War Horse History: Equine Ambulances Moved Wounded Horses During World War I

When a horse was wounded, it took at least one other horse to move it to a railroad stop or a field veterinary hospital. Here you see a tandem hitch hauling a horse from the front; the teamster would command these horses with voice controls. Image by the remarkable chronicler of horses in World War I through his art, John Edwin Noble.

Useful form of horse ambulance being used in St. Omer, France, originally uploaded by National Library of Scotland.

I've become intrigued with the evolution of the equine ambulance and this is one of the first motorized ones I've found. This photo from the National Library of Scotland shows a veterinary officer leading what looks like a predictably reluctant mule up the ramp of the transport while two other horses with leg injuries wait their turn.

Part of the lettering on the side of the lorry can be deciphered. It reads 'Horse Ambulance' and at the bottom, 'St Omer'. St Omer had been used as a General Headquarters at the beginning of the war.

This sporty-looking horse ambulance was designed by Mrs. Harriet Nevins, a benefactor of the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA) in 1916, but it doesn't look sturdy enough for war use.

In the course of World War I, the British Army Veterinary Corps in France treated over 2,500,000 horses.

Two charity organizations funded horse ambulances for use at the front. In London, the Blue Cross worked tirelessly to raise funds to support the horses that had gone to war. In the USA, it was the American Humane Association.

Notice how the animals flanks in the top photo have been painted with numbers to identify them. Also notice how fit and round these horses look. These must either be new remount horses or this photo was taken early in the war.

This photo was taken toward the end of the war in France and shows some horses being transported to a hospital in a less elegant transport.

I predict a big surge of interest in the way horses were treated during World War I as Steven Spielberg prepares to film the hit London stage play War Horse, which will open on Broadway in New York next year.