StateMaster - Encyclopedia: Horses in warfare

Horses have been used in human warfare for millennia, probably since the time of domestication of the horse. Horses were specially trained for a variety of military uses, including battle, individual combat, reconnaissance (scouting), transport, and supply. Technically, the term war horse usually refers in general to horses used for fighting, whether as cavalry in battle or in individual combat. The best-known war horse was the destrier, ridden by the knight of the Middle Ages. However, even horses used for purposes other than direct combat played a critically important part of successful military ventures. There are still some uses for horses in the military even in today's modern world. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (768x1152, 235 KB) Summary Licensing File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (768x1152, 235 KB) Summary Licensing File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The silver Anglia knight, commissioned as a trophy in 1850, intended to represent the Black Prince. ... This article needs cleanup. ... Jousting is a staple entertainment at Renaissance Fairs. ... Entertainers at the Golden Gate Renaissance Festival 2005. ... There are a number of theories regarding the domestication of the horse. ... Binomial name Equus caballus Linnaeus, 1758 The horse (Equus caballus, sometimes seen as a subspecies of the Wild Horse, Equus ferus caballus) is a large odd-toed ungulate mammal, one of ten modern species of the genus Equus. ... Generally, a battle is an instance of combat in warfare between two or more parties wherein each group will seek to defeat the others. ... â€œFightsâ€ redirects here. ... Mixed reconnaissance patrol of the Polish Home Army and the Soviet Red Army during Operation Tempest, 1944 Reconnaissance is the military term for the active gathering of information about an enemy, or other conditions, by physical observation. ... French Republican Guard - May 8, 2005 celebrations Cavalry (from French cavalerie) were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback in combat. ... A destrier is an historical term for a knights war horse. ... The silver Anglia knight, commissioned as a trophy in 1850, intended to represent the Black Prince. ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ...

Types of horses used in warfare

A fundamental principle of horse conformation is "form to function." Therefore, the type of horse used for various forms of warfare depended on the task at hand. There was a trade-off between speed and protection. Adding weight reduces maximum speed, as is seen today when handicapping modern race horses. Conversely, a warrior or soldier also required some degree of protection from enemy weapons, and an overemphasis on light equipment could easily prove fatal in some situations. In close combat, protection, even though it added weight, was considered to matter more than speed. See Equine conformation ... See also: Handicap (competition) Handicapped is an adjective used to refer to a person or animal who is partially disabled or unable to use a limb or limbs. ... Horse-racing is an equestrian sporting activity which has been practiced over the centuries; the chariot races of Roman times were an early example, as was the contest of the steeds of the god Odin and the giant Hrungnir in Norse mythology. ...

Horses used in war also varied in size, depending on the type of work, the weight a horse needed to carry or pull, and the distances traveled. The average horse can carry up to approximately 25% of its body weight.^[1]^[2] Weight carried affected both speed and endurance. In some cultures, warriors would travel to battle riding a lighter horse of greater speed and endurance, and then switch to a heavier horse, with greater weight-carrying capacity, when wearing heavy armor in actual combat.

Horses used for pulling vehicles varied in size, but also traded off speed for weight and power. A team of two light horses could pull a small war chariot that carried only a driver and a warrior.^[3] On the other hand, supply wagons and other support vehicles needed either heavier horses or a larger number of horses to perform the transportation duties required support military operations.^[4] While all horses can pull more than they can carry, the weight horses can pull varies widely, depending on the build of the horse, the type of vehicle, whether a vehicle rolls on wheels or is simply dragged, whether it is pulled on a good road or in rough terrain, and so on.^[5] In practical terms, a modern heavy draft horse weighing about 2000 lb can pull somewhere between 1.5 tons and 9 tons, depending on conditions^[5]^[6]^[7] For example, a team of two modern draft horses can pull 4,000 lb in weight-pull competitions, dragging a unwheeled weighted sled on level dirt for a short distance^[8]^[9] On the other hand, horses pulling a wheeled vehicle on a paved road can pull between three to eight times their weight.^[10] The method by which a horse was hitched to a vehicle also influenced how much it could pull: Horses could pull greater weight hitched to a vehicle with a horse collar than they could with an ox yoke or a breast collar.^[4] Two pairs of Shire horses and a pair of Suffolk Punches A draft horse, draught horse, or harness horse is a large, strong horse bred for heavy work rather than speed. ... Two pairs of Shire horses and a pair of Suffolk Punches A draft horse, draught horse, or harness horse is a large, strong horse bred for heavy work rather than speed. ... Two horse collars A horse collar is a device used to distribute load around a horses neck, for pulling a wagon or plow. ... Agriculture Oxes wearing yokes A yoke is a shaped wooden crosspiece bound to the necks of a pair of oxen, occasionally horses. ...

Light-weight horses

Light, "oriental" horses such as the ancestors of the modern Arabian, Barb, and Akhal-Teke were used for warfare that required speed, endurance and agility. Such horses ranged from about 13 hands to about 15 hands (52 to 60 in., 1.32 m to 1.51 m), weighing approximately 800 to 1000 pounds (400 to 500 kg). To move quickly, riders had to use lightweight tack and carry relatively light weapons such as bows, light spears or javelins, or, later, rifles. This was the original horse used for raiding, light cavalry, scouting or reconnaissance, and communications.^[3] The Arabian horse is a breed of horse with a reputation for intelligence, high spirit, and outstanding stamina. ... The word barb can have many meanings: Look up barb in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Akhal-Teke The Akhal-Teke, Ahalteke in the Turkmen language, horse breed (pronounced ) is a breed from Turkmenistan, where they are the national emblem. ... A hand is a unit of length measurement, usually based on the breadth of a male human hand and thus around 1 dm. ... Tack is any of the various accessories worn by horses in the course of their use as domesticated animals. ... This image depicts a typical bow, as made by the Huns, lying against a tree. ... The javelin throw is an athletics (track and field) throwing event where the object to be thrown is the javelin, a spear-like object made of metal and fibreglass. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... French Republican Guard - May 8, 2005 celebrations Cavalry (from French cavalerie) were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback in combat. ...

Light horses were used by many cultures, including the Scythians, the Parthians, the Ancient Egyptians, the Mongols, the Arabs, and the American Indians. Throughout the Ancient Near East, because the first domesticated horses were small, light animals, (see domestication of the horse) teams of two or more horses were often used to pull chariots. In the European Middle Ages, the light type of horse became known as a Palfrey. Light horses sometimes carried Dragoons and Mounted infantry, depending on the amount of weight required to be carried by each soldier. The Scythians (also Scyths, from Greek ), a nation of horse-riding nomadic pastoralists who spoke an Iranian language[1], dominated the Pontic steppe throughout Classical Antiquity. ... Reproduction of a Parthian warrior as depicted on Trajans Column The Parthian Empire was the dominating force on the Iranian plateau beginning in the late 3rd century BCE, and intermittently controlled Mesopotamia between ca 190 BCE and 224 CE. Origins Bust of Parthian soldier, Esgh-abad Museum, Turkmenia. ... Khafres Pyramid (4th dynasty) and Great Sphinx of Giza (c. ... Honorary guard of Mongolia. ... Languages Arabic other minority languages Religions Predominantly Sunni Islam, as well as Shia Islam, Greek Orthodoxy, Greek Catholicism, Roman Catholicism, Alawite Islam, Druzism, Ibadi Islam, and Judaism Footnotes a Mainly in Antakya. ... An independent origin and development of writing is counted among the many achievements and innovations of pre-Columbian American cultures. ... Overview map of the Ancient Near East The term Ancient Near East or Ancient Orient encompasses the early civilizations predating Classical Antiquity in the region roughly corresponding to that described by the modern term Middle East (Egypt, Iraq, Turkey), during the time roughly spanning the Bronze Age from the rise... There are a number of theories regarding the domestication of the horse. ... Hittite chariot (drawing of an Egyptian relief) Approximate historical map of the spread of the chariot, 2000â€“500 BC. A chariot is a two-wheeled, horse-drawn vehicle. ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... A Palfrey is a type of horse, not a breed of horse. ... French dragoon, 1745. ... Mounted infantry were soldiers who rode horses instead of marching, but actually fought on foot with muskets or rifles. ...

