The collector, historian and rider have long needed a book that carefully explores and pictures the equipment used in this historic era. It’s all here: Saddles, Bits, Stirrups, Rosettes, Saddlebags & Valises, Harness, Military Manuals, Tools and much more. Full of clear, sharp photos and descriptions, it includes civilian, U.S. Military and Confederate horse equipment. Western saddles are also shown. The horse in American history, breeds, saddle and equipment manufacture are all comprehensively covered.

Plus – A special supplement – “The Fighting Man and His Mount” which displays numerous original dragoon and cavalry photographs, many previously unpublished.

The author, Howard R. Crouch, is a long-time collector of horse gear and author of a number of books in the Civil War field. His carefully researched “Horse Equipment of the Civil War Era” is sure to become a standard reference for the historian and collector alike. This book is fully indexed with a complete bibliography, hardbound with full color cover.

“With Horse Equipment of the Civil War Era, the indefatigable Howard Crouch has created yet another valuable reference book for his fellow collectors.
Until a few short years ago, cavalry equipment was a much-neglected area of published study.

Craig Caba’s l982 Historic Southern Saddles, Stephen Dorsey’s 1999 American Military Saddle, and Ken Knopp’s comprehensive Confederate Saddles & Horse Equipment published in 2001, made the first inroads in spotlighting Civil War horse equipment for the collecting community. Howard Crouch’s recent effort has put more icing on the cake.

Horse Equipment offers additional information and examples of US, CS, and civilian saddles and related components to those already shown in previous works. He has added information and images concerning other sections not previously covered. The reader will find a number of pages devoted to saddle bags, valises, holsters, manuals, tools, and catalogs, helping the collector understand the complexities of American cavalry gear. I found the sections reproduced from early catalogs especially informative with relation to various harness, bits, and saddlers’ tools. Information about the time frames for such innovations as nickel plating and stainless steel will prove quite helpful in identifying late items. This is another Howard Crouch must-have publication.”

Book Review from North South Trader’s Civil War Magazine Vol.30 No.4/2004