The military reforms of the 1860s and 1870s caused significant changes in the organization of the Russian army. This prompted the Ministry of War to clarify the number of horses available in the country that were suitable for the needs of the army in wartime.

In order to carry out this task, in 1876, a directive on equipping troops with horses in case of war was approved, which meant that conscription of horses for military service was introduced. According to the law, all horses suitable for military use were to be delivered to the troops, with some exceptions. At the appointed time, the owners delivered all working-age horses to the collection points.

The main selection criterion was the height — no less than 1 arshin 14 vershkov (1.33 m). Weak horses that had cracks on the hooves, trembling in the knees, a damaged tongue, etc., were considered unfit. Horses fit for service in the troops were divided into four classes: riding, artillery, draft and pack. To determine the number of suitable horses, it was decided to conduct military horse censuses every six years.

For the first time such a census was conducted in 1876 in 33 governorates of the western part of Russia. The main purpose of the censuses was to count the total number of horses, to classify them by breeds, to identify those suitable for the troops, as well as to clarify the conditions and nature of local horse breeding. Horse censuses were highly reliable, as they were conducted for official purposes, with participation and under the control of the military. In addition, due to the constancy of the collection and processing methods, the military horse censuses fairly accurately reflected the dynamics of the country’s horse population.

On February 20, 1897, a special badge was approved for awarding heads of military horse collection points and persons who participated in the development of rules for equipping troops with horses. They were awarded each time with the Highest permission of His Imperial Majesty. The badge was purchased at their own expense.

The badge is an elongated heraldic shield covered with blue enamel with the state emblem in the middle. A gold ribbon with the inscription “Military Conscription of Horses”, made in black enamel, falls from under the crown on the shield. The lower part of the ribbon is bordered by a golden laurel half-crown. Where the branches intersect, there is a superimposed golden horseshoe with the date inside — 1876.