Medium-weight horses

Medium-weight horses developed with the needs of most civilizations to pull heavier loads and to carry heavier riders, beginning as early as the Iron Age.^[3] Breeds such as the ancestors of the modern Andalusian, Lipizzan, and the various Warmblood breeds got their start by the need for horses to haul chariots capable of holding more than two people, pull supply wagons, and maneuver various types of weapons, such as horse artillery into place. As light cavalry evolved into heavy cavalry, a larger horse was also needed to carry the increased weight of a more heavily-armed and armored rider. Medium-weight horses had the greatest range in size, from about 14.2 hands to as much as 17 hands (58 in to 68 in, 1.47 m to 1.73 m) weighing approximately 1,000 to 1,500 pounds (500 to 750 kg ). They generally were quite agile in combat, though they did not have the raw speed or endurance of a lighter horse. The heavier horses in this class were sometimes called Destriers and may have resembled the modern Friesian or Irish Draught. Horses similar to the modern warmblood often carried European Dragoons and Mounted infantry. Image File history File links Mooko-HakataWall. ... Image File history File links Mooko-HakataWall. ... Combatants Mongol Empire Japan Commanders Kublai Khan HÅjÅ Tokimune Strength 35,000 Mongol & Chinese soldiers and 18,000 Korean warriors 10,000 Casualties 16,000 killed before landed minimal Defensive wall at Hakata. ... Iron Age Axe found on Gotland This article is about the archaeological period known as the Iron Age, for the mythological Iron Age see Iron Age (mythology). ... Andalusian horse The Andalusian horse or Spanish horse is one of the purest breeds of horses in the world today. ... A modern Lipizzan The Lipizzan, or Lipizzaner (Slovene Lipicanec), is a breed of horse closely associated with the Spanish Riding School of Vienna, Austria where the finest representatives demonstrate the high school movements of classical dressage, including the highly advanced airs above the ground. ... Warmbloods are a group of sport horse breeds and the term simply distinguishes this type of horse from the cold bloods (draft horses) and the hot bloods (Thoroughbreds and Arabians). ... A lifesize model of a Swedish 1850s horse artillery team towing a light artillery piece in full gallop. ... An army unit consisting of mounted soldiers are commonly known as cavalry. ... An army unit consisting of mounted soldiers are commonly known as cavalry. ... A destrier is an historical term for a knights war horse. ... Friesian horse The Friesian (also Frisian) horse is a breed of horse from Friesland, a province of the Netherlands. ... Irish horses are renowned for being the best hunters in the worldand none more so than those produced by crossing Thooroughbred with Irish Draught. ... Warmbloods are a group of sport horse breeds and the term simply distinguishes this type of horse from the cold bloods (draft horses) and the hot bloods (Thoroughbreds and Arabians). ... French dragoon, 1745. ... Mounted infantry were soldiers who rode horses instead of marching, but actually fought on foot with muskets or rifles. ...

Heavy-weight horses

Large, heavy horses, weighing from 1,500 to nearly 2,000 pounds (750 to nearly 1,000 kg), the ancestors of today's draft horses, were used, particularly in Europe from the Middle Ages onward. They pulled heavy loads, having the muscle power to pull weapons or supply wagons and to remain calm under fire. Some historians believe they may also have carried the heaviest-armored knights of the European Late Middle Ages,^[11]^[12] though this claim is disputed.^[13] Breeds at the smaller end of the heavyweight category may have included the ancestors of the Percheron, which are agile for their size and would have been physically able to maneuver in battle.^[14] However, there is considerable dispute if the Destrier class of horse actually included draft types.^[15] Two pairs of Shire horses and a pair of Suffolk Punches A draft horse, draught horse, or harness horse is a large, strong horse bred for heavy work rather than speed. ... World map showing the location of Europe. ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... The silver Anglia knight, commissioned as a trophy in 1850, intended to represent the Black Prince. ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... A pair of typical dapple grey Percheron Horses Percheron draft horse at the Maryland State Fair The Percheron is a breed of powerful rugged draft horses that originated in the Perche region of France. ... A destrier is an historical term for a knights war horse. ...

Other Equids

Horses were not the only animals used to support human warfare. Mules, a hybrid of a horse and a donkey or ass were also commonly used, especially as pack animals and to pull wagons, though occasionally as riding animals.^[16] Mules, as a general rule, are considered both calmer and hardier than horses and so were useful for strenuous, difficult support tasks, particularly hauling food and supplies over difficult terrain. The size of a mule and work to which it was put depended largely on the breeding of the mare that produced the mule. Mules, like horses, could be lightweight, medium weight, or even, when produced from draft horse mares, of moderate heavy weight. Donkeys were often used by non-mounted units to carry gear. (see pack animal)^[17] A barren of mules. ... Binomial name Linnaeus, 1758 For other uses, see Donkey (disambiguation). ... 13 year old Peruvian Paso mare A broodmare and foal In English, a mare (an old Germanic word) is a female horse; the word is also an etymological root of marshal (originally marescalcus horse servant). Mares are considered easier to handle than males, which are called stallions or after castration... A pack animal is a beast of burden used by humans as means of transporting materials by attaching them so their weigh bears on the animals back; the term may be applied to either an individual animal or a species so employed. ...

Training and deployment of war horses

The details on various methods of training horses, and war horses in particular, vary as much as the cultures and historical periods that produced them. Horse training methods were commonly passed on through an oral tradition and the number of written treatises on the subject was quite limited until the modern era. The oldest manual on training horse for chariot warfare is the work of the Hittite horsemaster, Kikkuli, who wrote on the subject circa 1350 B.C.^[4] An ancient manual on the subject of training riding horses, particularly for the Ancient Greek cavalry is Hippike On Horsemanship written about 360 B.C. by the Greek cavalry officer Xenophon, an Athenian who later lived in Sparta, where he wrote several works.^[18] One of the earliest texts from Asia was that of Kautilya, written about 323 BC.^[4] WikiProject horse training is about methods of training horses, and all the related aspects of the relationship between people and horses. ... Oral tradition or oral culture is a way of transmitting history, literature or law from one generation to the next in a civilization without a writing system. ... Relief of Suppiluliuma II, last known king of the Hittite Empire The Hittites were an ancient people who spoke an Indo-European language, and established a kingdom centered at Hattusa (Hittite URU) in north-central Anatolia from the 18th century BC. In the 14th century BC, the Hittite empire was... Kikkuli, master horse trainer (assussanni) of the land Mitanni (LÃšA-AÅ -Å U-UÅ -Å A-AN-NI Å A KUR URUMI-IT-TA-AN-NI, virtually Sanskrit ) is known as the author of Middle Hittite horse training texts, dating to the Hittite New Kingdom (around 1400 BC). ... Note: This article contains special characters. ... French Republican Guard - May 8, 2005 celebrations Cavalry (from French cavalerie) were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback in combat. ... On Horsemanship written c. ... Xenophon, Greek historian Xenophon (In Greek , ca. ... Sparta (Doric: SpÃ¡rtÄ, Attic: SpÃ¡rtÄ“) is a city in southern Greece. ... Chanakya (c. ...

Whether horses were trained for pulling chariots, to be ridden as light cavalry, heavy cavalry, or as the Destrier for the heavily-armoured knight, much training was required to overcome the horse's natural instinct to flee from noise, the smell of blood, and the confusion of combat. Horses had to learn to face weaponry of the enemy and not panic, even if struck, and learn to accept any sudden or unusual movements of their riders when utilizing a weapon or avoiding one. Developing balance and agility was crucial. The origins of the discipline of Dressage came from the need to train horses to move with as much athleticism while carrying a rider as they did when free. Hittite chariot (drawing of an Egyptian relief) Approximate historical map of the spread of the chariot, 2000â€“500 BC. A chariot is a two-wheeled, horse-drawn vehicle. ... An army unit consisting of mounted soldiers are commonly known as cavalry. ... An army unit consisting of mounted soldiers are commonly known as cavalry. ... A destrier is an historical term for a knights war horse. ... The silver Anglia knight, commissioned as a trophy in 1850, intended to represent the Black Prince. ... Human blood smear: a - erythrocytes; b - neutrophil; c - eosinophil; d - lymphocyte. ... An upper-level dressage competitor performing an extended trot Dressage (a French term meaning training) is a path and destination of competitive horse training, with competitions held at all levels from amateur to the Olympics. ...

In most cultures, a war horse used as a riding animal was trained to be controlled with limited use of reins, responding primarily to the rider's legs and weight; to develop tolerance for the noises of battle; to become accustomed to any necessary tack and protective armour placed upon it, as well as learn to balance under a rider who would also be laden with weapons and armor. Horses used for chariot warfare were not only trained for combat conditions, but because many chariots were pulled by a team of two to four horses, they also had to learn to work together with other animals in close quarters under chaotic conditions. Tack is any of the various accessories worn by horses in the course of their use as domesticated animals. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Armor or armour (see spelling differences) is protective clothing intended to defend its wearer from intentional harm in combat and military engagements, typically associated with soldiers. ... // Relief of early wagons on the Standard of Ur, ca. ...

In addition, some war horses were trained for specialized uses. A horse used in close combat may have been taught, or at least permitted, to kick, strike and even bite, thus becoming weapons in the extended arsenal of the warriors they carried. Other horses, used for raids or reconnaissance, were taught to remain quiet at all times, to avoid whinnying to other horses or otherwise betraying their presence. View of the Entrance to the Arsenal, by Canaletto, 1732. ...

The Haute ecole or "High School" movements of classical dressage taught to the famous Lipizzan horses at the Spanish Riding School in Vienna have their roots in maneuvers needed on the battlefield. However, it must be pointed out that modern airs above the ground were unlikely to have been used in actual combat, as most would have exposed the unprotected underbelly of the horse to the weapons of foot soldiers.^[4] Classical dressage evolved from cavalry movements trained for the battlefield, and has since developed into competitive dressage seen today. ... A modern Lipizzan The Lipizzan, or Lipizzaner (Slovene Lipicanec), is a breed of horse closely associated with the Spanish Riding School of Vienna, Austria where the finest representatives demonstrate the high school movements of classical dressage, including the highly advanced airs above the ground. ... A Lipizzan horse in the Winter Riding School The Spanish Riding School of Vienna, Austria, is a traditional riding school for Lipizzan horses. ... â€œWienâ€ redirects here. ... Classical dressage evolved from cavalry movements trained for the battlefield, and has since developed into competitive dressage seen today. ...

