This painting was inspired by this story below, which depicts the close bond between the Australian Light horsemen and their Walers.
Pictured are Corporal Austin Edwards, his horse Taffy, and all equipment.
Corporal Edwards was seriously wounded at the Battle of Romani.
During the battle, Taffy stood still for his wounded rider to remount and escape.
Military Articles & Anecdotes
THE AUSTRALIAN LIGHT HORSE AT WAR 1914 – 1918
By Lt Col Edwin L. Kennedy Jnr . US Army
Artist’s note:
When I read this story I just had to paint it and I cried all the time that I was painting it. I remembered how my own horses had looked after me, treating me especially tenderly whenever I was unwell.One day I was more unwell than I realised when I rode my young palomino mare, Doeline. Not long into our ride – about 150 metres – I couldn’t see and dismounted, then fainted at her feet. She stood patiently waiting beside me as I lay unconscious for some time out in a lonely country paddock. She stood still for me to struggle back into the saddle, and she ever so carefully carried me back to our starting point. I dismounted, tied her to the hitching post and fell unconscious again. Altogether this happened over a 3 hour period.
So I know how it was with Taffy and Corporal Austin Edwards, but my horse waited for me and carried me to safety out in an quiet country paddock – Taffy did this for Corporal Edwards on a tumultuous and deafening battlefield, where all his instincts were telling him to flee from the noise and terror… but over-riding those instincts, his love, loyalty and concern for his rider bid him stay still amid the terrifying tumult- and wait.
A remarkable horse… a remarkable relationship!
