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The Role Of Horses In Modern Military

Horses are our most loyal human companions that have been around us for thousands of years. Over this time, we’ve used horses for many different things, such as transportation, agriculture, and even military purposes.

A few centuries ago, horses played an important part in the country’s military, but of course, technology came into the big picture to replace these lovely animals. Nowadays, we have tanks, and ballistic missiles, and the military relies more on machines and technology rather than on live animals.

After all, technology and machines have become smarter and more manageable than horses, which is why there are no use cases for horses in the modern military. Or is there?

We still get to see military personnel in certain countries that ride horses, but what is their purpose actually?

You’d think that horses are now just for casual rides or participating in horse racing events, but no. They still have a role in the military, but not for speed like in horse racing, but mainly for transportation on rough terrain.

In other words, I wouldn’t bet on the military to have speedy horses like in horse racing events. Since we are on the subject of betting, check out TwinSpires if you want to learn more about horse racing bet types.

So, what are horses used for? Are they riding horses just for ceremonial duties, or do they actually have a role in the modern military?

Let’s find out.

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Wait, Horses in the 21st Century Military? Seriously?

Yes, seriously! Some countries still have horses in the military and they are standing along high-tech weaponry, which might be the face of modern warfare, but horses and in some cases, camels are still crucial to specific operations.

In a world where we have airplanes that can break the sound barrier, and high-tech vehicles capable of going even in deep water, you’d think that the noble horses got retired along with muskets, but nope – they still stick around, proving to be our most loyal companion through the years.

But what is their role in the modern military?

Well, horses have few advantages over modern vehicles. First of all, they are capable of going on rough and rocky terrain, where most vehicles cannot. Plus, in some cases, loud machines are not an option, as missions require stealth making horses the best choice.

Plus, high-tech military vehicles are ridiculously expensive! And require a lot of money to be maintained. But horses are cost-effective and much cheaper to maintain rather than repairing a multi-million-dollar vehicle.

So, despite living in the modern world with high-tech vehicles, we still need horses for specific things. They might not be a dominant force in the military, and the most used option, but they are still there to remind us of who helped us throughout history the most.

Which Militaries Still Use Horses?

If we look at modern forces, there are plenty of countries that keep their horse units active, and here are some examples.

India

First up, we have India, with one of the strongest horse-operated units on the planet. We are talking about the 61st Cavalry, which is a fully operations horse-mounted regiment, which might not have big offensive military roles, but still covers the ceremonial and security grounds.

This is not the only unit in India that uses horses. They also have the Border Security Force that uses vehicles, horses, and sometimes camels to patrol rugged desert areas, especially when we talk about the Pakistan border, where vehicles would bog down easily.

Chile

Chile is a mountain country with exceptionally difficult terrain. This rocky terrain means that the use of vehicles with tires is simply not an option.

That’s why Chile still has an active military unit that has horse-mounted troops in the Andes mountains. You wouldn’t want to pop a tire in that kind of environment, so using a horse is the second-best option.

Germany

Germany keeps it old-school with a Pack Animal Company that supports their Reconnaissance Battalion. Soldiers use horses and mules to transport gear through mountainous terrain, occasionally hopping in the saddle themselves​.

United States

Remember those dramatic scenes from the movie “12 Strong”? Special Forces units actually rode horses during the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan. The Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center still teaches troops how to ride and pack animals—because mountains don’t care how many wheels your fancy truck has​.

Jordan

Jordan’s Desert Camel Corps is a squadron of about 40 soldiers who patrol the desert borders on camels. They assist travelers, bust smugglers, and keep an eye on ISIS activity near the Syrian border​.

The United Nations

Even the UN gets in on the action! Peacekeepers sometimes use horses (and camels) to patrol rough areas where armored vehicles are useless​.

Why Are Horses Better Than Tech in Some Cases?

You might ask, “Why not just use drones, ATVs, or a self-driving military truck?” Fair question. Horses win in several key scenarios:

  • Mobility: Horses can handle forests, mountains, deserts, and swamps better than most vehicles.
  • Low Maintenance: Ever tried changing a tank’s spark plugs in the middle of a jungle? Didn’t think so.
  • Stealth Mode: Horses are the original silent operators. Unlike vehicles, they don’t broadcast your position with engine noise.

So, horses have been around us for thousands of years, and despite modern technology, the military still uses them. Their role might have adapted from warfare to transportation, but they are still active in military units.

George N.
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