In 711 AD, the Arab cavalry crossed the Strait of Gibraltar and entered Europe. The Franks and the Germans learned to use stirrups almost at the same time. The stirrups not only better integrated the cavalry and the war horses, but also completely liberated the hands of the cavalry, allowing them to do whatever they wanted.
In this way, cavalry became "human bullets" with strong impact. There was a proverb at that time: "A Frank on horseback can punch a hole in the wall of Babylon." The rise of cavalry gradually replaced infantry.
Dominance on the battlefield.
The spear was one of the most important weapons of medieval knights. The shaft of the spear was made of hard and tough wood, generally no less than 2.5 meters. The spear tip was made of steel and was diamond or willow leaf shaped.
Some spear points have "spear wings" protruding horizontally at the lower end, so that the spear will not penetrate the enemy's body too deeply and cannot be pulled out. Some spear handles also have a ring, which can prevent the knight from being pulled out when being attacked.
The spear will not fall away when the enemy attacks.
When marching, the spear is carried diagonally on the right shoulder. When preparing to attack, the spear is raised and the bottom end is placed next to the right stirrup, or placed on the special groove of the saddle. After entering the attack distance, the knight lifts the spear from
The side above the horse's neck sticks out and points towards the enemy. In addition to stabbing the enemy with a spear, the spear can sometimes be thrown out to kill the enemy.
Swords, like spears, are essential weapons for knights. Medieval swords are about 94 cm long, including a 10 cm long hilt. Compared with spears, swords have more functions in addition to melee and infantry combat.
Symbolic meaning. Knights often inlaid gems, saint bones, blood clots, hair, etc. on the rungs and hilts of their swords to seek blessings from the gods. If a knight disgraces the reputation of a knight, his lord can make his subordinates
The sword was destroyed in front of the knight as a sign of expulsion. After the knight died, the sword was often hung on his tombstone.
The knight's self-protection relied on armor and shields. The chainmail was the best armor at the time. The chainmail was made of thousands of small iron rings that were threaded together to form an "iron shirt" that protected the whole body. Its hem opened front and back.
Vented or left and right slits to facilitate riding. Around 1200 AD, chain mail gloves also appeared that could be connected with chain mail. The back of the hand was protected by a chain, the thumb was separated from the other four fingers, and the palm was covered with cloth or
Made of leather. Some chainmails are thickened to two or three layers of locks in important parts. Some nobles like to plate their chainmails with a layer of silver, or cover them with a piece of silver chainmail to show their luxury.
By the 14th century, chain mail was gradually replaced by iron leaf armor made of metal plates. The iron leaves of the iron leaf armor were connected together by rivets or iron hinges, and the entire body, including hands and feet, was covered in the armor.
Iron armor with a smooth surface can better protect against attacks from bows, arrows and spears, but knights must pay the price of carrying weight, because iron leaf armor is about 20 pounds heavier on average than chain mail.
Matching the armor is the knight's helmet. According to the shape, the knight's helmet is divided into dome-shaped, flat-top cylindrical and tank-shaped, etc. Often the entire head and face are covered, leaving only a gap in front of the eyes.
, the nose and mouth of the face are protruding in the shape of a chicken's mouth or a wolf's mouth. When not in combat, the facial armor can be turned to the top or side of the helmet.
The shield is another important tool for knights to protect themselves. Medieval shields are divided into round, rectangular, kite-shaped or triangular shapes. The shield is usually fixed on the left forearm. In addition to holding the shield, the left hand can also control the horse's reins. In the Middle Ages,
, the patterns on knight shields have their own characteristics, and the emblem patterns of many families are derived from them.
As a knight, the most important piece of equipment is of course a tall horse. A good war horse must have a broad chest, a broad and flat back to the hips; a narrow front skull, sharply angular side bones, and thin jawbones; small ears, large nostrils, and eyes.
It should be clear and lively; the neck should be able to be held up like a "bent bow"; the edges of the horseshoes should be neat and clear, and the size should be in proportion to the thickness and length of the horse's legs and the weight of the horse.
In the Middle Ages, the most famous horses were Spanish war horses, followed by Gascon war horses, and then Hungarian, Syrian and Ross horses. The color of the horse mostly depended on the knight's preference. Generally speaking, pure white horses were considered
The most noble. This is why girls refer to their beloved as "Prince Charming." The relationship between knights and horses is both comrades and partners, so that knight novels at that time must have plots about horses. In order to express their love for war horses.
Out of love, some knights only ride ordinary horses during normal marches, and only ride their own horses in battle.
The weight of a horse in a horse racing competition is about 1,500 pounds. The heyday of cavalry in Chinese history was the Yuan Dynasty. The cavalry troops were mainly equipped with bows and arrows, sabers, javelins, battle axes, etc.
Horse physique is further divided into:
Moist type horse: This type of horse has developed subcutaneous tissue, strong muscles, obvious joints, and relatively loose muscles. This type of horse is often slow in temperament and not flexible enough. It is more common in draft horses.
