Why were mansabdars expected to maintain twenty-horses for every ten cavalrymen?

Under the Mughal Mansabdari system, Akbar introduced the 'Dah-Bisti' (ten-twenty) rule, which required a mansabdar to maintain twenty horses for every ten cavalrymen [t5]. This ratio was essential because the Mughal army relied heavily on the mobility and effectiveness of its cavalry [t1]. The additional horses were necessary to ensure that troopers had fresh mounts for rest during long marches and immediate replacements if horses were injured or killed during warfare [t5]. This practice prevented the exhaustion of the cavalry and maintained the army's operational readiness. While the state conducted regular inspections and branding (Dag) to prevent fraud [t4][t5], the primary military logic for the 2:1 horse-to-trooper ratio was to sustain the efficiency of the cavalry in the field by providing adequate reserves for the rigors of campaigning.

Sources

1. [1] http://digitallibrary.isec.ac.in:8080/jspui/bitstream/123456789/12420/1/armyofindianmogh00irvirich_bw.pdf