"French Guard Chasseurs question" Topic

Did French Guard Chasseurs use sheepskin saddle covers on campaign? If so what color were they. Thanks for any help in advance.

No sheepskins for the Guard's Chasseurs. They used the dark green shabraque with pointed tails in the field. In recognition of campaign conditions, the ends were sometimes folded up to protect the eagle decorations.

Agree-they used their dark green shabraques.

So what was under the shabraque one wonders?

I always thought it covered a sheepskin!

It covered the wooden saddle tree, the back of which protruded through the shabraque just in front of the portmanteau.

‌Untitled by Erik Salvador, on Flickr

That's a velite of the regiment, not a regular trooper.

And so the title reads indeed. Perhaps they were issued different equipment? It would be strange to think so though, since even the young guard squadrons were issued proper shabraques (in crimson edged green) as late as 1814..
Not sure if Eltings text "sheepskin saddle covers are shown by various artist.." refers JUST to the Velites of the regiment or to Guard Chasseurs per se.

G'Day

Which officer in the Guard Chasseurs…lost his mount and with the money he got from…hmmm…a recompense(?)…returned to the unit sooner than expected because he bought a mount off a Dragoon who had lost his leg…

That must have been strange showing up…mounted as a dragoon…and I am certain there were a few comments made ;-)

Best Regards
Art

Rousselot text :

Up to 1808 we find, in the inventories, varying quantities of sheepskin shabraques. First used as a second order of dress from 1801 to 1805, they seem to habe been reserved for the Velite squadron.

Yeah…

But I thought the saddle…..the leather bit…needed a bit of comfort added.

I thought that anything other than Jeune Garde had a fabric cover over a sheepskin. The latter was there for a purpose! Rider and horse benefited. The shabraque was a decoration!

I totally accept Velites/ Young Garde etc a sheepskin clearly seen and nothing more.

I thought everyone got the same fluffy bit to sit on. It is good for the horse..it is good for you. If you can cover it nicely…because you are more senior, that is great.

Every single image of Chass a Chev de la G Imp suggests that the shabraque is sitting on something very substantial, not just a leather saddle. Indeed every such light cavalry unit!!!!!!!!!

I include the lancers…….what was under that shabraque?

I accept it means nothing for this forum. By definition it is unseen. Every Garde Light Cavalryman sat on a sheepskin, but, if he was important enough, he also got a cover over it!

in front of the saddle was the rolled cloak which created quite a bulk – over that the saddle cloth, also there were the two holdters with pistols – all this building up material in the front of the trooper adding protection as well.

Ah, I did wonder what bulked it out in front of the rider. I assumed a sheepskin. The rolled cloak makes perfect sense then, unless of course it is wrapped around the trooper, plus the holsters. Thanks for that.