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War Horse

A History of the Military Horse and Rider

Louis A. DiMarco

Reviewed by Warren Matha

For those interested in horsemanship, this book ranks with Vladimir Littauer’s The Development of Modern Riding.  For those interested in military history, this book ranks with the works of John Keegan. The book offers so much about horses and military riding that one cannot capture one tenth of it in a review. Lt. Col. Louis A. DiMarco reveals new insights and debunks old myths as he explains the evolution of military riding. He discusses how cavalry tactics and strategies evolved; the impact of culture, geography and terrain on horsemanship; the cavalry’s tactical and strategic value to skillful generals such as Alexander, Saladin, Subotai, Napoleon, Lee and Allenby; the reasons for the sudden disappearance of large horse cavalry formations in war…and his reasoning may surprise many readers.  

He recounts the history of what he calls war’s “oldest weapons system” ….the man and horse.  He explains the transition from the chariot to horseback, from armored knights to light cavalry, from the American Army’s total abandonment of horses to a rushed and limited redeployment of horse and man in 2001.  He describes the tactics and strategy of the Mongol cavalry leader Subotai during a 5500 mile campaign on horseback… the longest mounted reconnaissance in history.  He describes the “visionary leadership of Frederick and Seydlitz” at Rossbach. For me, it brought to mind Churchill’s descriptions in his biography of Marlborough wherein Prince Eugene says to John Churchill: “He, who has not seen this, has seen nothing.”  

The author fills the book with fascinating “factoids”. Do you wish to know the weight of a knight’s armor?  You will find it here.  Do you wish to learn about how the Appaloosa horse developed? You will find it here.  Interested in the impact of the American War Between the States on cavalry formations and fighting tactics that Europe ’s generals missed? You will find it here.  

Over the years, I have read a great deal of military history: much of it written by historians, journalists as well as by field commanders. This book combines the knowledge of a soldier, the insights of a horseman and the research of the historian.  Well written, the book will interest anyone seriously interested in horses, military history or both. 

Reviewed by Pat Holscher

Lou DiMarco has written an excellent book on this topic, bringing together both his obvious knowledge of the horse and the knowledge gained through his military career. While I've read many other books on horses, this book is the first one I've read which so completely, and entertainingly, synthesizes equestrian history, material culture, and military history. Simply excellent.

War Horse is a complete history on the topic, going back into vast antiquity right up to the closing days of the cavalry, and even on to the present day. The book is complete in every sense, going into the horses themselves, the nature of and what this all means in context. All of this is placed in context with examples from representative battles from various periods.

No significant historical period is omitted. Battles and periods as far reaching as ancient Egypt up to the Boer War, and beyond that to the current era are all discussed. It's fascinating to be able to read about the Battle of Kadesh, 1275 BC, and the cavalry of World War Two in the same book.

Needless to say, writing a book of like this would be a daunting task. A book could well be written on any one era, and on any one topic. Approaching a complete synthesis would be difficult in the extreme. And yet, in spite of that, Ltc DiMarco has managed to do this, and has also managed to keep the entire text engaging and entertaining. This book will be very much enjoyed by those whose interest have brought them here to this site. But beyond that, as the horse in war is so much a part of the history of the horse, it should be enjoyed by anyone with a serious interest in the history of man's interaction with the horse.

From the Great Wars Forum:

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=102015&mode=linear

A very well researched book that covers all nations and covers the development of the horse, the equipment, and the skills involved. It is intriguing reading for those with a love of horses and those who wouldn't know one end of a horse with the other! It filled many a gap in my knowledge, and helped to put alot of myths to rest.
highly recommended, unbiased, (especially those who have suspicion of USA military history). Un-paralleled in it's content.

a must for you Cav types.

Robert von Maier, World War II Quarterly

"DiMarco is to be applauded for his first-rate, detailed study of the history of the military horse. The book is sure to become an essential reference for all things cavalry. War Horse is highly recommended!"