Page 16 - RAVC Centenary Parade

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MELTON MOWBRAY / FRIDAY 27 JULY 2018
EQUINE
TRAINING
SQUADRON
At the outbreak of WWI the British Army had approximately 25,000 Military working animals; within 6 months this escalated to 500,000.
The Equine Training Squadron (ETS) is responsible for the procurement of horses for use on public duties for both the Household Cavalry and the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery. Within ETS are two schools, the Army school of Equitation and the Army School of Farriery.
The Army School of Equitation is responsible for the training and development of all military riding instructors and horse trainer’s across the Army, and these instructors are responsible for training every horse and person you see riding on all state occasions. There are approximately 48 riding instructors in the British army which serve the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery, the Household Division and the Defence Animal Training Regiment (DATR). The horses at the DATR are exercised every day for a minimum of an hour with a variety of disciplines tested.
Dressage, show jumping and cross country been the key elements of training; this ensures they maintain the standards
required to deliver the courses to the mounted troops.
The Army School of Farriery has two primary functions; it is the centre of training for all military farriers, and is responsible for the foot care of all equines stationed at the DATR. There are approximately 27 farriers within the Army. These comprise of 5 instructors at the DATR, 14 farriers at the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, and 8 Farriers at the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery. The forge at ETS is a purpose built facility for the military farriery students and instructors. With seven forges and spacious linear open layout it is regarded as one of the best training facilities in the UK.