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Following lessons learnt from the Boer War, changes in the arms and equipment of the cavalry were introduced.
The short Lee Enfield rifle, as issued to the infantry, was carried in a leather bucket attached to the off-side of the saddle. Its bayonet was carried attached to the bandolier for dismounted use. The sword pattern was changed to a rapier, 43 inches long, allowing the point to project well beyond the horse’s nose, almost as good a thrusting weapon as the lance. Another innovation was the picketing peg attached to a short length of rope with a leather collar at the end. The peg was driven into the ground and the collar was put round the horse’s front foot at night, allowing the horse to move about and graze overnight without wandering a long way from the lines.
