SIXTY horses, from the cavalry to pack ponies, will be at Beamish Museum this weekend to tell the story of First World War horses.

Horses at War, on Saturday and Sunday, will include the 16th Lancers Cavalry Unit, magnificent horse-drawn vehicles, a military encampment, First Aid Nursing Yeomanry and Durham Pals.

Visitors can travel on horse-drawn vehicles, such as a double deck omnibus from the London Bus Museum, and see a horse-drawn field kitchen, horse and human ambulances, Thresh disinfector, mess cart and GS (general service) wagons.

Horses and soldiers will be gathering at a depot in the 1900s Town, ready to be sent to the front line.

Visitors can join up at the recruiting station and try samples from the 29th Field Kitchen.

Teams of horses will be helping the war effort on the Home Front with ploughing and other field work, and pit ponies will be hauling tubs and in harness.

On Saturday, there will be a display by The Brooke charity, which was founded by Dorothy Brooke to help ex-war horses.

One million horses and mules were sent to France in the First World War and it is estimated that only about 60,000 returned home.

Many farmers, job masters and companies had horses, wagons and carts requisitioned to join the war effort.

Chris Thompson, the museum’s horse operations team leader, said: “Horses at War gives visitors the chance to discover the role of horses, ponies and mules in the First World War. It’s a unique opportunity to see vehicles in the settings they would have been used.”