Our Cavalry

In Short

Major-General M. F. Rimington presents an unvarnished manual on the cold realities of cavalry warfare in an era dominated by rapid-fire rifles and artillery. Drawing on historical campaigns from the Napoleonic Wars to the Boer War and Manchuria, Rimington argues that mounted troops remain vital only if highly trained, mobile, and cunningly led. He dissects every facet of the service, from horse breeding, forage, and squadron formations to artillery coordination and the psychological grit required of young officers. Written as an instructive guide for junior officers, the work remains a sharp, enduring study of military doctrine under the pressure of evolving technology.

The Story

Major-General Rimington begins his argument by asserting that the foundational principles of cavalry command are timeless, even as weapons continuously evolve. He surveys the perpetual debate surrounding armaments—whether the sword, lance, revolver, or rifle best serves the mounted soldier—and warns that changing gear mean nothing without absolute confidence in one’s weapons and high troop morale. From this technical opening, Rimington pivots to the fundamental foundation of all mounted operations: the horse itself. He exposes the massive, wasteful losses of horseflesh suffered in South Africa, attributing them to poor campaigning management, ignorant riders, and unreasonable physical demands. Victory, he stresses, depends directly upon the condition and care of the mount.

Moving into tactical doctrine, Rimington maps out how cavalry must maneuver against opposing horsemen. He breaks down squadron attacks, flank movements, and the critical art of maintaining cohesion during the chaos of a charge. He insists that cavalry must never operate in isolation; it must work in close, synchronized harmony with horse artillery. By placing guns on an advantageous flank while the squadrons move independently to envelope or distract the enemy, a commander can maximize firepower while keeping his own forces protected.

The focus then broadens to cavalry’s role against infantry and within general fleet engagements. Rimington systematically critiques recent conflicts, including the Franco-Prussian, Boer, and Russo-Japanese Wars, arguing that improper training and cautious leadership often crippled mounted forces. He warns against relying on hastily raised mounted riflemen or volunteers, contending that only regular, exquisitely trained horsemen can justify the immense expense of forage, remounts, and field logistics against a modern European army.

As the operational focus narrows to individual duty, Rimington details the arts of reconnaissance, tracking, and outpost security. He demands that scouts cultivate real fieldcraft, stealth, and sheer cunning rather than reckless boldness. In the final phase of his exposition, Rimington addresses the human element—specifically the education and mindset required of junior officers. He emphasizes that peacetime field sports, hunting, and rigorous physical habits build the daring "gambler’s spirit" required in command. He concludes with a rigorous examination of troop morale, discipline, and the absolute imperative of preserving horse power, demonstrating that a single month of ignorant overworking can destroy an army’s mobility before a decisive blow is ever struck.

How It Unfolds

The tools and the mount Rimington begins by reviewing the historical evolution of cavalry weapons and establishing that no technology can compensate for poor morale or ill-treated horses. He details the ideal breeds, measurements, and feeding habits required to keep mounts alive under harsh field conditions.

Tactics and artillery alignment The operational focus shifts to squadron formations and flank attacks against opposing cavalry. Rimington demonstrates how separating horse artillery from the main charging body prevents masking friendly fire and creates lethal enfilade opportunities against the enemy.

Lessons from modern conflict Analyzing recent campaigns in South Africa and Manchuria, Rimington exposes the errors of poor horse management and improper drill field training. He argues that mounted riflemen cannot replace highly disciplined, regular cavalry when facing modern continental powers.

Fieldcraft and scouting The guide moves into the practical art of reconnaissance, teaching officers how to read tracks, utilize cover, and employ cunning over blind audacity. Rimington stresses the importance of night patrols, deceptive movements, and protecting tired scouts from dismissive intelligence staff.

Building officers and morale Rimington closes by outlining the ideal training for young officers, advocating dangerous field sports to foster quick initiative and resolute courage. He lays out the psychological mechanics of troop morale and warns against the catastrophic waste of horses caused by careless commanders.

The People

Major-General M. F. Rimington The author and seasoned commander acts as the central guiding voice throughout the text. He seeks to strip away outmoded parade-ground vanity and replace it with practical, campaign-tested realism. Rimington demands that officers view horse care as a sacred duty, cultivate a calculating, "gambler's spirit," and prioritize field cunning over mindless brave displays.

The Junior Cavalry Officer Representing the primary audience of the work, this figure is envisioned as a high-spirited, energetic young leader who must be shaped into a professional instructor. The officer begins with enthusiasm for hunting and field sports, but must overcome ignorance of logistics, shoeing, and tactics to build absolute trust with his men and preserve his mounts.

The Cavalry Horse Treated throughout the argument as a critical, living instrument of war whose capacity is constantly endangered by human ignorance. The mount cannot voice its exhaustion or hunger, leaving its survival entirely dependent on whether its commanding officer understands foraging, saddling limits, and physical endurance.

The Cavalry Scout The solitary reconnaissance soldier whose duty requires extreme self-reliance, observation, and nerve. Operating away from the main body with no audience to applaud his efforts, the scout must master track-reading, terrain utilization, and deceptive retreat tactics to keep the army informed.

In Its Own Voice

"Withal no cavalry leader is likely to succeed unless there is something of the gambler’s spirit in him, the gambler who can coolly and calmly put down his everything on the cards." — On the psychological resolve and willingness to risk all required of a successful commander on the field.

"The horses of the cuirassiers not, unfortunately, being able to sustain themselves on their patriotism, fell down by the roadside and died." — Quoting General Nansouty on Murat’s disastrous overworking and starvation of his mounts during the Russian campaign.

"Only the most highly trained cavalry soldier is worth a horse and food for his horse when a nation is engaged against an enemy of modern continental type." — Summing up the uncompromising standard of efficiency required to justify the immense logistical expense of mounted troops.

What It's Really About

Beneath its practical instructions on artillery positions and horse shoeing, the book is a sharp critique of institutional complacency within the British military establishment. Rimington attacks the habit of training cavalry in cramped suburban drill fields for mere visual display, arguing that such superficial methods produce officers who gallop blindly without tactical sense. The core argument centers on the balance between physical logistics and human psychology: weapons and numbers are useless without disciplined horse management and high moral courage. Rimington insists that modern technological warfare has not made the cavalry obsolete, but has instead raised the bar so high that only the most professionally trained, intellectually agile, and rigorously conditioned horsemen can survive it.

Why Read It Today

Our Cavalry offers a fascinating, unfiltered window into British military thought on the eve of the First World War. Readers drawn to military history, tactical evolution, or equestrian heritage will appreciate Rimington’s precise, authoritative, and occasionally dry-witted prose. He writes with the directness of a veteran who has seen horses needlessly ruined and battles bungled by poor preparation, imparting a grounded sense of realism that completely avoids romanticized glory.

The work is not without its historical barriers. Readers must navigate detailed period terminology regarding military formations, obsolete tactical debates over swords versus lances, and occasional references to British imperial campaigns. Yet these specific details are precisely what give the text its authentic weight. Rimington’s sharp observations on leadership, the psychological realities of fear and morale, and the absolute responsibility a leader bears for those under his command remain strikingly relevant. It stands as a compelling study of an elite military branch striving to adapt its ancient traditions to the terrifying demands of modern industrial warfare.