Technological innovations in equestrian equipment

Horses were probably ridden in prehistory before they were driven. However, evidence is scant, mostly consisting of simple images of human figures on horse-like animals drawn on rock or clay.^[19]^[20] Bridles of various sorts were invented nearly as soon as the horse was domesticated, with bit wear evident on the teeth of horses at the archaeology sites of Botai and Kozhai 1 in northern Kazakhstan, dated about 3500-3000 BC.^[21] A bridle is a piece of equipment used to control a horse. ... There are a number of theories regarding the domestication of the horse. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ... This July 2007 does not cite any references or sources. ...

Technological advances in harness and vehicles

The invention of the wheel was a major technological innovation that gave rise to chariot warfare. Initially, as illustrated by the Standard of Ur, in ancient Sumer, c. 2500 BC, horses were hitched to wheeled carts with a yoke around their necks, in a manner similar to that of oxen.^[4] However, such a design is incompatible with horse anatomy, limiting both the strength and mobility of the horse. Therefore, by the time of the Hyksos invasions of Egypt, c. 1600 BC, horses were pulling chariots with an improved harness design that made use of a breast collar and breeching, which allowed a horse to move faster and pull more weight.^[3]^[4] Hittite chariot (drawing of an Egyptian relief) Approximate historical map of the spread of the chariot, 2000â€“500 BC. A chariot is a two-wheeled, horse-drawn vehicle. ... Two horse collars A horse collar is a device used to distribute load around a horses neck, for pulling a wagon or plow. ... The force bearing on the axle has an eccentricity e with the point of contact to the rolling surface and exerts a moment about the contact point. ... Hittite chariot (drawing of an Egyptian relief) Approximate historical map of the spread of the chariot, 2000â€“500 BC. A chariot is a two-wheeled, horse-drawn vehicle. ... The Standard of Ur (Peace panel) the War panel Peace, detail showing lyrist. ... Sumer (or Å umer) was the earliest known civilization of the ancient Near East, located in the southern part of Mesopotamia (southeastern Iran) from the time of the earliest records in the mid 4th millennium BC until the rise of Babylonia in the late 3rd millennium BC. The term Sumerian applies... Agriculture Oxes wearing yokes A yoke is a shaped wooden crosspiece bound to the necks of a pair of oxen, occasionally horses. ... Binomial name Bos taurus Linnaeus, 1758 Cattle are domesticated ungulates, a member of the subfamily Bovinae of the family Bovidae. ... The anatomy of the horse comes with a large number of horse specific terms. ... The Hyksos (Egyptian heqa khasewet, foreign rulers; Greek , ) were an Asiatic people, likely Semitic or Indo-Aryan, who invaded the eastern Nile Delta, initiating the Second Intermediate Period of ancient Egypt. ... A breastplate (used interchangeably with breastgirth and breastcollar) is a piece of riding equipment used on horses. ...

Even after the chariot had become obsolete as a tool of war, there still was a need for technological innovations in pulling technologies as larger horses were needed to pull heavier loads of both supplies and weapons. The invention of the horse collar in China during the 5th century (Southern and Northern Dynasties) allowed horses to pull greater weight than they could when hitched to a vehicle by means of the ox yokes or breast collars used in earlier times.^[22] The horse collar arrived in Europe during the 9th century,^[4] and became widespread throughout Europe by the 12th century.^[23] Two horse collars A horse collar is a device used to distribute load around a horses neck, for pulling a wagon or plow. ... This article is about China. ... Agriculture Oxes wearing yokes A yoke is a shaped wooden crosspiece bound to the necks of a pair of oxen, occasionally horses. ...

Technological advances in riding equipment

Two major innovations that revolutionized the effectiveness of mounted warriors in battle were the saddle and the stirrup. A saddle is a seat for a rider fastened to an animals back. ... Haniwa horse statuette, complete with saddle and stirrups, 6th century, Kofun period, Japan. ... A saddle is a seat for a rider fastened to an animals back. ... Haniwa horse statuette, complete with saddle and stirrups, 6th century, Kofun period, Japan. ...

Riders quickly learned to pad their horse's backs to protect themselves from the horse's spine and withers. Warriors fought on horseback for centuries with little more than a blanket or pad on the horse's back and a rudimentary bridle. To help distribute the rider's weight and protect the horse's back, some cultures created stuffed padding that resembles the panels of today's English saddle.^[12] Both the Scythians and Assyrians used pads with added felt attached with a surcingle or girth around the horse's barrel for increased security and comfort. Xenophon mentioned the use of a padded cloth on cavalry mounts in the fourth century B.C.^[18] Haniwa horse statuette, complete with saddle and stirrups, 6th century, Kofun period, Japan. ... Haniwa horse statuette, complete with saddle and stirrups, 6th century, Kofun period, Japan. ... The withers is the highest point on an animals back, on the ridge between its shoulder blades. ... A bridle is a piece of equipment used to control a horse. ... The saddles known as English saddles (as opposed to Western saddles) are used throughout the world, not just in England or English-speaking countries. ... The Scythians (also Scyths, from Greek ), a nation of horse-riding nomadic pastoralists who spoke an Iranian language[1], dominated the Pontic steppe throughout Classical Antiquity. ... A surcingle is a leather, nylon, or neoprene strap that fastens around a horses girth area. ... Tack is any of the various accessories worn by horses in the course of their use as domesticated animals. ... The anatomy of the horse comes with a large number of horse specific terms. ...

The saddle with a solid tree provided a bearing surface to protect the horse from the weight of the rider, but was not widespread until the 2nd century A.D.^[18] However, it made a critical difference, as horses could carry more weight when distributed across a solid saddle tree. A solid tree, the predecessor of today's Western saddle, also allowed a more built up seat to give the rider greater security in the saddle. The Romans are credited with the invention of the solid-treed saddle.^[24] A saddle is a seat for a rider fastened to an animals back. ... The 2nd century is the period from 101 - 200 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian Era. ... Parts of a Western saddle Western saddles are used for western riding and are the saddles used on working horses on cattle ranches throughout the United States, particularly in the west. ...

Arguably one of the most important inventions that made cavalry particularly effective was the stirrup. While a toe loop that held the big toe was used in India possibly as early as 500 B.C.,^[4] then later a single stirrup was used as a mounting aid, the first set of paired stirrups appeared in China about A.D. 322 during the Jin Dynasty.^[25] By the 7th century, thanks primarily to invaders from Central Asia, such as the Mongols, stirrups spread across Asia to Europe.^[26] The stirrup, which allowed a rider greater leverage with weapons, as well as both increased stability and mobility while mounted, gave nomadic groups such as the Mongols a decisive military advantage.^[4] Use of stirrups was widespread in Europe by the 8th century.^[27] Haniwa horse statuette, complete with saddle and stirrups, 6th century, Kofun period, Japan. ... The Jin Dynasty (æ™‰ pinyin: jÃ¬n, 265-420), one of the Six Dynasties, followed the Three Kingdoms and preceded the Southern and Northern Dynasties in China. ... Honorary guard of Mongolia. ... The Mongol military machine was largely the creation of one man- Genghis Khan. ...

History of the horse in warfare

The first archaeological evidence of horses used in warfare was between 4000 and 3000 BC in the steppes of Eurasia, in what today is Ukraine, Hungary and Romania. At that location, not long after domestication of the horse, people began to live together in large fortified towns for protection from horseback-riding raiders.^[24] French Republican Guard - May 8, 2005 celebrations Cavalry (from French cavalerie) were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback in combat. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... This July 2007 does not cite any references or sources. ... A steppe in Western Kazakhstan in early spring In physical geography, a steppe (Russian: - , Ukrainian: - , Kazakh: - ), pronounced in English as , is a plain without trees (apart from those near rivers and lakes); it is similar to a prairie, although a prairie is generally considered as being dominated by tall grasses... Eurasia Eurasia African-Eurasian aspect of Earth Eurasia is an immense landmass covering about 54,000,000 kmÂ² (or about 10. ... There are a number of theories regarding the domestication of the horse. ...

Horses were used in warfare from the earliest recorded history. One of the first depictions of equids is the "war panel" of the Standard of Ur, in Sumer, dated c. 2500 B.C., showing horses (or possibly onagers or mules) pulling a four-wheeled wagon.^[28] While the standard does not show horses in actual combat, simply pulling wagons, these equids clearly had a role to play in the victory depicted. The Standard of Ur (Peace panel) the War panel Peace, detail showing lyrist. ... Sumer (or Å umer) was the earliest known civilization of the ancient Near East, located in the southern part of Mesopotamia (southeastern Iran) from the time of the earliest records in the mid 4th millennium BC until the rise of Babylonia in the late 3rd millennium BC. The term Sumerian applies...

Chariot Warfare

The earliest documented examples of horses playing a role in combat were in chariot warfare. Among the first evidence of chariot use are the burials of the Andronovo (Sintashta-Petrovka) culture in modern Russia and Kazakhstan, dated to approximately 2000 BC.^[29] The oldest evidence of what was probably chariot warfare in the Ancient Near East is the Old Hittite Anitta text, of the 18th century BC, which mentioned 40 teams of horses at the siege of Salatiwara.^[30] The Hittites became well known throughout the ancient world for their prowess with the chariot. Hittite chariot (drawing of an Egyptian relief) Approximate historical map of the spread of the chariot, 2000â€“500 BC. A chariot is a two-wheeled, horse-drawn vehicle. ... ... Overview map of the Ancient Near East The term Ancient Near East or Ancient Orient encompasses the early civilizations predating Classical Antiquity in the region roughly corresponding to that described by the modern term Middle East (Egypt, Iraq, Turkey), during the time roughly spanning the Bronze Age from the rise... Anitta, son of Pithana, was a semi-legendary king of the Hittites at Kussara, a city that has yet to be identified. ... Salatiwara was a city of Bronze Age Anatolia. ... Relief of Suppiluliuma II, last known king of the Hittite Empire The Hittites were an ancient people who spoke an Indo-European language, and established a kingdom centered at Hattusa (Hittite URU) in north-central Anatolia from the 18th century BC. In the 14th century BC, the Hittite empire was...

