First l like to say i like what you do , I run a cav unit in Africa for antipoaching and have myself , 4 us cav saddles i use, all original . We do long range recon and pack the horses more or less the same , keeping the nose bags and use a grain bag as well , that has 2/3 feeds in it . Our saddle blanket is our sleeping blanket and our brush and sersingle is ti hold the blanket on the horse when cooling down after riding , is kept in our chest rig or webbing. Its a good show keep it up

Like every military experience ends up, the guys who sit a desk come up with stuff that field personnel would never use. As day follows night, the concept seems eternal. Thanks, that was an excellent presentation.

While evaluating the USMC SOF Horsemanship and Animal Packing Course in Oct 2015, I rode a 1928 Modified McClellan that I borrowed from a friend [I wanted to try it out to see if it was substantially different to ride]. I didn’t use a crupper. One evening as we rode down a steep mountain side in the High Sierras, I found myself sitting the saddle which had migrated onto my horse’s neck - yes half the saddle or a bit more was in front of the withers. It was one of the very, very few times I didn’t use a crupper. Fortuately Topper is a stable horse and after an awkward dismount, equipment was restored to its usualy position... As both a long time endurance rider , horse packer in the mountains and cavalry re enacter, I have always used a crupper. In addition to its obvious use in mountains, it is useful for placing the saddle properly when saddling - especially in the dark. For me the nose bag is a “ I never leave home without it" item. When packing in the mountains, I carry my lunch and binos in it. I can’t count the number of times I have used my nose bag and lariat to haul water up from a bridge or cliff when I couldn’t get my horse down to the water. While I have found little use for a picket pin, I often use my lariat - in addition to the use I mentioned above - I frequently use it as a temporary picket line between a couple of trees for 2 or 3 horses. Lowe in his "Five Years a Dragoon”. noted that the Dragoons used their picket pins and lariats often on the Great Plains - sometimes with disastrous results. Picketing a horse with lariat and picket pin requires thorough training of the horse. Failure to do so can result in a fatal injury to your horse

That stripped down kit looks very much like how my friends that do campaigner cavalry have ended up doing through experience and looking at period photographs. One of the quickest no brainers is to use the sleeping blanket and shelter half as extra padding.

Ditching kit is a timeless and universal military tradition! Great video

I enjoyed your description of the nosebag as the "junk drawer" of the saddle. LOL

So where is your personal stuff and the horse cleaning utensils now? Basically there remains an infantry soldiers equipment, except the cavalry weaponry... Again, absolute interesting video! Thanks a lot.

If the saddle bag was thrown away where would you put additional ammo at? After they ran out of what was in the cartridge box would you not put additional ammo in the bag

One thing that was pretty common to “misplace” were shoulder scales. At least here in Oregon they were. I’ve seen several references where they would all be placed in a box and somehow lost along the trail.

Cool stuff! As someone who has no idea what a watering bit is, or how it's used. I'd love to see a video describing, or demonstrating each piece of equipment. While most Pickett pins were thrown away, how was one actually used? I feel many of your audience isn't into horsemanship/equestrians so seeing what a lariat, water bit is used would be interesting.

A VERY patient horse........

Hey been watching your videos for awhile now and just want to say how great this info is! Looking forward to more.

I believe you are right in lightening the load. I spoke with a 2nd WW veteran in the remount. He said their teaching mandated that the trooper keep the saddle as light as possible for campaign travel, and all straps tucked away. No loose ends.

Excellent! Troopers in the field know what’s tactical or junk.

That was absolutely awesome! How about a show on bits?

Nice info thanks

Outstanding

The Rhodesian Grey Scouts is a great read "The Equus men " written by Alexandre Binda.

So could a trooper get a reissue of a greatcoat of a sleeping blanket when needed?

Great video! Do you know how pommel holsters would have been attached? Butt forward? Was this just an officer thing or not common at all in the civil war?

It looks like what you would be left with after a very long campaign especially if it were in the west or south west. It definitely doesn't leave much.

I would have kept the greatcoat anyway incase they would ever need it that would not have been too heavy to keep on the saddle

I'm sure maybe a lot of soldiers might have dumped most everything.. but some might not have

Now that you no longer have a blanket roll to stash your personal items, and ammo, where do they go? Ones pockets would probably be pretty stuffed.

How much of this stuff would be put on the supply train vs being discarded?

I wouldn't throw away the little saddlebags without replacing them with larger saddlebags. Also, I would keep the saddle blanket; if I use my sleeping blanket as a saddle blanket it will smell like horse sweat.

I have some civil war horse tack that is US cavalry, it has the eye sheilds and brass US badges. Any idea on what type horse that was used on and could it be donated to a museum?

Where did the discarded items end up? For instance, if the greatcoat was discarded in spring, how did they obtain it again when it was needed?

I'd like to know what the horse thinks.

I’m sure they liked to strip down their gear and minimize what they carried. It makes sense. I suppose the season, the length of the campaign and mission all came into play regarding what they would carry with them on their horse. Who wants to gallop in a charge or in a pursuit or retreat with a bunch of unnecessary junk bouncing around? I wouldn’t and neither would the mount. Also the location, terrain and flora would determine what they needed to carry. If their is abundant grass and water and time to let the animal graze, you might dispense with some of the equipment for feeding and tethering, though I would have to think they would still feed some grain to the animal every day to give it enough protein to keep its strength up. As far as the saddle goes, that might be up to the rider and even what his others in his unit thought was necessary. The theater the trooper operated in might also determine what they kept as equipment too. I’m studying the 3rd MO State Militia CAV and contrasting it with the 3rd MO State Guard CAV right now, because I had relatives who served in both. One served more as a traditional military unit and the other more as a policing unit to maintain security in a specific region they were responsible for l. They were both operating in the Missouri-Arkansas theaters, but their military roles were different. At any rate, enjoying your shows!

Also do you have a link to where we can pick up a copy of "Lessons of a Decade"?

Cute!!! German Shepherd. Puppy!! Awww. Was common cavalryman to have dog on campaign? Was NUG??

above 50% for saddle blankets makes then usual

I agree with all but the saddle blanket, Id sooner sleep on the ground without blankets then deal with the nast sweaty stinky blanket under that saddle after a days travel hahaha!

Makes perfect sense, it's like the infantry dumping their stoves, haversacks and gas masks in WWII, if it ain't necessary, ditch it, carry it extra ammo instead!!!.

Here's a question can one get ranked in reenactment

Threw everything away Including their coats

Pretty sure soldiers didn’t bring giant 6x6 or 6x9 A frame tents that you see in most reenactments today. Ridiculous and inaccurate but everyone do it, idk why

If you ditch anymore kit, you might as well join the Confederates.😄