King & Country · First World War · FW005
FW005 depicts a saluting officer on a dark horse. The original description identifies him as a major of the 13th Bavarian Rifles—a useful reminder that a mounted figure is not automatically a cavalry trooper.
The salute sets the scene
The horse stands in a controlled pose while its rider raises his right hand to the helmet. Red edging on the saddlecloth repeats the uniform accents and ties rider and mount together. The dark horse, white lower-leg markings and pale uniform make the outline easy to read. This is an inspection or march-past subject, quite different in mood from the charging Uhlan officer FW035.
Keeping the history in proportion
Horses remained essential to armies throughout the First World War, particularly for movement and transport. The National Army Museum’s account of wartime animals helps place this polished rider within a much larger dependence on animal labour. The tidy sculpt represents one selected moment; it cannot show the fodder, grooming, remounts and fatigue behind keeping an officer mobile.
A practical display and inspection guide
Set the major beside the front of an infantry column, with enough clearance for the salute. FW007’s flag and FW008’s instruments offer complementary shapes without duplicating his gesture. Check the reins, stirrups, helmet spike and raised hand in sale photographs. Ask for a view beneath the horse and around its attachment to the base, since damage there can be hidden by a frontal photograph. The saddlecloth’s thin red border is another good place to spot handling wear.
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