The horse furniture is well shown in this painting, even though the reproduction is not good. The shape of the blue cloth shabraque was distinctive and unique to the King’s Dragoon Guards. The other heavy cavalry regiments had shabraques that were almost square and without any part of it on the front of the horse. The other dragoon guards had two gold lace borders, one wide and one thin. This broad lace border was of the same pattern as the lace on the belts and sabretache, Fine or Basket Check and Vellum. It had a red edge on both sides. The rear part was long and pointed and the front curved down slightly.
The device on the rear part was the crown and garter with KDG on the red centre of the garter, and a gold laurel wreath surround. The lack of a royal cypher enabled the regiment to keep the same shabraque from c1825 to 1847 when dress shabraques were discontinued in the heavy cavalry.
The saddle went over the shabraque and the black sheepskin with red scalloped edge covered the saddle. The bridle of brown leather had cross pieces on the front and a linked brass head-piece. Brass bosses seem to cover the charger’s face, and the short throat strap ends in a crescent. The whole bridle covers a halter that has a red lining.
