Grooming Equipment

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bruce
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Does anyone have details of the typical grooming equipment issued to British and/or Commonwealth troopers during WW1?
John Ruf
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Bruce:

That is on Plate 66 of the Illustrated VAOS; unfortunately, I am missing plates 66 and 67.

Here is the nomenclature from the index:

Image



Regards,

John Ruf
Culpeper, Virginia

"God forbid that I should go to any Heaven in which there are no horses."
Robert Bontine Cunninghame Graham 1852-1936
Larry Emrick
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John: Is there a date on that document? Perhaps it is from the 30s, because under Covers there is a reference to Bren gun and Bren spare barrel. Interestingly, there is also a mention of curry combs, which in the First World War were supposedly forbidden for use on the horses because it was feared that overly-vigorous use would cause injury. The curry combs were only intended for use to clean the dandy and body brushes, so ever inventive troopers promply made their own, according to accounts in the history of the Canadian Veterinary Corps in the Great War. See also the reference to singeing lamps, which is a subject we discussed some months ago when one came up on e-bay. There are also several mentions of dog equipment in that list. Cheers, and Happy Holidays, Larry
selewis
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<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Larry Emrick</i>
<br />John: Interestingly, there is also a mention of curry combs, which in the First World War were supposedly forbidden for use on the horses because it was feared that overly-vigorous use would cause injury. The curry combs were only intended for use to clean the dandy and body brushes, so ever inventive troopers promply made their own, according to accounts in the history of the Canadian Veterinary Corps in the Great War.
Cheers, and Happy Holidays, Larry
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I've wondered where the prejudice against metal curry combs came from. Could this be it? I've heard it said that they were never meant to be used on the horse at all, but only, as you say, to clean brushes. I've always doubted that but perhaps it's true. They don't lift dirt from deep down as well as well as rubber ones do but they certainly have their use with dried mud and manure. I use one on my horses, with care, from head to hoof except for the point of the elbow. As for keeping your brushes clean as you work I've found the rubber ones to be vastly superior and not nearly so rough on the bristles.

Sandy
John Ruf
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Larry:

The Illustrated VAOS is definitely Post-WWII. Proof of that is found on the final plate, which is of the memorial collar for war dogs, with the dates of the war inscribed on it.

I have VAOS D-1 lists and VS Section 2 lists from 1893 to 1946 if you need them.

Larry and Sandy -- I use a metal curry comb, but only to clean my horse brushes; I use a rubber curry comb on the horse. That was drilled into me since my first days. However, with a little discretion and common sense I am sure that a metal curry comb could be used without injury to the horse.

Merry Christmas!


Regards,

John Ruf
Culpeper, Virginia

"God forbid that I should go to any Heaven in which there are no horses."
Robert Bontine Cunninghame Graham 1852-1936
Mackenzie

Hy everybody! British army during the first World War wore mainly red jackets. Additionally they wore blue trousers. British army was composed by infantry, artillery and aviation, Grooming equipment wore always red jackets and blue trousers with boots.

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Pat Holscher
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Mackenzie wrote:Hy everybody! British army during the first World War wore mainly red jackets.
Additionally they wore blue trousers.
Not in the field it didn't.

It had been the first modern army to adopt a dull colored uniform for field use and had fought at least one prior major war so attired. Full dress attire remained a set of bright colored uniforms, but those saw no field use whatsoever. For that matter, I'd wonder (but don't know) if the average British soldier even had a set of such uniforms.

The only non khaki colored item of attire a British soldier had in the field was his shirt that was worn under his service coat, which was light blue, but which is never seen being used without the service coat in combat conditions.
Mackenzie wrote:British army was composed by infantry, artillery and aviation,
Not accurate either. The British fielded a large, but decreasing, amount of cavalry throughout the war (every army in WWI fielded cavalry). It also fielded engineers, and of course the usual non combat arms units.

By grooming equipment, what was meant by the original poster here was brushes, etc., by the way.
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