Everything a cavalryman carried from his belt was equipment. Everything he carried from his saddle was accoutrement. Together they weighed about forty pounds, and every piece had a job.
Quick answer. A Napoleonic era cavalryman carried a sword or sabre on slings, a carbine or short musket in a saddle bucket, two pistols in saddle holsters, a cartridge pouch on a cross belt, a sabretache, a water canteen, a haversack and a cloak. The barrel sash around the waist held the dolman down. The whole load was carefully distributed across the body and the saddle to keep the rider balanced at the trot.
The sabre
The sabre was the cavalryman's primary weapon. Light cavalry carried a curved sabre of around 33 to 36 inches of blade, built for cutting from the saddle. Heavy cavalry carried a straighter, longer blade (36 to 40 inches) built for thrusting. The British 1796 light cavalry sabre, designed by John Gaspard Le Marchant, was one of the most feared cutting swords of the Napoleonic era. The French An IX hussar sabre was its continental equivalent.
The sabre hung from long slings on a sword belt worn over the dolman. The slings allowed the hilt to sit above the hip and the blade to trail behind, which prevented it from getting caught in the horse's legs at the gallop. Heavy cavalry wore the sword on shorter slings for the thrusting draw.
Carbine, musket and pistols
The firearm complement varied by army and arm. Light cavalry usually carried one carbine (a short smoothbore musket) in a bucket by the saddle, plus two pistols in holsters attached to the pommel. Heavy cavalry had the same, plus some regiments carried a short musket for dismounted work. The carbine fired a 0.65 inch ball out to perhaps 50 yards, more a weapon of nuisance than of precision. The pistols were close range only.
Firearms were a secondary weapon. The sabre or lance was the arm of decision. Pistols were carried for emergency, carbines for picket duty and skirmishing.
The sabretache
The sabretache was the hussar's famous flat leather pouch, slung from the sword belt by three long straps so that it hung at the thigh. Originally designed to hold orders, maps and small items (the hussar's dolman had no proper pockets), it became almost entirely decorative by 1800. The front face was embroidered with the regimental cipher, usually a crowned initial or coat of arms, in gold or silver thread. Officers' sabretaches were particularly ornate.
Line cavalry (dragoons, cuirassiers) did not usually wear a sabretache. It was a distinguishing feature of the hussar and sometimes the lancer.
Barrel sash and belt
The barrel sash was a woven belt of alternating colour cords, wrapped twice around the waist over the dolman. The barrels were short, drum shaped weights of coloured thread that held the sash in place. The practical function was to prevent the short dolman from riding up at the back when the arms were raised. The decorative function was to display the regimental colour (crimson for Austrians, red for most British, red and gold for French Imperial Guard, and so on).
Underneath the barrel sash sat the sword belt proper, which carried the sabre and the sabretache. Over everything might go a cross belt (shoulder belt) carrying the cartridge pouch at the back.
Saddle and horse furniture
The Hungarian saddle used by hussars had high pommel and cantle to hold the rider at the gallop. On top went the shabraque, a shaped cloth often with regimental colour and embroidery, which hung down the horse's sides. Portmanteau (round rolled valise) sat behind the cantle holding spare clothing. The cloak, folded, lay rolled across the pommel in front of the rider. Two pistol holsters sat on either side of the pommel, often with ornamental covers.
Water canteen hung from the saddle, haversack from the opposite side. Fodder for the horse rolled behind the cantle. A full load for a hussar on campaign ran to about forty pounds not counting rider and weapons, which was a serious burden on the horse over long distances.
Common questions
What is a sabretache?
A flat leather pouch slung from the sword belt by three long straps, hanging at the thigh. Originally for maps and orders, by 1800 largely decorative. Hussars and some lancers wore them.
Did all cavalry carry carbines?
Most light and medium cavalry carried a carbine in a saddle bucket. Heavy cavalry sometimes carried a short musket. Both were secondary to the sabre or lance.
What was a barrel sash?
A woven belt of alternating coloured cords, wrapped twice at the waist over the dolman. The short drum shaped barrels held the sash in place. It kept the dolman from riding up.
What is a shabraque?
A shaped cloth saddle blanket, often in regimental colour with embroidery at the corners. It hung down the horse's sides and showed off the regimental identity.
How much did a cavalryman's load weigh?
About forty pounds of equipment on top of the rider's own weight. The horse carried it all. Fatigue of horses was a bigger limiter on cavalry operations than fatigue of riders.