The Hyksos invaders brought the chariot to Ancient Egypt in the 16th century B.C. and the Egyptians adopted its use from that time forward.^[3]^[31]^[32] The oldest preserved text related to the handling of war horses in the ancient world is the Hittite manual of Kikkuli, which dates to about 1350 BC, and describes the conditioning of chariot horses.^[4]^[33] The Hyksos (Egyptian heqa khasewet, foreign rulers; Greek , ) were an Asiatic people, likely Semitic or Indo-Aryan, who invaded the eastern Nile Delta, initiating the Second Intermediate Period of ancient Egypt. ... Khafres Pyramid (4th dynasty) and Great Sphinx of Giza (c. ... Hittite is the extinct language once spoken by the Hittites, a people who once created an empire centered on ancient Hattusas (modern BoÄŸazkale) in north-central Anatolia (modern Turkey). ... Kikkuli, master horse trainer (assussanni) of the land Mitanni (LÃšA-AÅ -Å U-UÅ -Å A-AN-NI Å A KUR URUMI-IT-TA-AN-NI, virtually Sanskrit ) is known as the author of Middle Hittite horse training texts, dating to the Hittite New Kingdom (around 1400 BC). ...

In the history of Ancient Greece, chariots are first described in Homer's Iliad as vehicles used to transport warriors to battle, but were not used for actual fighting. However, improvements in wheels and axles, combined with the limitations of the long bow used during the Bronze Age, soon resulted in chariots being driven in battle by almost all Bronze Age societies.^[34] The Temple of Athena, the Parthenon Ancient Butts is a period in Greek history that lasted for around nine hundred years. ... Homer (Greek: ) is the name given to the supposed unitary author of the early Greek poems the Iliad and the Odyssey. ... title page of the Rihel edition of ca. ... The Bronze Age is a period in a civilizations development when the most advanced metalworking has developed the techniques of smelting copper from natural outcroppings and alloys it to cast bronze. ...

Chariots were used in China as far back as the Shang dynasty (ca. 1600-1050 BC). The earliest evidence of chariot warfare in Asia was shown by ceremonial burials. As had occurred earlier in central Asia, horses and chariots were found entombed with their owners so as to be with them in the next life.^[35] Remnants of advanced, stratified societies dating back to the Shang period have been found in the Yellow River Valley. ...

Cavalry and other forms of mounted warfare

Some of the earliest examples of horses being ridden in warfare were archers or spear-throwers mounted on horseback, dating to the reigns of the Assyrian rulers Ashurnasirpal II and Shalmaneser III.^[20] However, these the riders sat far back on their horses, an awkward position for moving quickly, and the horses were usually held by a handler on the ground, keeping the archer free to use the bow. Thus these archers were more a type of mounted infantry than true cavalry.^[18] The Assyrians developed cavalry in response to invasions by nomadic people from the north, such as the Cimmerians, who entered Asia Minor in the 8th Century, B.C. and took over parts of Urartu during the reign of Sargon II, approximately 721 B.C.^[3] Mounted warriors such as the Scythians also had an influence on the region in the 7th century B.C.^[36] By the reign of Ashurbanipal in 669 B.C., the Assyrians had learned to sit forward on their horses in the classic position of riding still seen today and could be said to be true light cavalry.^[18] The ancient Greeks used both light horse scouts and heavy cavalry.^[4]^[18]^[3]^[20] An Assyrian winged bull, or lamassu. ... Ashurnasirpal II, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, California Ashurnasirpal II was king of Assyria from 884 BC-859 BC. Ashurnasirpal succeeded his father, Tukulti-Ninurta II, in 884 BC. He conquered Mesopotamia and the territory of what is now the Lebanon, adding them to the growing Assyrian empire. ... Shalmaneser III (Å ulmÄnu-aÅ¡arÄ“du, the god Shulmanu is pre-eminent) was king of Assyria (859 BC-824 BC), and son of the previous ruler, Ashurnasirpal II. His long reign was a constant series of campaigns against the eastern tribes, the Babylonians, the nations of Mesopotamia and Syria... Infantry of the Royal Irish Rifles during the Battle of the Somme in World War I. Infantry are soldiers who fight primarily on foot with small arms in organized military units, though they may be transported to the battlefield by horses, ships, automobiles, skis, bicycles, or other means. ... French Republican Guard - May 8, 2005 celebrations Cavalry (from French cavalerie) were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback in combat. ... The Cimmerians (Greek: , Kimmerioi) were ancient equestrian nomads who, according to Herodotus, originally inhabited the region north of the Caucasus and the Black Sea, in what is now Russia and Ukraine, in the 8th and 7th century BC. Assyrian records, however, first place them in the region of what is... Anatolia (Greek: ανατολη anatole, rising of the sun or East; compare Orient and Levant, by popular etymology Turkish Anadolu to ana mother and dolu filled), also called by the Latin name of Asia Minor, is a region of Southwest Asia which corresponds today to... Urartu at its greatest extent 743 BC Urartu (Biainili in Urartian) was an ancient kingdom in the mountainous plateau between Asia Minor, Mesopotamia, and Caucasus mountains, later known as the Armenian Highland, and it centered around Lake Van (present-day eastern Turkey). ... Sargon II (right), king of Assyria (r. ... The Scythians (also Scyths, from Greek ), a nation of horse-riding nomadic pastoralists who spoke an Iranian language[1], dominated the Pontic steppe throughout Classical Antiquity. ... Ashurbanipal, Assurbanipal or Sardanapal, in Akkadian AÅ¡Å¡ur-bÄni-apli, (b. ... An army unit consisting of mounted soldiers are commonly known as cavalry. ... Ancient Greece is the term used to describe the Greek_speaking world in ancient times. ...

Heavy cavalry was believed to have been developed by the Ancient Persians.^[20] By the time of Darius (558-486 B.C.), Persian military tactics evolved to require horses and riders that were completely armored, and a heavier, more muscled horse developed to carry the additional weight.^[3] Later, The ancient Greeks developed a heavy armored cavalry, the most famous units being the companion cavalry of Alexander the Great.^[4] The Chinese of the 4th century BC during the Warring States (403 BC-221 BC) began to use cavalry against rival states,^[37] and in response to nomadic raiders from the north and west, the Chinese of the Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD) developed effective mounted units.^[35] The Romans also used heavy cavalry in their armies. An army unit consisting of mounted soldiers are commonly known as cavalry. ... The Persian Empire was a series of historical empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the old Persian homeland, and beyond in Western Asia, Central Asia and the Caucasus. ... Darius (in Persian Ø¯Ø§Ø±ÙŠÙˆØ´ (Dah-rii-yoosh)) is a common Persian male name. ... Ancient Greece is the term used to describe the Greek_speaking world in ancient times. ... The Companions (Greek Î•Ï„Î±Î¯ÏÎ¿Î¹) were Alexander the Greats elite cavalry, the main offensive arm of his army, and also his elite guard. ... Wars of Alexander the Great Chaeronea â€“ Thebes â€“ Granicus â€“ Miletus â€“ Halicarnassus â€“ Issus â€“ Tyre â€“ Gaugamela â€“ Persian Gate â€“ Sogdian Rock â€“ Hydaspes River Alexander the Great (Greek: ,[1][2] Megas Alexandros; July 20 356 BC â€“ June 10 323 BC), also known as Alexander III, was an Ancient Greek king of Macedon (336â€“323 BC). ... Alternative meaning: Warring States Period (Japan) The Warring States Period (traditional Chinese: 戰國時代, simplified Chinese: 战国时代 pinyin Zhànguó Shídài) takes place from sometime in the 5th century BC to the unification of China by Qin in 221 BC. It is nominally... Centuries: 6th century BC - 5th century BC - 4th century BC Decades: 450s BC 440s BC 430s BC 420s BC 410s BC - 400s BC - 390s BC 380s BC 370s BC 360s BC 350s BC Years: 408 BC 407 BC 406 BC 405 BC 404 BC - 403 BC - 402 BC 401 BC... Centuries: 4th century BC - 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC Decades: 270s BC 260s BC 250s BC 240s BC 230s BC - 220s BC - 210s BC 200s BC 190s BC 180s BC 170s BC Years: 226 BC 225 BC 224 BC 223 BC 222 BC - 221 BC - 220 BC 219 BC... Han Dynasty in 87 BC Capital Changan (202 BCâ€“9 AD) Luoyang (25 ADâ€“190 AD) Language(s) Chinese Religion Taoism, Confucianism Government Monarchy History - Establishment 206 BC - Battle of Gaixia; Han rule of China begins 202 BC - Interruption of Han rule 9 - 24 - Abdication to Cao Wei 220... Centuries: 2nd century BC - 3rd century BC - 4th century BC Decades: 230s BC 220s BC 210s BC - 200s BC - 190s BC 180s BC 170s BC Years: 207 BC 206 BC 205 BC 204 BC 203 BC - 202 BC - 201 BC 200 BC 199 BC 198 BC 197 BC Events October... Events Han Xiandi abdicates his throne to Cao Pi, symbolizing the end of the Han Dynasty and the beginning of the Three Kingdoms period in China. ...

