Definition of the word remount

The word "remount" originated during the First World War, when horses and mules were extensively used by military forces as draft animals for transporting supplies, artillery, and equipment. Due to the high number of war-related casualties among these animals, military authorities established remount depots to acquire and train replacements. These animals were referred to as "remounts" because they replaced fallen animals and returned to service, or were mounted by new riders who had lost their horses in battle. In military terminology, a remount was also a trained cavalry or artillery horse that was reassigned to another unit after losing its original rider. Today, the term "remount" is less commonly used, as mechanization and other technologies have reduced the need for large numbers of draught animals in the military.