Drumhorse c1895


The drum horse in this photo is a skewbald called Mick. A coloured print by Simkin shows this horse with brown and white markings, however, a watercolour, also by Simkin and based on this photo, shows the same markings in black, so it could have been a piebald horse. There is no shabraque worn on the hind quarters but the drum banners cover the kettle drums. The colour of the banners, that can be seen in the regimental museum, is dull purple. They used to be crimson but at some stage were apparently dyed blue, but this is difficult to accept because of the difficulty in avoiding spoiling the embroidery. The laurel leaves have battle honours inscribed and the tri-part scroll over the eagle has 14TH KING'S LIGHT DRAGOONS. The Simkin painting has the scrolls inscribed THE KING'S HUSSARS but this is probably artistic licence. The bridle has stirrup reins and a white horsehair throat plume.


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by Stephen Luscombe