The term cataphract describes some of the tactics, armour and weaponry of mounted units used from the time of the Persians up until the Middle Ages. A cataphract (from the Greek ÎºÎ±Ï„Î¬Ï†ÏÎ±ÎºÏ„Î¿Ï‚ katafraktos, plural katafraktoi) was a form of heavy cavalry used by nomadic eastern Iranian tribes and dynasties and later Greeks and Latin-speaking peoples. ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ...

War horses of the early Islamic world

Muslim warriors conquered North Africa and the Iberian peninsula during the 7th and 8th centuries A.D. Following the Hegira or Hijra of Muhammad in A.D. 622, Islam spread across the known world of the time. By A.D. 630, Muslim influence expanded across the Middle East and into North Africa. By A.D. 711, the light cavalry of Muslim warriors had reached Spain,^[3] and controlled most of the Iberian peninsula by 720. Their mounts were of various oriental types, including both the Arabian horse and the Barb horse of North Africa. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2135x2377, 1228 KB) Summary Jewish soldiers fighting with the forces of Muhammed IX, Nasrid Sultan of Granada, at the Battle of Higueruela 1431, as depicted in a series of fresco paintings by Fabrizio Castello, Orazio Cambiaso and Lazzaro Tavarone in the... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2135x2377, 1228 KB) Summary Jewish soldiers fighting with the forces of Muhammed IX, Nasrid Sultan of Granada, at the Battle of Higueruela 1431, as depicted in a series of fresco paintings by Fabrizio Castello, Orazio Cambiaso and Lazzaro Tavarone in the... The Battle of Higueruela as depicted in the Gallery of Battles. ... The Nasrid dynasty was the last Muslim dynasty in Spain, founded by Mohammed ben Nasar. ... Coordinates: Country Spain Autonomous community Andalusia Settled since 7th century BC Area - City 88 kmÂ² (34 sq mi) Elevation 738 m (2,421. ... There is also a collection of Hadith called Sahih Muslim A Muslim (Arabic: Ù…Ø³Ù„Ù…, Persian: Mosalman or Mosalmon Urdu: Ù…Ø³Ù„Ù…Ø§Ù†, Turkish: MÃ¼slÃ¼man, Albanian: Mysliman, Bosnian: Musliman) is an adherent of the religion of Islam. ... For other uses, see Hijra. ... Muhammad in a new genre of Islamic calligraphy started in the 17th century by Hafiz Osman. ... For people named Islam, see Islam (name). ... There is also a collection of Hadith called Sahih Muslim A Muslim (Arabic: Ù…Ø³Ù„Ù…, Persian: Mosalman or Mosalmon Urdu: Ù…Ø³Ù„Ù…Ø§Ù†, Turkish: MÃ¼slÃ¼man, Albanian: Mysliman, Bosnian: Musliman) is an adherent of the religion of Islam. ... A map showing countries commonly considered to be part of the Middle East The Middle East is a region comprising the lands around the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea, a territory that extends from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. ... North Africa is the Mediterranean, northernmost region of the African continent, separated by the Sahara from Sub-Saharan Africa. ... Iberia can mean: The Iberian peninsula of southwest Europe; That part of it inhabited by the Iberians, speaking the Iberian language. ... The Arabian horse is a breed of horse with a reputation for intelligence, high spirit, and outstanding stamina. ... The word barb can have many meanings: Look up barb in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Muslim invaders traveled north from Spain into France, where they were stopped by Charles Martel at the Battle of Tours in A.D. 732. Arabian and other oriental horses captured in the wake of this defeat were crossed with local stock, adding agility to the heavier animals, influencing the development of the Percheron, one of the breeds of horse destined to become the great Destrier of the mounted knight. Charles Martel (or, in modern English, Charles the Hammer) (23 August 686 â€“ 22 October 741) was proclaimed Mayor of the Palace, ruling the Franks in the name of a titular King, and proclaimed himself Duke of the Franks (the last four years of his reign he did not even bother... Combatants Carolingian Franks Umayyad Caliphate Commanders Charles Martel â€˜Abdul Rahman Al Ghafiqiâ€ Strength Unknown, possibly 20,000 to 30,000 [1] Unknown, but the earliest Muslim sources, still after the era of the battle[2] mention a figure of 80,000. ... A pair of typical dapple grey Percheron Horses Percheron draft horse at the Maryland State Fair The Percheron is a breed of powerful rugged draft horses that originated in the Perche region of France. ... A destrier is an historical term for a knights war horse. ... The silver Anglia knight, commissioned as a trophy in 1850, intended to represent the Black Prince. ...

The Knight

During the Middle Ages in Europe, there were three primary types of horses used in warfare: The Destrier, the Courser, and the Rouncey.^[38] The Rouncey was the everyday horse of a squire or for the mounted man-at-arms, suitable for riding or for war. The Courser was a strong, fast horse, well-suited to hard warfare, while the more-famous, highly-trained Destrier was reserved for the richest knights and nobility. In later periods it was used predominantly in tournaments. (A generic name often used to describe medieval war horses is charger, which appears interchangeable with the other terms). This 15th century depiction of Charlemagne and Pope Adrian I shows a well-bred Medieval horse with arched neck, refined head and elegant gait. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2163x1203, 601 KB)Jousting at the Golden Gate Renaissance fair, San Francisco, California. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2163x1203, 601 KB)Jousting at the Golden Gate Renaissance fair, San Francisco, California. ... Jousting is a staple entertainment at Renaissance Fairs. ... An army unit consisting of mounted soldiers are commonly known as cavalry. ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... World map showing the location of Europe. ... A destrier is an historical term for a knights war horse. ... This depiction of a knight on horseback might show a courser A courser is a swift and strong horse, frequently used during the Middle Ages as a warhorse. ... The Battle of Poitiers in 1356. ... For the guitar company, see Squier. ... Man-at-arms was a medieval term for a soldier, almost always a professional. ... Tournament by JÃ¶rg Breu the Elder 1510s, depicting jousting A Tournament, or tourney (from Old French torneiement, tornei[1]) is the name popularly given to chivalrous competitions or mock fights of the Middle Ages and Renaissance (12th to 16th centuries). ... Place setting with red charger. ...

The Destrier was a horse of somewhat greater height and weight to accommodate heavier armoured knights. For example, the horse ridden by William of Normandy in the Battle of Hastings in 1066 was said to be an Iberian-type animal such as the modern Andalusian, at about 15.2 hands (62 in., 1.57 m) tall.^[39] A destrier is an historical term for a knights war horse. ... Armour sucks ass alottttttttttt Armour was also commonly used to protect war animals, such as war horses and elephants. ... The silver Anglia knight, commissioned as a trophy in 1850, intended to represent the Black Prince. ... William I ( 1027 â€“ September 9, 1087), was King of England from 1066 to 1087. ... Combatants Normans supported by: Bretons (one third of total), Aquitanians, Flemings Anglo-Saxons Commanders William of Normandy, Odo of Bayeux Harold Godwinson â€ Strength 7,000-8,000 7,000-8,000 Casualties Unknown, thought to be around 2,000 killed and wounded Unknown, but significantly higher than the Normans The... Events January 6 - Harold II is crowned September 20 - Battle of Fulford September 25 - Battle of Stamford Bridge September 29 - William of Normandy lands in England at Pevensey. ... Iberia can mean: The Iberian peninsula of southwest Europe; That part of it inhabited by the Iberians, speaking the Iberian language. ... Andalusian horse The Andalusian horse or Spanish horse is one of the purest breeds of horses in the world today. ... A hand is a unit of length measurement, usually based on the breadth of a male human hand and thus around 1 dm. ...

Despite the popular image of a European knight on horseback charging into battle, pitched battles were avoided, if at all possible, with most offensive warfare in the early Middle Ages taking the form of sieges,^[40]or swift mounted raids called chevauchées, with the warriors lightly armed on swift horses.^[41] Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1704x2272, 446 KB) Description: Dresden, Zwinger-Museum. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1704x2272, 446 KB) Description: Dresden, Zwinger-Museum. ... Gothic armour Plate armour is personal armour made from large metal plates, worn on the chest and sometimes the entire body. ... The silver Anglia knight, commissioned as a trophy in 1850, intended to represent the Black Prince. ... A chevauchÃ©e (French for promenade or horse charge, depending on context) was a method in medieval warfare for weakening the enemy, focusing mainly on wreaking havoc, burning and pillaging enemy territory, in order to reduce the productivity of a region; as opposed to siege warfare or wars of conquest. ...

As time passed, the mounted knight was seen less on the battlefield and more often as a competitor in Tournaments, less warlike events with stylized pagentry.^[42] Larger horses, possibly as tall as 17 hands (68 in., 1.73 m) and 1,500 pounds (750 kg), with the strength to carry both a knight and stylized plate armour were developed.^[43]^[44] In addition to height and weight, this type of horse was selected for agility and trainability. The expense of keeping, training and outfitting these specialized horses prevented the majority of the population from owning them. A tournament is an organized competition in which many participants play each other in individual games. ... The silver Anglia knight, commissioned as a trophy in 1850, intended to represent the Black Prince. ... Gothic armour Plate armour is personal armour made from large metal plates, worn on the chest and sometimes the entire body. ...

