Cameras rolling to bring to life the horses of war A PERTH documentary team that set out to tell the story of the 135,000 Australian horses sent to the Great War has uncovered an extraordinary tale of resilience and sacrifice that brings new understanding to the rapport between the nation's light horsemen and their charges in the inhospitable terrain of the Middle East. Colloquially known as Walers, the horses' ability to withstand extreme heat and travel great distances without water was crucial to Australia's successes after the Gallipoli campaign ended direly.