The couples' palomino Waler Wilvale Remembrance, which is the only golden Waler on the East Coast of Australia, is that reminder.

Wilvale Remembrance is the first foal Mr Lack and Ms Garwood bred at their farm Wilvale, which is in South Bridgenorth, just outside of Launceston.

The beautiful stallion was born on Remembrance Day, in November 2012, three months after Mr Lack succumbed to terminal cancer.

"Rob is still here and he's still encouraging me," Ms Garwood said, watching Remembrance gallop in her back paddock.

Wilvale Remembrance is one of 14 Walers Ms Garwood owns.

There are only 40 registered Walers in Tasmania and less than 1000 in the country.

Ms Garwood, who is a member of the Waler Horse Society of Australia, is on a mission to ensure the breed lives on.

She said she had always liked horses, but her love for Walers did not start until 2004.

"I came across the breed when I did the Great Australian Cattle Ride in South Australia," she said.

"The chief horse manager was Shane Oldfield who owns Clayton Station.

"I had Australian stock horses before that, but I fell in love with the Walers.

"I just really appreciated their characteristics and their history."

Ms Garwood bought two Walers from Clayton Station and got them shipped to Canberra soon after returning home from the cattle ride.

She continued to collect Walers on her postings around Australia with the Royal Australian Air Force until returning home to Tasmania in 2009.

She and Mr Lack bought stallion Clayton Reveille and mare Clayton Tarkinina, who was already in foal, in 2010 to start their niche stud.

The Walers on Ms Garwood's land now include eight broodmares and foals, two stallions and two riding geldings.

The youngest is Wilvale Cadet, who was born in October and is the foal of Clayton Royale.

Many of Ms Garwood's Walers have a Southern Cross on their shoulder. That is a Waler Horse Society of Australia brand mark.

"I've got plenty of Walers coming into a tight summer, but thankfully, as a breed, they are notoriously hardy and equally thrifty," Ms Garwood said.

"They are used to being bred and raised up in the outback.

"Mine are from Clayton Station, which is at the back of the Innamincka Track in South Australia.

"They are used to walking 20 or 30 kilometres every day to find water, so coming to Tassie has been a bit of a bonus for them."

While Walers are famously known as a war horse - as 136,000 of them were used by the Australian Light Horse Brigade during World War I, with only one, named Sandy, returning to Australia - they are still used today.

Ms Garwood mainly uses her Walers as pack horses, for multi-day trips.

She also marches with them at Anzac Day parades across the state and shows them at showcases and equine trade expos.

"They are the ubiquitous Holden ute of the horse world and they do everything and anything," Ms Garwood said.

"There are Walers doing working equitation, which are classical horse riding skills in a working environment.

"There are Walers eventing, so one day eventing and doing lower level competitions.

"There are Walers doing dressage, show jumping, drag hunting and endurance.

"There are kids ponies, there are performance ponies.

"Walers are a horse that can turn a hoof to everything and be honest in their efforts without a huge outlay."

It is their "incredible characteristic" to bond with their rider and owner, which sets them apart from other breeds, Ms Garwood said.

"Once they bond and develop that relationship with their rider, they will do anything for you," she said.

The Waler Horse Society of Australia recognises four types of Walers:

* Pony (Scout horse): agile pony type used for relaying messages, polo and sporting.

* Light (Officer's mount): light type with a thoroughbred influence.

* Medium (Trooper's mount): stocky and versatile, strong and fast, they are often bred with some draft influence, as they can carry up to 120 kilograms of man and equipment for up to 25 to 30 miles a day in the Middle East.

* Heavy (Artillery or Gun horse): heavy type with more draft influence. Used for pulling gun carriage and carrying ammunition.

Ms Garwood primarily has Medium and Heavy Walers.

"They are weight bearing horses and they are remarkable tough," she said.

"They don't get rugged, they don't need to be shod.

"Most people think that is just a Clydesdale, or a heavy horse cross, but the Gun Walers were bred, particularly in South Australia for two roles:

"One, they would hitch up an 18 pound gun, which is a tonne and a half of machinery and equipment, and be able to keep up with the charging infantry.

"And two, for the massive Cobb and Co mail coach industry pre mechanisation, where teams of eight horses had to trot and canter 12 miles between coaching stations bang on time.

"So they have to be big, they have to be strong and they have to be fast - there is no room for clumpers in either of those roles.

"They also had horses that pulled drays, sulkies and carriages on the farm, mustered and were also capable to dragging a light plough or a scoop in the days before mechanisation."

Walers generally have a more upright stance than other horse breeds.

"Most people when they see a Waler standing at ease will go, 'oh, he's alert or anxious'," Ms Garwood said.

"They are a very aware breed . . . . yet they are totally chilled out.

"They have extraordinary strong shoulders, big ribs to carry the gear and the big heart they have underneath."

Ms Garwood said the breeds history and contribution to Australia's national identity was one of the main reasons she wanted Walers to continue to be recognised.

"As a veteran and ex-serviceman of 22 years and a keen amateur historian, you begin to appreciate the incredible achievements of these horses," Ms Garwood said.

"We are keeping an element of Australian military history alive, but giving it a contemporary use now that we no longer use mounted infantry and cavalry in our defense forces.

"It would be great to see more Tasmanians embracing a horse that left its hoof prints in history."

Email: mdadson@fairfaxmedia.com.au

Twitter: @ManikaDadson