EAA2021: Abstract

What are the physiological basiscs question of size draught over long distances? Is the draught and ability to carry heavy burden only a question of size or is race and physique also important? The draught – and the output of the pack animal depend on different factors like the weather, the way, the package and the physical condition of the animals. Mange, glanders, pleuropneumonia, exhaustion, shortage of forage and water as well as wounds due to harness decimated many of animals of the baggage and in some cases also men, if they didn’t run away in time. Using examples up from the Roman Empire till the First World War, it will be explained with which problems every horseman has to struggle when he was going to war. War is not a lot of warriors in a shine armour and his well groomed horse and chivalry. War means dirt and death. In my presentation I will give you the answers to this questions and show you how cruel war was, for animals and humans and how men tried to help their horses and to reduce their suffering. Let me show you how horseman-horse relationship was during warfare.

draught, train, speed, physical condition, going to war

 Abstract (PDF)

Anna Bauer¹