist? Why is it better?

Because now in modern fighting, we aren't in the fields as much. Think about it.


We use attack and spy drones for much of everything now. Everything can be destroyed remotely. The only thing that can't be captured or neutralized without complete destruction is a city. Ground troops are the only thing suitable for that kind of combat. In order to get to the cities, troops are carried in fast armored transports, or are flown in via helicopters. Gone are the days of infantry fighting in fields. It's a new world we're fighting in.

 

[rupol2000]

Because now in modern fighting, we aren't in the fields as much. Think about it.

Field battles have not gone anywhere, do not fantasize. In conditions of large-scale wars, infantry is used, and moreover, in Europe and China, this is the main military force(by count of soldiers)

 

[rupol2000]

Among other things, horses have advantages in cross-country ability over war-transport, they easily pass ravines and rocky terrain
They can also be used to supply troops.

 

[Crepitus]

I see no reason to neglect the cavalry in modern conditions of war, in the field it is not worse than the infantry, outperforms the infantry in speed and maneuverability, and nothing prevents the manufacture of body armor for horses.
It seems that the cavalry was abolished not for military, but for ideological reasons, and it needs to be restored.
Moreover, on the American Great Plains, there are ideal conditions for the maintenance of the equestrian army and there are equestrian specialists and riders

 

[Confederate Soldier]

Field battles have not gone anywhere, do not fantasize. In conditions of large-scale wars, infantry is used, and moreover, in Europe and China, this is the main military force(by count of soldiers)

Infantry is the main force of every country, but that doesn't mean we line up in fields any more. Name the most recent large scale war where we actually fought out in the open. Not under cover, nut dug in, but in the open.

 

[rupol2000]

Infantry is the main force of every country, but that doesn't mean we line up in fields any more. Name the most recent large scale war where we actually fought out in the open. Not under cover, nut dug in, but in the open.

I see no obstacles here for the revival of the cavalry

 

[rightwinger]

We still have Cavalry only they use helicopters instead of horses.
Much more effective

1st Cavalry Division

 

[Confederate Soldier]

We still have Cavalry only they use helicopters instead of horses.
Much more effective

Choppers are highly effective. My grandfather was a sharpshooter in the 11th Air Assault Division in Vietnam. They exclusively used helicopters, and they used them well.

 

[rightwinger]

Cavalry is a mission not an army that uses horses

That mission is to rapidly deploy and engage the enemy

 

[jackflash]

I see no reason to neglect the cavalry in modern conditions of war, in the field it is not worse than the infantry, outperforms the infantry in speed and maneuverability, and nothing prevents the manufacture of body armor for horses.
It seems that the cavalry was abolished not for military, but for ideological reasons, and it needs to be restored.
Moreover, on the American Great Plains, there are ideal conditions for the maintenance of the equestrian army and there are equestrian specialists and riders

The Marines used to have them down in camp Pendleton during the 60's/70's, @ least I think more in the interest of pack horses in difficult terrain. A lot of those recruits came off both farms & ranches. Personally I would like to avoid putting those majestic animals in harms way just as much as I don't like seeing humans in harms way. The best avenue of approach is to avoid war through civilized negotiation by respect for our fellow humanity. Unfortunately the current human condition(human nature) appears to be just as corrupt as ever. It will take a literal miracle to get human nature out of it's current aggressive/combative narcissistic mode, if we don't exterminate ourselves as a species first.

 

[rupol2000]

Personally I would like to avoid putting those majestic animals in harms way just as much as I don't like seeing humans in harms way

I would also like peace to horses, but unfortunately horses die out if they are not involved in wars. They have always been grown for war, and on farm buisness they will not withstand the competition with a tractor. There are fewer and fewer of them.

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

I see no reason to neglect the cavalry in modern conditions of war, in the field it is not worse than the infantry, outperforms the infantry in speed and maneuverability, and nothing prevents the manufacture of body armor for horses.
It seems that the cavalry was abolished not for military, but for ideological reasons, and it needs to be restored.
Moreover, on the American Great Plains, there are ideal conditions for the maintenance of the equestrian army and there are equestrian specialists and riders

 

[jackflash]

I would also like peace to horses, but unfortunately horses die out if they are not involved in wars. They have always been grown for war, and on farm buisness they will not withstand the competition with a tractor. There are fewer and fewer of them.

Below is what looks pretty close to the pair of Percheron we used to skid logs on acreage that bordered the north side of Fischers Mill Rd. just a few hundred yards east of the Redland elementary school(still there!). The Indian family further east on Fischers Mill Rd. let us rent their team of Percheron & gear but I was only fifteen years old in '67 & greener than apples with my oldest sisters husband the only one that knew what he was doing. After two weeks my brother in law made a deal with another neighbor to repair his D-8 Cat(tracked vehicle) for use on the acreage. We did more in a day with that D-8 than we did with the team of Percheron drafts in two weeks! I noticed a shinny spec on Google maps just about where we had constructed a small free standing lean to structure that we used to store the dynamite, buzz box, caps etc. It's still standing!!! Short of the dynamite lean to & Redland elementary school I could no longer recognize the area. Other than enviro logging the Amish are about the only folks that still work the draft teams. Don't let anyone kid you like those big drafts may be wide @ the withers & need a drop stirrup to be able to mount them but those big drafts are like riding a freakin' aircraft carrier like stable as can be for bare back riding for sure!

File:Percheron 1 stehend links.jpg - Wikimedia Commons

commons.wikimedia.org

 

[night_son]

I see no reason to neglect the cavalry in modern conditions of war, in the field it is not worse than the infantry, outperforms the infantry in speed and maneuverability, and nothing prevents the manufacture of body armor for horses.
It seems that the cavalry was abolished not for military, but for ideological reasons, and it needs to be restored.
Moreover, on the American Great Plains, there are ideal conditions for the maintenance of the equestrian army and there are equestrian specialists and riders

Invention of the squad machine gun killed the equestrian cavalry. Invention of the infantry issued automatic assault rifle buried it. Horse vs. mechanized armor? Forget about it. However, the notion of an American guerilla force on horseback is quite romantic, if wholly insane.

 

[Vrenn]

We still have Cavalry only they use helicopters instead of horses.
Much more effective

View attachment 568342
1st Cavalry Division

They also use ARMOR like personel carriers. During WWII the germans did use horses but they also had one hell of a logistics problem that was probably the number reason they lost the war.