waler

noun

1. (Australia, India)A breed of light saddle horse from Australia, once favoured as a warhorse.

   “Without reason, against prudence, and at a moment's notice, he fell in love with a frivolous, golden-haired girl who used to tear about Simla Mall on a high, rough waler, with a blue velvet jockey-cap crammed over her eyes.”

   “There were Arabs of high degree, thoroughbred English horses, and very good-looking Walers among them, besides some tiny ponies, four of which, when harnessed together, drew a real Cinderella coach of solid silver.”

   “2007, "Waler", entry in Bonnie L. Hendricks, International Encyclopedia of Horse Breeds, page 434, Some maintain that the Waler is extinct, its blood living on only in the modern Australian Stock Horse and some of the feral brumbies that roam the outback.”

   “By the 1850s, there was a thriving trade in selling the horses to the Indian Army as 'remounts'. Between 1834 and 1937, more than 300,000 Walers were sent to India.”

2. A plank of wood, block of concrete, etc., used for support or to maintain required separation between components in order to help maintain the form of a construction under stress.

   “Backing for the plywood is provided by 2” × 12” wooden planks (walers in forming technology) spaced approximately 15 inches apart in the vertical direction and running the full length of the wall section. The form ties are ¾-inch pipe clamps, spaced 6 to 10 feet apart in the horizontal direction. In the typical concrete forms, walers are 2×4's and form ties are spaced at 2-foot intervals. By using 2×12 walers, form ties can be spaced at up to 10-foot intervals.”

   “An optional cast-in-place concrete waler is shown at each anchor row location. The concrete walers are cast against the earth after installation of the helical anchors and prior to excavation for the next lift. Concrete walers can reduce the required thickness of shotcrete for the remaining facing. The walers also improve punching resistance at the helical tie back locations.”

3. (alt-of, alternative)Alternative form of waler (“breed of horse”).