Know what you mean, but back then horses were the lifeblood of the soldiers. The detailed descriptions were used to ensure that the man had the right horse, if stolen that it could be identified if found, etc. If you're not familiar with equine terminology, roan is the name for the reddish brown coat color, gelding means it was castrated, hands is the international unit for measuring the height of horses-it goes back centuries and is still used today. Funny how some things stay the same.
Kathie