Scenes from the Everyday Service of the Old Army - Cavalry - Horseshoeing
The horseshoeing of the horses was performed by the regiment's farriers, usually in their own forges in the garrison. On the march, village blacksmiths, etc., were used.
In the field there were special field forges.
Horseshoeing was learned in special training forges. In 1914 there were eight military training forges.
The Prussian training forges were in Berlin, Breslau, Frankfurt a. M., Hanover, Karlsruhe and Königsberg/ East Prussia; the Saxon training forge was in Dresden.
Appropriate courses were held there.
Senior regimental farriers, regimental farriers and farriers qualified to be regimental farriers wore as a badge on the left sleeve a horseshoe or a double horseshoe.
For senior regimental and regimental farriers it was made of braid.
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Prussia dominated the Imperial Army not only in organizational and weapons-technical matters but also in clothing. After the founding of the Empire in 1871 and the incorporation or accession of the non‑Prussian military contingents, a process of harmonization began that also manifested itself visually — in the uniforms1. In the Imperial Constitution of 1871 Article 63 stated: “With regard to clothing, the basic colors and the cut of the Royal Prussian Army shall be authoritative. It is left to the commander of the respective contingent to determine the external badges (cockades etc.).”
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Scenes from the daily service of the Old Army - Training - Instructional Infantry Battalion
According to Mila (History of the Clothing and Equipment of the Royal Prussian Army 1808 - 1878, Berlin 1878, reprint Krefeld 1970, p. 104) the Instructional Infantry Battalion "was established by A.K.O. of 30 December 1819, with the intention of promoting uniformity and conformity in service and in the infantry's drill exercises, for which purpose every year on 1 April officers, non-commissioned officers and men of all infantry regiments are detached to Potsdam for a certain period; a permanent company remains together continuously."