Marengo

Napoleon's horse "Marengo" carried him through his triumphs and the final defeat. The grey Arabian was purchased in 1799 after the Battle of Aboukir and named after Napoleaon's victory at the Battle of Marengo. They both look monumental in this famous painting by Jacques-Louis David, but Napoleon stood at 5 foot 7 and Margeno was just 14 hands high.

After his defeat at the Battle of Waterloo, Napoleon fled in a cart and Marengo was captured by the triumphant Grenadier Guards.  He was eventually sold to Lieutenant General J. Angerstein and placed in stud until 1820. Arabs are long-lived horses and he died in 1831, well into his 30's. His skeleton was preserved and passed to the Royal United Service Institute, a British defense and security think tank.

Now the skeleton of Marengo has a place of honor in the new National Army Museum in Chelsea, West London. But first, he was painstakingly reassembled and restored by curators. So much history! And in this picture he doesn't look much bigger than a German Shepard.  Although small and delicate-looking, Arabians are one of the strongest, hardiest breeds of horse.