Anglo-Indian name for an Australianhorse imported from New South Wales into India, especially forthe cavalry. Afterwards used for any horse brought fromAustralia.
1863. B. A. Heywood, `Vacation Tour at the Antipodes,' p. 134:
«Horses are exported largely from Australia to India even.I have heard men from Bengal talk of the `Walers,' meaninghorses from New South Wales.»
1866. G. 0. Trevelyan, `Dawk Bungalow,' p. 223 [Yule's`Hobson Jobson']:
«Well, young Shaver, have you seen the horses? How is the Waler's off fore-leg?»
1873. `Madras Mail,' June 25 [Yule's `Hobson Jobson']:
«For sale. A brown Waler gelding.»
1888. R. Kipling, `Plain Tales from the Hills,' p. 224:
«The soul of the Regiment lives in the Drum-Horse who carriesthe silver kettle-drums. He is nearly always a big piebaldWaler.»
1896. `The Melburnian,' Aug. 28, p. 62:
«C. R. Gaunt is Senior Subaltern of the 4th (Royal Irish) Dragoon Guards, at present stationed at Rawul Pindi in India.
He won the Regimental Cup Steeplechase this year on an Australian mare of his own. Australian horses are called `Walers' in India, from the circumstance of their being generally imported from New South Wales.»