When observing a moment of silence at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, don’t forget to think about the contribution horses and other equids made during all the major wars since humans domesticated them.

During those wars, horses were used for riding, transporting equipment, pulling ambulances, reconnaissance, delivering arms and ammunition, and, of course, serving on the front lines until the use of automatic weapons rendered them obsolete in that capacity.

In total, more than 1 million horses and mules served for Britain alone in World War I, with only a fraction surviving (a mere 67,000). Equine deaths were attributed to disease, exhaustion, injury and artillery fire, poisonous gas, and starvation.

Considering the enormity of their sacrifice, how can we measure and acknowledge their commitment? One way is by visiting one or more of the monuments dedicated to war horses, such as the recently unveiled statue of Staff Sergeant Reckless, a famed Korean War horse, at the Marine Corps museum in Virginia