Throughout the war a variety of horses were used by both sides. Morgans, American Saddlebreds, Thoroughbreds, Standardbreds, and Quarter Horses are only a few. The ideal horse was a mare or a gelding, aged four or five years, with a height of 56 to 64 inches (14 to 16 hands) at the shoulders.
The Union army purchased horses while Confederates brought their own mounts from home. When a horse was sick, injured, or killed, the Confederate soldier had 60 days to replace his mount at his own expense. If he could not replace the horse he was forced into the infantry.
By October 1864, after three and a half years of war, horses with the ideal requirements were becoming scarce. Cavalrymen from both sides accepted any horse that was available.
[Photo of] McClellan saddle - widely used by cavalrymen on both sides
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