The new group proves that in some situations and terrains, four legs prove better than four wheels, "Pealtnägija" reported. The show went to find out more about the unit founded in 2019.

Throughout history, from Genghis Khan's Golden Horde to the Crimean War's Charge of the Light Brigade, the cavalry has captured imaginations. Even though it has often been seen as vainglorious and less effective than infantry or artillery.

Increased firepower and mechanization in World War One largely ended classic cavalry in battle, though horses were still much in use for transport in World War Two, particularly on the eastern front.

Cavalry still played a role in the 1918–1920 Estonian War of Independence, notably with a regiment created by general, and later statesman, Johan Laidoner.

Col. Eero Rebo, commander of the Defense League's general staff, said: "If you look at the Battle of Suur Munamägi or likely one of Estonia's most successful operations during the War of Independence — the Mariemburg Operation, which cut the Latvian Reds off from Russia — the cavalry, Estonian cavalry, played a very important role in all of these."

Fast forward over 100 years, and the South Estonian cavalry unit (Lõuna-Eesti ratsaüksus) is the first of its kind set up for national defense since the 1991 restoration of Estonian independence.

Once the preserve of battle re-enactors, in August 2019, a group of riding enthusiasts affiliated with the Defense League formed the unit. It is now part of the Võru Defense District's southeastern independent company.

Unit commander Villu Vasilkovski explained more. "We held our first horseback patrol on the Latvian and Estonian border in April 2020. Up to that time, I had only ridden a horse twice, then it was time to go on patrol. But I managed just fine, stayed in the saddle. And for me, that's where this horse journey began," he explained.

Along with Vasilkovski, the driving force behind the unit is lifelong horse breeder Joosep Tikk. The group now includes about a dozen personnel and roughly the same number of horses, both personally owned and loaned.

On average, the unit trains once a month. They go on border patrols, search for missing persons, conduct shooting exercises, fieldcraft in the forest, and long marches on horseback.

One member, Merit Loog, a software specialist based in Tartu, said both riders and their four-legged companions take quite a beating while training — a fact horse breeder Ellen Koidu, from Alatskivi, also agreed with.

In addition to physical training, it is important to get the animals, naturally easily startled, used to noise and visuals — including gunfire.

While a horse might seem less reliable than machines, they still have advantages, proponents say.

They do not rely on fossil fuels and are not vulnerable to modern tech warfare like drones or smart munitions.

Not for nothing is horseback riding part of special forces training in many countries, including the U.S., a nation partly built on horseback.

In modern times, such as in Afghanistan, scouts often used horses when ground vehicles lacked range, were unreliable, or drew too much attention — even more so with aircraft.

So horses also offer a quiet way around Estonia's forest tracks, places where strangers can easily get lost.

Neither Rebo nor the enthusiasts believe the cavalry unit will become a major deterrent or offensive force. But the advantages are worth exploring, Rebo added — in fact, the unit is a test-bed for assessing the pros and cons of military riding in the 21st century.

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