Stallions were often used as war horses in Europe due to their natural aggression and hot-blooded tendencies. A thirteenth century work describes destriers "biting and kicking" on the battlefield.^[45] However, the use of mares by European warriors cannot be discounted from literary references.^[45] Mares were the preferred war horse of the Moors, the Islamic invaders who attacked various European nations from A.D. 700 through the 15th Century.^[3] A stallion A stallion is a male horse that has not been castrated. ... 13 year old Peruvian Paso mare A broodmare and foal In English, a mare (an old Germanic word) is a female horse; the word is also an etymological root of marshal (originally marescalcus horse servant). Mares are considered easier to handle than males, which are called stallions or after castration... The Moors were the medieval Muslim inhabitants of the western Mediterranean and western Sahara, including: al-Maghrib (the coastal and mountain lands of present day Morocco and Algeria, and Tunisia although Tunisia often is separately called Ifriqiya after the former Roman province of Africa); al-Andalus (the former Islamic sovereign... Islam (Arabic: ; ( â–¶ (helpÂ· info)), the submission to God) is a monotheistic faith, one of the Abrahamic religions and the worlds second-largest religion. ...

Experts dispute the precise cause of the demise of the armored knight. Some claim it was the invention of gunpowder and the musket.^[46] Others date it earlier, to the use of the English longbow that was introduced into England from Wales in 1250 and used with decisive force in conflicts such as the Battle of Crécy in 1346.^[47] In either case, although equipment became heavier and chain mail gave way to plate armor, weapons technology evolved faster yet and came to effectively counter the force of heavily-armored knights as shock troops. Smokeless powder Gunpowder is a pyrotechnic composition, an explosive mixture that burns rapidly, producing volumes of hot gas which can be used as a propellant in firearms and fireworks. ... Muskets and bayonets aboard the frigate Grand Turk. ... Self-yew English longbow, 6 ft 6 in long, 105 lbf draw force. ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem No official anthem - the United Kingdom anthem God Save the Queen is commonly used England() â€“ on the European continent() â€“ in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto)1 Government Constitutional monarchy - Monarch Queen Elizabeth II... This article is about the country. ... // April 30 - King Louis IX of France released by his Egyptian captors after paying a ransom of one million dinars and turning over the city of Damietta. ... Combatants Kingdom of England, Allied knights from Germany and Denmark France, Genoese Mercenaries, the Kingdoms of Navarre, Bohemia and the Balearic Islands Commanders Edward III of England Edward, the Black Prince Philip VI of France Strength about 12,000 30,000 to 40,000 Casualties 150-1,000 killed and... // Events Serbian Empire was proclaimed in Skopje by Dusan Silni, occupying much of the South-Eastern Europe Foundation of the University of Valladolid Foundation of Pembroke College, University of Cambridge August 26 Battle of Crecy after which Edward the Black Prince honored the bravery of John I, Count of Luxemburg... For other uses, see Chainmail (disambiguation). ...

It is also hard to trace what happened to the bloodlines of destriers as the type seems to disappear from record during the seventeenth century.^[48] The great horse was both smaller and more agile than the modern draft horse, with breeds such as the Andalusian,^[49] and Friesian^[50] claiming to be the direct descendants of destriers. However,draft horse breeds such as the Belgian, Percheron and Shire horse also claim descent from the horses developed to carry full armour.^[51] Two pairs of Shire horses and a pair of Suffolk Punches A draft horse, draught horse, or harness horse is a large, strong horse bred for heavy work rather than speed. ... Andalusian horse The Andalusian horse or Spanish horse is one of the purest breeds of horses in the world today. ... Friesian horse The Friesian (also Frisian) horse is a breed of horse from Friesland, a province of the Netherlands. ... Two pairs of Shire horses and a pair of Suffolk Punches A draft horse, draught horse, or harness horse is a large, strong horse bred for heavy work rather than speed. ... A pair of typical dapple grey Percheron Horses Percheron draft horse at the Maryland State Fair The Percheron is a breed of powerful rugged draft horses that originated in the Perche region of France. ... Shire draft horse The shire horse is a breed of draft horse. ...

Warfare in the Renaissance and Early Modern Period

With the development of muskets and other light firearms during the late Middle Ages and Renaissance, light cavalry again became useful for both battles and field communication, using fast, agile horses to move quickly across battlefields. The once-proud heavy armored horse of the medieval knight had little use in combat and was relegated to hauling cannons and wagons of supplies. Image File history File links Ludwig_Elsholtz_Napoleon_I._mit_seinen_Generalen. ... Image File history File links Ludwig_Elsholtz_Napoleon_I._mit_seinen_Generalen. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... The Renaissance (French for rebirth, or Rinascimento in Italian), was a cultural movement in Italy (and in Europe in general) that began in the late Middle Ages, and spanned roughly the 14th through the 17th century. ... French Republican Guard - May 8, 2005 celebrations Cavalry (from French cavalerie) were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback in combat. ...

Horses were particularly useful in the 16th century as a weapon of war for the Conquistadors. When these Spanish warriors came to the Americas and conquered the Aztec and Inca empires, horses and gunpowder provided a crucial edge. Because the horse had been extinct in the Western Hemisphere for approximately 10,000 years, the Indigenous peoples of the Americas had no warfare technologies that could overcome the considerable advantage provided by European horses and weapons. However, the American Indian people quickly learned to use horses, and the tribes of the Great Plains, such as the Comanche and the Cheyenne, became renowned horseback fighters, again demonstrating the efficiency of light cavalry, eventually becoming a considerable problem for the United States Army. Conquistador (Spanish: kÅn-kÄ“-stÅ-dÅr) (meaning Conqueror in the Spanish language) is the term used to refer to the soldiers, explorers, and adventurers who brought much of the Americas and Asia Pacific under Spanish colonial rule between the 15th and 17th centuries, starting with the 1492 settlement... It has been suggested that Mexica be merged into this article or section. ... For other meanings of Inca, see Inca (disambiguation). ... The geographical western hemisphere of Earth, highlighted in yellow. ... An independent origin and development of writing is counted among the many achievements and innovations of pre-Columbian American cultures. ... A European is primarily a person who was born into one of the countries within the continent of Europe. ... Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples from the regions of North America now encompassed by the continental United States, including parts of Alaska. ... The Great Plains covers much of the central United States, portions of Canada and Mexico. ... This article includes a list of works cited or a list of external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ... Cheyenne lodges with buffalo meat drying, 1870 For other uses, see Cheyenne (disambiguation). ... The United States Army is the largest branch of the armed forces of the United States. ...

Image File history File linksMetadata SaberCharge. ... Image File history File linksMetadata SaberCharge. ...

20th century uses and the transition to modern warfare

Light cavalry was still seen on the battlefield at the beginning of the 20th century. Though formal mounted cavalry began to be phased out as fighting forces during or immediately after World War I, cavalry units that included horses still had military uses well into World War II.^[52] The most famous example was the underequipped Polish army, which used its horse cavalry in World War II to defend Poland against the armies of Nazi Germany. While there is a popular belief that the Polish cavalry engaged in futile charges against tank units, this is a misconception. Two examples illustrate how the myth developed. First, because motorized vehicles were in short supply, the Poles used horses to pull anti-tank weapons into position.^[53] Second, the most famous Polish cavalry charge was a successful attack the first day of the war on German infantry. The Polish cavalry was eventually driven off by an advancing Panzer unit, but only lost 20 soldiers. Nonetheless, Nazi propagandists used the image of horses and tanks to ridicule the efforts of the Poles.^[54] An army unit consisting of mounted soldiers are commonly known as cavalry. ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999... French Republican Guard - May 8, 2005 celebrations Cavalry (from French cavalerie) were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback in combat. ... â€œThe Great War â€ redirects here. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki TÅjÅ Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki TÅjÅ Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Nazi Germany, or the Third Reich, commonly refers to Germany in the years 1933–1945, when it was under the firm control of the totalitarian and fascist ideology of the Nazi Party, with the Führer Adolf Hitler as dictator. ... Volunteer Representative Squadron of City of PoznaÅ„ in uniforms of 15th PoznaÅ„ Uhlans Regiment Polish Cavalry (Polish: ) can trace its origins back to the days of Medieval mounted knights. ... Panzer IV Ausf. ...

Other nations used horses extensively during WWII, though not necessarily in direct combat. The German and the Soviet armies used horses until the end of the war, not only to transport ammunitions and equipment, but also for reconnaissance and counter-insurgency efforts. The British Army used mules in India and Southeast Asia as pack animals.^{[citation needed]} While the United States Army utilized a few cavalry and supply units during the war, there were concerns that in rough terrain, horses were not used often enough. In the campaigns in North Africa, generals such as George S. Patton lamented their lack, saying, "had we possessed an American cavalry division with pack artillery in Tunisia and in Sicily, not a German would have escaped."^[55] A barren of mules. ... Location of Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is a subregion of Asia. ... The United States Army is the largest branch of the armed forces of the United States. ... North Africa is the Mediterranean, northernmost region of the African continent, separated by the Sahara from Sub-Saharan Africa. ... George Smith Patton Jr. ...

