The Brumby –The Unsung Ancestor of Australia’s Mighty War Horse

A typical Waler of the ANZAC Mounted Division. (Image credit: 7. 4077116 Australian War Memorial Collection)

When we think of Australia's legendary war horses, the Walers, we often picture strength, loyalty, and an unbreakable spirit in the harshest of conditions. But what many people don’t realise is that behind the celebrated Waler stands a little-known hero, the Brumby.

Yes, that’s right. The Brumby is more than just a wild horse of the high country , it is the ancestor of the Waler.

According to The Hardy Waler, a section in the official KCB Gazette (issue 31395 and issue 30222), these resilient bush-bred horses were Australia’s “secret weapon” during the desert campaigns from 1916 to 1918. It’s right there in the second paragraph, the Waler's remarkable toughness and endurance can be traced back to their Brumby origins. These horses were forged in the harshest Australian landscapes, making them battle-ready before they ever saw a war zone.

The Brumby’s bloodlines, a mix of hardy breeds left to adapt, evolve, and thrive in the Australian wild, produced animals that were tough as nails, sure-footed, and able to survive on limited water and feed. All traits that would later be relied upon by mounted troops in World War I’s unforgiving Middle Eastern deserts. The Australian Imperial Force chose Walers precisely for these characteristics, traits passed down from their Brumby ancestors.

Roland Perry, a bestselling author and recipient of the Medal of the Order of Australia, has highlighted the vital contribution these horses made to our war history. His work underscores not just the horse's role in battle, but the heritage that lives within them, a lineage born from the wild, from the Brumby.

The next time you see a Brumby running free, remember this: you're not just looking at a wild horse. You're looking at living heritage. A direct link to the very horses that carried our soldiers with pride, strength, and courage across distant sands.

The Brumby isn't just a part of the story, it's where the story begins.

Access the Gazette - The secret weapon in the Desert War, 1916-1918