Weight of Horse Equipments and Cavalry Accouterments 1878
Bit dated J, but useful for giving an idea of just how much weight a cavalry horse could carry…
Halter: 2lbs 1oz
Watering bridle: 1lb 1.5oz
Bridle: 2lbs 13oz
Saddle: 14lbs 13.5oz
Saddle-bags: 2lbs 2oz
Filling of near-side pouch with 5 days rations: 10lbs
Filling of off-side pouch with 1pr socks, 1 pr drawers, 2 shirts, 40rds carbine ammo, toilet articles: 7lbs
8oz
Forage sack: 6oz
5 days oats for horse, carried in forage sack: 15lbs
Lariat and picket pin: 3lbs 1.5oz
Overcoat: 4lbs 6.5oz
Brush and shoe pouch: 1lb
Curry-comb and brush in near-side pocket: 1lb 8oz
2 horse shoes and 15 shoe nails in off-side pouch: 2lbs
2 Blankets (one horse and one trooper); 6lbs 14oz
Saddle cover: 1lb
Surcingle: 11.5oz
Saber and slings: 4lbs 12oz
Waist-belt and plate: 1lb
Pistol and holster: 3lbs 2oz
Carbine sling and swivel: 10lbs 4oz
Carbine cartridge box: 1lb
24 rounds of carbine ammunition: 2lbs
Pistol cartridge box: 4oz
12 rounds of pistol ammunition: 14oz
Man: 140lbs
Total weight: 240lbs 12.5oz
As you can see, things can get a bit “tight”, even replacing with modern equipment, just doesn’t leave that much room for extras. As a general rule of thumb, the US Cavalry provided a pack horse (mule) for every 8 men to carry extra rations and ammunition.
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The reason that the American Army does so well in wartime, is that war is chaos, and the American Army practices chaos on a daily basis.
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