"Russian Army Farriers" Topic

Here's a question for the cognoscenti.

Does anyone know whether the farriers in the Russian cavalry were actually soldiers as in the French and British Armies or were they amongst the grey-uniformed 'non-combatants'. It is a small detail but I want to do a small vignette based on the Perry Russian forge with it on the move.

Here's hoping.

Someone will come along with the diffinative answer but fairly sure they were soldiers.I think by the Napoleonic wars everyone was drafted, it was cheaper and all my reading never heard of contractors.

The non-combatants were not contractors per se. In the Russian Army they were regimental "employees" who did not take direct part in the fighting, but performed auxiliary functions, like medical care, judicial supervision, worship services, clerical duties, repairs, regimental transports etc. They received a grey uniform and tended not to be armed (despite the picture below). (Information from: Russian Dragoons and Gendarmes 1801-1815, by Oleg Vasyliev.)

Repairs suggests craftsmen looking after equipment etc. So it made me wonder about farriers.

A Prussian reserve uniform would be close

The Perrys do a number of Russian non-combatant figures. There is also a farrier at work albeit in his shirt-sleeves. I am trying to find out what sort of jacket he wore i.e. as above, or a regimental jacket. (I want him to be part of a dragoon or hussar regiment).