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1912 Universal Pattern Saddle Equipage - Fodder Bag

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Overview

Cream canvas feed bag for a horse, designed to be attached to the saddle to carry feed and then to be placed on the horse's head as a nosebag so that it can eat. The bag has a rectangular shape and the bottom is reinforced by a second layer of canvas. Four large brass reinforced riveted holes have been placed horizontally across the front of the bag, approximately 95mm from the top edge of the bag, to provide the horse with ventilation while it is eating. A canvas strap is attached to the left side of the bag and threads through a canvas loop on the right side. It can be tied and adjusted to a suitable length.

Historical information

Food for horses is called 'fodder'. A horse required ten times as much food as the average soldier. During World War 1, there was a distinct lack of grass for them eat on the Western Front or in the deserts of the Middle East. This meant that horse fodder was the largest commodity shipped to the front by many of the participating nations. Each horse needed the equivalent of a bale of hay per week.
The demands on transport meant that feed had to be rationed. Of all the warring nations, British horses ate the best. The naval blockade forced the Germans to supplement their horses' feed with sawdust, causing many to starve. The horses were fed from a nose bag rather than directly from the ground. This reduced waste and cut the risk of horses eating something that would make them ill. It also stopped a horse stealing another's food.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-32-99-724

Contextual Information

A mounted mannequin in the World War 1 Gallery depicts a Light Horse Trooper with 1912 Pattern saddle and full equipage

Australian Army Museum of Western Australia

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