Western Muster

A muster of the Men of Rohan, held by the Second or Third Marshal to gather all the Riders of the western part of the land and ready them for war. The Riders of the Western Muster would gather at the Hornburg, coming largely from the lands of the West-mark, except for those in the eastern part of that region who fell under the Muster of Edoras and the command of the First Marshal.

A Western Muster was called at the beginning of III 3019 by the Second Marshal Théodred to defend the Fords of Isen against Saruman's forces, its Riders fought in both the Battles of the Fords of Isen. Théodred was lost in the First Battle and the Muster came under the command of Erkenbrand. Erkenbrand joined his surviving soldiers to the Full Muster of Rohan, the force that rode to the relief of Minas Tirith (though Erkenbrand himself was left to command the defence of Rohan).

After the War of the Ring the old system of Musters was revised by Éomer. In earlier times command of the Western Muster would have fallen under either the Second or Third Marshal, depending on the needs of the moment, but Éomer assigned a Marshal to take permanent command of the Western Muster. This new office was titled Marshal of the West-mark, and its first holder was Erkenbrand.