Horse sense

If you're going to see Spielberg's "War Horse," don't read any further.

But here's what really happens to war horses. In 1918, General Allenby sent the Christian world into ecstasies that are difficult to imagine today when he conquered Jerusalem, the first time in over 700 years that a Christian army had occupied the holy city.

He did it with artillery, motor cars and, not least, cavalry. His army included 17,000 horses.

Sentimentality about Christianity aside, there was no sentiment about the horses. There were not needed after Turkey surrendered, they ate a lot of expensive food and occupied the time of a lot of hostlers. So their throats were slit.