Horses in the military today

With the rise of the internal combustion engine, horses in formal national militias were displaced by modern tank warfare, which, ironically, is sometimes still referred to as "cavalry." Today, formal combat units of mounted cavalry are a thing of the past, with horseback units within the modern military used for reconnaissance, ceremonial, or crowd control purposes. Organized armed fighters on horseback are occasionally seen, particularly in the third world, though they usually are not officially recognized as part of any national army. The best-known current examples are the Janjaweed, militia groups seen in the Darfur region of Sudan, who became notorious for their attacks upon unarmed civilian populations in the Darfur conflict.^[56] Image File history File linksMetadata Charge3. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Charge3. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (987x758, 118 KB) Summary U.S. special forces troops ride horseback as they work with members of the Northern Alliance in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom on Nov. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (987x758, 118 KB) Summary U.S. special forces troops ride horseback as they work with members of the Northern Alliance in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom on Nov. ... For the Jamaican reggae band, see Third World (band). ... A Janjaweed miltiaman mounted The weed (Arabic: Ø¬Ù†Ø¬ÙˆÙŠØ¯; variously transliterated Janjawid, Janjawed, Jingaweit, Jinjaweed, Janjawiid, Janjiwid, Janjaweit, etc. ... Darfur (Arabic: , lit. ... Combatants factions of the SLA Justice & Equality Movement Janjaweed Sudan Minnawi-faction of the SLA Commanders SLA: SalaBob and Sulaiman Gamos JEM: Ibrahim Khalil Janjaweed: ? Sudan: Omar al-Bashir SLA: Minni Minnawi Casualties 300,000 civilians killed (est. ...

Reconnaissance and patrol

Although horses have little combat use today by modern armies, the military of many nations still maintain small numbers of mounted units for certain types of patrol and reconnaissance duties in extremely rugged terrain, including the current conflict in Afghanistan. Hungary, some British Commonwealth countries, Balkan countries, and the former Soviet republics of Central Asia maintain cavalry units as part of light infantry and reconnaissance formations for use in mountainous terrain or areas where fuel supply may be difficult. This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... ... Map of Central Asia showing three sets of possible boundaries for the region Central Asia located as a region of the world Central Asia is a vast landlocked region of Asia. ... Infantry of the Royal Irish Rifles during the Battle of the Somme in World War I. Infantry are soldiers who fight primarily on foot with small arms in organized military units, though they may be transported to the battlefield by horses, ships, automobiles, skis, bicycles, or other means. ...

Ceremonial and educational uses

Many countries throughout the world maintain traditionally-trained and historically uniformed cavalry units for ceremonial, exhibition, demonstration or educational purposes. One example is the Horse Cavalry Detachment of the U.S. Army's 1st Cavalry Division.^[57] This unit, made up of active duty soldiers, still functions as an active unit, trained to approximate the weapons, tools, equipment and techniques used by the United States Cavalry in the 1880s.^[58] The horse detachment is headquartered at Fort Hood, Texas and is charged with public relations, change of command ceremonies and public appearances.^[59] A similar detachment is the Governor General's Horse Guards, Canada's Household Cavalry regiment and the last remaining mounted cavalry unit in the Canadian Forces.^[60] Another currently active horse regiment is India's 61st Cavalry.^{[citation needed]} The 1st Cavalry Division (1st Cav Div) is a heavy armored division of the United States Army with base of operations in Fort Hood, Texas. ... Dismounted Blues and Royals (left) and Life Guards (right) preparing to line the route of the Garter procession at Windsor Castle Household Cavalry is used across the Commonwealth to describe the cavalry of the Household Divisions, a countryâ€™s most elite or historically senior military groupings or those military groupings...

Modern uses of horses derived from military uses

Today, many of the historical military uses of the horse have evolved into peacetime applications, including exhibitions, everyday work, and competitive events.

Historical reenactment

Horses are trained to be able to reenact historical battle scenes today. Examples include the Battle of Hastings reenactment and the American Civil War reenactment. Due to changes between ancient and modern horses, equipment and materials, it is sometimes difficult to create reenactments that are fully authentic with original equipment and horse breeds of the represented time, though, to the greatest extent possible, many reenactors attempt to accurately reflect details of equipment, training, weaponry and battlefield conditions. Reenactors of the American Civil War Historical reenactment is an activity in which participants recreate some aspects of a historical event or period. ... The Battle of Hastings reenactment is a yearly event at Battle Abbey in Battle, East Sussex, UK, recreating the Battle of Hastings. ... Union reenactors recreate the Battle of Saltville in Saltville, Virginia on Aug. ...

Law enforcement and public safety

The Police Horse is a fixture in many large cities, used for patrol and crowd control. Ceremonial horse guards, often in historical regalia, are seen in some major cities, such as London, performing traditional sentry and guard duties. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1920x2560, 918 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Horses in Warfare Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1920x2560, 918 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Horses in Warfare Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used... The Royal Canadian Mounted Police Musical Ride Mounted police are police who patrol on horseback. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ...

In rural areas of the United States, Canada, and other nations, many local, offices such as that of the county Sheriff have specially deputized, usually volunteer, search and rescue units who are often sent out on horseback to locate missing people.^[61] Horses can be an essential part of an overall team effort as they can move faster on the ground than a human on foot, can transport heavy equipment, and provide a more rested rescue worker when a subject is found.^[62] Look up Sheriff in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Search and Rescue (acronym SAR) is an operation mounted by emergency services, often well-trained volunteers, to find someone believed to be in distress, lost, sick or injured either in a remote or difficult to access area, such as mountains, desert or forest (Wilderness search and rescue), or at sea...

Equestrian competition

The modern Olympic disciplines of eventing, show jumping, and dressage all have roots in the skills required of the light cavalry horse of the 17th through 19th centuries. Dressage is based of the works of Xenophon and his cavalry training methods, most notably On Horsemanship, but had its greatest revival during the Renaissance. Training methods were developed to create a responsive, supple horse that could quickly respond to his rider's commands, as was critical when riding on the dangerous ground of the battlefield. The Spanish Riding School of Vienna, Austria was originally created to train horses and members of the nobility for combat, but today is one of the great schools for developing horses and riders in the classical dressage tradition. Equestrianism made its Summer Olympics debut at the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. ... Eventing is an equestrian event which comprises dressage, cross-country and show-jumping. ... Show jumping is a form of competition in which horses are jumped over a course of fences, low walls, and other obstacles (e. ... An upper-level dressage competitor performing an extended trot Dressage (a French term meaning training) is a path and destination of competitive horse training, with competitions held at all levels from amateur to the Olympics. ... An upper-level dressage competitor performing an extended trot Dressage (a French term meaning training) is a path and destination of competitive horse training, with competitions held at all levels from amateur to the Olympics. ... Xenophon, Greek historian Xenophon (In Greek , ca. ... On Horsemanship written c. ... The Renaissance (French for rebirth, or Rinascimento in Italian), was a cultural movement in Italy (and in Europe in general) that began in the late Middle Ages, and spanned roughly the 14th through the 17th century. ... A Lipizzan horse in the Winter Riding School The Spanish Riding School of Vienna, Austria, is a traditional riding school for Lipizzan horses. ... â€œWienâ€ redirects here. ... Classical dressage evolved from cavalry movements trained for the battlefield, and has since developed into competitive dressage seen today. ...

Eventing had a more recent development, first occurring in the late 1800s as a competitive endurance ride that included jumping obstacles. The discipline eventually added a dressage phase, to test the ability of the cavalry mount on the parade ground, the endurance phase, to test the mount's fitness and ability to carry messages across the countryside, traveling quickly over rough terrain, and the stadium jumping phase, as a test to ensure that the mount was still fit enough to continue after the rigors of the endurance competition. It evolved into the modern three-phase competition seen today. Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Eventing is an equestrian event which comprises dressage, cross-country and show-jumping. ... Competitors on an endurance ride Endurance riding is an equestrian sport based on controlled long distance races. ...

Show jumping, primarily derived from the sports of fox hunting and steeplechasing as well as informal "lepping" competitions between civilian riders, is the farthest removed from direct military applications. However military units also developed jumping skills to cross formidable obstacles, crucial for carrying messages and coordinating troop movements. Leaders in the development of modern riding technique over fences, such as Fredrico Caprilli, came from military ranks. Show jumping is a form of competition in which horses are jumped over a course of fences, low walls, and other obstacles (e. ... A fox hunt Fox hunting is a form of hunting for foxes using a pack of scent hounds. ... A steeplechase race The steeplechase is a form of horse racing (primarily conducted in the United Kingdom, United States, and Ireland) and derives its name from early races in which orientation of the course was by reference to a church steeple, jumping fences and ditches and generally traversing the many... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

The Olympic equestrian national teams of the modern Olympics were originally drawn exclusively from the male officer ranks of the military until 1952.^[63] After that time, both civilian and military competitors competed together until most cavalry units were disbanded in the postwar era, and today most team members are drawn almost entirely from civilian ranks. Today, the equestrian events are the only Olympic competition where men and women compete together. Equestrianism made its Summer Olympics debut at the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. ...

The modern sport of tent pegging is specifically designed to train the horse and its rider in the skills of mounted combat.^[64]^[65] Tent pegging (sometimes spelled tentpegging or tent-pegging) is a cavalry sport of ancient origin, and one of only ten equestrian disciplines officially recognised by the International Equestrian Federation. ...

