In the early 1940s, so the story goes, the (US) Army wanted a dependable supply of llama dung, as required by specifications for treating the leather used in airplane seats. Submarine attacks made shipping from South America unreliable, so the Army attempted to establish a herd of llamas in New Jersey. Only after the attempt failed did anyone question the specification. The airforce was questioned why they used llama dung on the leather seats and where told because the cavalry had used it to treat their leather saddles and if it was the best for them then they would use it on the seats. The cavalry where questioned why they used llama dung on the saddles and told because the British cavalry had used it on their saddles and if it was good enough for the British it was good enough for the US. Telegrams were sent to Britain to find why llama dung was used and where told that it was no longer used now but had been used in colonial times.
Great Britain's pressing need for cavalry to patrol its many colonies meant bringing together raw recruits, untrained horses, and new saddles. The new leather smell made the horses skittish and unmanageable. Treating the saddle leather with llama dung imparted an odor that calmed the horses. The treatment, therefore, became part of the leather's specification, which remained unchanged for a century.
So, on your next project, make sure you know the reasoning behind the specs. If you hear "We've always done it that way," watch out for llama dung.
Great Britain's pressing need for cavalry to patrol its many colonies meant bringing together raw recruits, untrained horses, and new saddles. The new leather smell made the horses skittish and unmanageable. Treating the saddle leather with llama dung imparted an odor that calmed the horses. The treatment, therefore, became part of the leather's specification, which remained unchanged for a century.
So, on your next project, make sure you know the reasoning behind the specs. If you hear "We've always done it that way," watch out for llama dung.
