Jine the Cavalry
in certain counter insurgency operations can be very effective. Grey's Scouts was a company size mounted unit in the Rhodesian Army before the change to Zimbabwe. Extremely active in the field, the unit conducted all types of military operations. The horse's speed allowed the unit to outmaneuver the enemy, while the load bearing capacity allowed them to carry enough food, water and ammunition for extended ops. Contact with the enemy was usually while dismounted, but tracking them after a fight was often conducted from the saddle. The sound of incoming helicopters would alert enemy forces, where horse mounted troops could approach much closer, much quieter.
The helicopter has finally provided the mechanical ability to transit all types of terrain while carrying large loads of supply, armament or troops. But helicopters are noisy. They attract attention to themselves and that can compromise some missions. Horses can move relatively quietly and quickly, especially in conflicts where there are no front lines or a dense population base to see them as they pass. They are somewhat expensive to support in feed and medical. (The frontier Army in the U.S. was actually about 2/3 Infantry, because Cavalry was much more expensive to maintain.) Cavalry and/or pack animals may never be a major factor in war again, but there are still valid uses where they could continue to contribute to military missions. Some good sites on the use of Cavalry, Mounted Infantry and etc. are: http://www.lighthorse.org.au/ for the Australian experience; http://rapidttp.com/milhist/vol013gd.html for a South African view; and http://cavalry.org for a United States scene.
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