References

^ "Heavier Riders' Guide", Beverly Whittington and Rhonda Hart-Poe, 1999
^ Devereux, Frederick L. The Cavalry Manual of Horse Management, 1941
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j Edwards, Gladys Brown. The Arabian: War Horse to Show Horse. Arabian Horse Association of Southern California, Revised Collector's Edition, Rich Publishing, 1973.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m Chamberlin, J. Edward. Horse: How the Horse Has Shaped Civilizations Bluebridge, 2006. ISBN 0-9742405-9-1
^ ^a ^b Russian Draft Horses "Comparison of Pulling Weights for Russian Draft Breeds" Note: Traction force of horses pulling a load, as measured by a dynamometer, can be between 50 and 300 kgf, depending on speed and distance.
^ "History of the draft horse dynamometer machine"
^ To get the traction force in newtons (SI units) multiply kilograms-force by 9.80665. The traction power corresponds to the friction force of the pulled object and in case additionally to its downhill-slope force.
^ Eastern Draft Horse Association Rules
^ "2006 National Championships"
^ "History of the draft horse dynamometer machine"
^ Davis, R. The Medieval Warhorse, London:Thames and Hudson, 1989;
^ ^a ^b Bennett, Deb. Conquerors: The Roots of New World Horsemanship. Amigo Publications Inc; 1st edition 1998. ISBN 0-9658533-0-6
^ Prestwich, Michael. Armies and Warfare in the Middle Ages: The English Experience, New Haven: Yale University Press, 1996, p 30
^ Gies, Frances; Gies, Joseph. Daily Life in Medieval Times, UK: Grange Books, 2005, p 88 (originally published by Harper Collins in three volumes, 1969, 1974, 1990)
^ See e.g.: Clark, John (Ed). The Medieval Horse and its Equipment: c.1150-c.1450, Rev. 2nd Ed, UK: The Boydell Press, 2004, p 23; Prestwich, Michael. Armies and Warfare in the Middle Ages: The English Experience, New Haven: Yale University Press, 1996, p 30
^ Hubbell, Gary. "21st Century Horse Soldiers." Western Horseman, December 2006, pp. 45-50
^ Eating Up Italy: Voyages on a Vespa by Matthew Fort. 2005, p171. ISBN 0-00-721481-2
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Hope, Lt. Col. C.E.G. The Horseman's Manual New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1972. ISBN-10: 0684136228, ISBN-13: 978-0684136226, ch. 1 and 2.
^ Asler, Wolfgang. "The Oldest Pedigree Chart." The Journal of Heredity, June 1935, pp. 233-238
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Trench, Charles Chenevix. A History of Horsemanship. Longman Group, Ltd., London, 1970, p. 16
^ "Early horseback riding and warfare in the steppes," Institute for Ancient Equestrian Studies, accessed December 17, 2006.
^ Needham, Volume 4, Part 2, 322.
^ Needham, Volume 4, Part 2, 317.
^ ^a ^b "The Horse in History" interview with Jonica Newby, Jared Diamond and David Anthony, The Science Show, broadcast 13 November 1999
^ "The invention and influences of stirrup"
^ "Stirrup", accessed December 4, 2006
^ Dien, Albert. "The Stirrup and its Effect on Chinese Military History"
^ Pritchard, James B. The Ancient Near East, Vol. 1, Princeton University Press, 1958. Illustration 97.
^ "The origin of the true chariot"
^ The Cambridge Ancient History, vol. II, part 1, third ed., Cambridge University Press, 1975, pp. 493-495.
^ Hitti, Phillip K. Lebanon in History, MacMillan and Co., London, 1957, pp. 77-78.
^ The Cambridge Ancient History, vol. II, part 1, third ed., Cambridge University Press, 1975, pp. 57, 452, 458.
^ The Cambridge Ancient History, vol. II, part 1, third ed., Cambridge University Press, 1975, p. 493
^ "Horseback riding and chariots" Institute for Ancient Equestrian Studies, accessed December 17, 2006
^ ^a ^b "China - History of the Horse"
^ Rice, Tamare Talbot. The Scythians, New York: Praeger, Inc.,1957
^ Ebrey, 29-30.
^ Oakeshott, Ewart, A Knight and his Horse, Rev. 2nd Ed. USA:Dufour Editions, 1998
^ Killingsworth, William R. "Andalusian"
^ Bennet, Matthew; Bradbury, Jim; DeVries, Kelly; Dickie, Iain; Jestice, Phyllis G. Fighting Techniques of the Medieval World: AD 500-AD 1500, London: Amber Books, 2005.
^ Chevauchées were the preferred form of warfare for the English during the Hundred Years' War (see, amongst many, Barber, Richard. The Reign of Chivalry, 2nd Ed. UK: The Boydell Press, 2005, pp 34-38) and the Scots in the Wars of Independence (see Prestwich, Michael. Armies and Warfare in the Middle Ages: The English Experience, New Haven: Yale University Press, 1996)
^ Barber, Richard. The Reign of Chivalry, 2nd Ed. UK: The Boydell Press, 2005, p. 42
^ Alvarez, Richard P. "The Horse: Selection and Training," Mounted Combat 2000, accessed November 1, 2006
^ "Shire Draft Horse
^ ^a ^b Bumke, Joachim. Courtly Culture: Literature and Society in the High Middle Ages, translated by Thomas Dunlap, USA: Overlook Duckworth, 2000, p 175-178 (First published in 1986 as Höfische Kultur: Literatur und Gesellschaft im holen Mittelalter by Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag)
^ ISAAC NEWTON AND THE ASSAULT RIFLE: Body Armor Innovations. "...with the introduction of modern firearms such as the musket, full body armor was rendered obsolete almost overnight."
^ Military and War Weapons the Longbow
^ Prestwich, Michael. Armies and Warfare in the Middle Ages: The English Experience, New Haven: Yale University Press, 1996
^ Killingsworth, William R. "Andalusian"
^ "Friesian horse"
^ "Shire Horse History"
^ Waller, Anna L. "Horses and Mules and National Defense" 1958, Office of the Quartermaster General
^ "The New Pictures." Time, Apr. 22, 1940
^ "1939"
^ Waller, Anna L. "Horses and Mules and National Defense" 1958, Office of the Quartermaster General
^ Lacey, Marc. "In Sudan, Militiamen on Horses Uproot a Million." New York Times, May 4, 2004
^ First Team! Horse Cavalry Detachment
^ Hubbell, Gary. "21st Century Horse Soldiers." Western Horseman, December 2006, pp. 45-50
^ Id.
^ "Governor General's Horse Guards", Department of National Defence, retrieved 06 January 2007
^ Northwest Horseback Search and Rescue. Example of a mounted search and rescue organization in the state of Washington, USA
^ Why Search on Horseback? Northwest Horseback Search and Rescue web site, accessed November 9, 2006
^ "Olympic History", United Kingdom Olympic Association, retrieved 08 November 2006
^ "Tent pegging recognised by the FEI", International Federation for Equestrian Sports, 2004, retrieved 08 November 2006
^ "Tent pegging with Unicef Team Canada", Practical Idealism, 2007, retrieved 12 January, 2007

A dynamometer, or dyno for short, is a machine used to measure torque and rotational speed (rpm) from which power produced by an engine, motor or other rotating prime mover can be calculated. ... KGF is the short form of Kolar Gold Fields in Karnataka. ... In physics, force is an influence that may cause an object to accelerate. ... The newton (symbol: N) is the SI unit of force. ... The International System of Units (symbol: SI) (for the French phrase Système International dUnités) is the most widely used system of units. ... friction is the force that opposes the relative motion or tendency toward such motion of two surfaces in contact. ... The inclined plane is one of the classical simple machines; as the name suggests, it is a flat surface whose endpoints are at different heights. ... Ewart Oakeshott (25 May 1916 â€” 30 September 2002), Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries is well known for his books about medieval arms and armour, and in particular for his classification of the medieval sword, the Oakeshott typology. ... Combatants France Castile Scotland Genoa Majorca Bohemia Crown of Aragon Brittany England Burgundy Brittany Portugal Navarre Flanders Hainaut Aquitaine Luxembourg Holy Roman Empire Hundred Years War Edwardian â€“ Breton Succession â€“ Castilian â€“ Two Peters â€“ Caroline â€“ Lancastrian The Hundred Years War was a conflict between France and England, lasting 116 years from 1337... The Wars of Scottish Independence were a series of military campaigns fought between Scotland and England in the late 13th and early 14th centuries. ... January 6 is the 6th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... Mounted search and rescue (MSAR), search and rescue responders on horseback, are primarily a search resource, but also can provide off-road logistics support and transportation. ... November 8 is the 312th day of the year (313th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 53 days remaining. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... November 8 is the 312th day of the year (313th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 53 days remaining. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Bibliography

Contents

Types of horses used in warfare

Light-weight horses

Medium-weight horses

Heavy-weight horses

Other Equids

Training and deployment of war horses

Technological innovations in equestrian equipment

Technological advances in harness and vehicles

Technological advances in riding equipment

History of the horse in warfare

Chariot Warfare

Cavalry and other forms of mounted warfare

War horses of the early Islamic world

The Knight

Warfare in the Renaissance and Early Modern Period

20th century uses and the transition to modern warfare

Horses in the military today

Reconnaissance and patrol

Ceremonial and educational uses

Modern uses of horses derived from military uses

Historical reenactment

Law enforcement and public safety

Equestrian competition

References

Bibliography

See also

External links

Contents

Types of horses used in warfare GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");

Light-weight horses

Medium-weight horses

Heavy-weight horses

Other Equids

Training and deployment of war horses

Technological innovations in equestrian equipment

Technological advances in harness and vehicles

Technological advances in riding equipment

History of the horse in warfare

Chariot Warfare

Cavalry and other forms of mounted warfare

War horses of the early Islamic world

The Knight

Warfare in the Renaissance and Early Modern Period

20th century uses and the transition to modern warfare

Horses in the military today

Reconnaissance and patrol

Ceremonial and educational uses

Modern uses of horses derived from military uses

Historical reenactment

Law enforcement and public safety

Equestrian competition

References

Bibliography

See also

External links

Types of horses used in warfare