Dry type horse: This kind of horse has underdeveloped subcutaneous tissue, obvious joints and muscle outlines, thin skin, short and thin coat, lively temperament, and agile movements. It is more common in light riding horses.
Delicate type horse: small and delicate head, light bones, thin skin and sensitive temperament.
Rough type horses: heavy heads, thick bones, thick skin, thick and long hair, more common in horses on the grassland.
A sturdy horse: the head, neck and trunk are well-proportioned and coordinated, the trunk is thick, the limbs have sufficient bone mass, and the whole body has a compact structure.
In fact, it is rare to see horses with a single physical type. Generally, they are a mixture of a certain type. For example, the moist rough type and the moist fine type. The dry fine type is more common in riding horses. And the Mongolian type in my country Horses and Kazakh horses are mostly rough and strong. Ili horses and Sanhe horses are mostly dry and strong.
The temperament of a horse is the mental expression of the horse's sensitivity to the surrounding things. In horse breeding, it is called the horse's humility. Because the horse's nerve activity types are different, the performance of the horse's humility is also different.
Fierce: Nervous activity is strong and unbalanced. It reacts strongly to external stimuli, is easily excited and violent, and is difficult to control and manage. It often consumes energy and energy uselessly due to impatience and has poor endurance. This type of horse is mostly seen in light horses.
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Strong: Nervous activity is strong and flexible, sensitive to external reactions, but excitement and inhibition tend to be balanced. This kind of horse listens to commands and has strong ability.
Medium strength: The nerve activity is slightly slow, insensitive to external stimulation, easy to train, and has good working performance. The better draft horses are mostly medium strength.
Lower strength: Nervous activity is mainly inhibited, insensitive to external stimuli, sexually retarded, inflexible in work, and low in work efficiency. Local breeds that are used heavily and some heavy draft horses often have this symptom.
Horses are animals with strong personalities. Horses appear to be docile and quiet on the outside, but deep down in their hearts, horses have a strong sense of competition that other animals cannot match. Horses have the ability to fight even to the death in competition with their own kind.
A character that admits defeat. Perhaps many people don’t know that in wars, many horses did not fall in the hail of bullets; rather, they died of exhaustion on the battlefield due to vigorous running.
Horses have clear likes and dislikes towards people, and they have very strict conditions for contact and cooperation with people. First of all, you must be able to control it, and in this process, bravery alone is not enough; you must also have skills and show respect to others.
The horse shows your wisdom, and then comes your care and concern. If a person can cooperate with a horse, the horse will have a deep love for the person.
If the horse is described in an anthropomorphic way, it is a creature with the most aristocratic temperament - a quiet heart, a noble and unrestrained temperament and a spirit of courage and dedication.
The types of horses are:
The Arabian horse is the most beautiful horse. It has a hot-blooded pedigree and is produced in the Middle East. Although it is not as fast as a purebred horse, it has great endurance and elegant temperament. It is the basic bloodline of the purebred horse. Its body height is 1.42 meters to 1.50 meters.
Thoroughbred horses are the fastest and best-structured horses in the world. They are brave, sensitive, stubborn and have hot blood. The best racehorses are delicate and unsuitable for other purposes. They were bred in England in the 17th century from Arabian horses.
Spanish horse, Galloway horse cross. Body height 1.50m-1.70m.
The Hanoverian horse is the leader of German competition horses. It is a jumping horse and a dressage performance horse. It has unusual strength, gorgeous and correct movements and a particularly good character. It is bred from the thoroughbred horse, Hors
The Tyne horse is a descendant of the Trequena horse. The body height is about 1.62 meters.
The Akhal-Teke horse (sweat-blooded horse) is the most mysterious horse in the world. It is a hot-blooded horse and originates from northern Eurasia. It has infinite endurance and endurance. It is a long-distance riding horse.
Jumping and dressage horse. Body height is about 1.52 meters.
The Serra Français is a French warmblood horse that is the strongest and most versatile of all European competition horses. It has a highly courageous character, is suitable for jumping, and can compete in cross-country races and various competitions.
.Body height 1.60 meters.
The Appaloosa is an American warmblood horse, a descendant of Spanish horses bred by Indians. It is a breeding and leisure horse, and is now increasingly used for jumping and racing. It is famous for its endurance, endurance and
Known for his good character. Height 1.42m-1.52m.
The Frederiksberg horse is a Danish warmblood horse. It is an elegant and active riding horse and the main source of high-quality military war horses. The body height is about 1.53 meters.
The Orlov Trot is a warmblood horse from the former Soviet Union. It is a tall and light horse. Its muscles are very powerful and the overall proportions are very coordinated. The body height is about 1.6 meters.
The Budyonian horse is a warm-blooded horse bred in the former Soviet Union and is often used as a military horse. It has strong endurance and endurance, a tall and strong body, but poor limbs and joints. The body is about 1.6 meters tall.
If it’s not complete, fellow enthusiasts can add more.