The above photo dated 1915 was taken in Stony Stratford, England and shows the market square full of requisitioned horses collected for the army.

During the war the need for horses led to the requisition of privately owned animals and by 1916 there were more than ½ a million on military service in France.  In-addition to the requisitioned horses taken from farmers and stables in Britain, horses were constantly being augmented by fresh drafts from North and South America.

They came in a variety of sizes, shapes and breeds. From the magnificent charger ridden by the Commander in Chief to the humble mule teams pulling field kitchens along cobbled roads in front of the marching battalions. There were huge draught horses, (Shires & Clydesdales) to drag the heavy guns and munitions wagons. Fast moving steeds for the Cavalry & Hussars, good mounts for Colonels and Senior Officers, with less refined beasts for other Officers who required transport to get around the countryside in a scattered command. There were humbler but powerful teams of hacks and mules to draw the horse drawn limbers that were part of the transport column of every battalion. They ran into thousands for the mountain of supplies, which was required to keep the army in the line.

Ammunition, rations & equipment would be taken as far as the nearest railhead, from there they would be transported by motor vehicle to divisional dumps. However it was the humble horse transport of brigades and battalions who had to make the long cross country journeys to fetch their own supplies.

Forage was bulky and it caused the officer in charge of horse transport a good deal more trouble to ensure his horses were well fed than any battalion quartermaster encountered in supplying rations to the men. A solider could get by on a tin of bully beef, half a loaf and a little tea. Depending on its size and the work expected of it a horse required between 16 and 30 pounds of forage a day. The daily requirement for each division was 30 tons.

Source "1914 Days of hope" Lynn  MacDonald