Estonian Territorial Defense Forms Volunteer Cavalry Unit

A group of volunteers from Estonia’s Kaitseliit, the country’s territorial defense force, has established a cavalry unit, arguing that in some cases horses can outperform modern vehicles.

The initiative, first reported by Estonia’s public broadcaster ERR, was launched by a group of enthusiasts led by longtime horseman and former soldier Tikk, along with platoon commander Willu Vasilkovski.

The unit comprises about a dozen members and an equal number of horses, both owned and rented.

“We have an inventor, an active-duty soldier, a sales specialist, several riders, and an environmentalist — most have ties to rural life and animals, though there are also city dwellers,” Tikk told ERR.

The unit meets roughly once a month for general training and field exercises, including border patrols, search-and-rescue drills, live-fire training, forest camps, and long-distance treks.

“We train with the horses. Each one has its quirks, and they get scared of anything out of the ordinary. Sometimes one bolts into a gallop — staying in the saddle can be an adventure in itself,” said one volunteer.

Volunteers say horses are especially effective in Estonia’s southern terrain, which includes hills, swamps, and steep inclines. They also claim horses are more attentive to their surroundings than humans and can detect hidden movement in dense foliage.

Despite the unit’s development, neither its members nor Kaitseliit leadership see it as a significant combat force.

According to Eero Rebo, Chief of Staff of Kaitseliit, this is a kind of experiment to study the advantages and disadvantages of a cavalry unit.

“Horses allow you to move quickly through difficult terrain, largely unnoticed, and they can carry more gear than a fighter could on foot. That extends the range of small patrols,” Rebo added.

While rare, the use of animals in military operations remains relevant in select environments.

ERR notes that horses and other animals are still employed by various armed forces around the world.

Read more about the practice of using animals in the army in Militarnyi’s article “Animals in Modern Armies.“