From the opening of the 19th century to the beginning of World War II, this volume examines the development of British cavalry equipment between 1800 and 1941. The first moves towards standardization of equipment are discussed, as they trace the demise of the system whereby the colonels of individual regiments decided how their troops would be equipped. The book reveals the influence of the Napoleonic Wars on British cavalry equipment. Finally, it shows how the outbreak of World War II and the spread of mechanization heralded the inevitable abolition of the use of horses in military service.