Cuera Dragoon, Cavalry of New Spain 18th century, The Cavalry History, Collectable Figurine, Horseman Figurine The Cavalry History, a reproduction of riders from different eras to trace the evolution and history, reproduced in standard 1/30th, or 54mm, a collection of Del Prado. The figurines are made in a stable alloy of lead and zinc, with a remarkable finish, both in terms of casting, as paint. Hand painted. Cuera Cavalry Colonial soldiers on the frontier of New Spain. Also known as soldados de cuera, dragones de cuera, and compania presidial. "The cuera, which gave them their name, was a leather jacket, like a coat without sleeves, proof against the Indians' arrows except at very close range. For additional armor they had shields and chaps. The shields, carried on the left arm, were made of two plies of bull's hide, and would turn either arrow or spear. The leather chaps or aprons, fastened to the pommel of the saddle, protected legs and thighs from brush and cactus spines." They were armed with a carbine (escopeta), pair of pistols (pistolas), bow (arco), dagger (puñal), sword (espada ancha), and lance (lanza). They also carried a bull-hide shield (adarga) or a small round metal shield (rodela) for defense against weapons such as swords, spears, javelins, and arrows. Each soldier had six horses, a foal, and a mule (until 1720 they had 10 horses). Equipment and animals belonged to the soldier personally and they had to pay for them out of their own purse. Weight 276gr