Collin theorizes that because horses were a symbol of status and civilization in Spain during that time, and because conquerors needed to illustrate the Native people as savage and uncivilized to justify their conquest to the Queen of Spain, the truth about the relationship between Native peoples and the horse was purposefully distorted. February 2, 2018.The dissertation posits that the discrepancy between the Spanish “reintroduction” theory and the story reflected by current evidence has to do with a cultural bias that is still present within Western academia. “The Mongol Empire’s Best Weapon: The Mongolian Horse – History.” 2018.“History of the Shire Horse | Shire Horse Society of Australia.” 2016.“Percheron, a French Draft Horse Breed: Facts, Colors, & Uses.” Horse Racing Sense. I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about the history of war horse breeds as much as I’ve enjoyed the process of writing it. Many of the bloodlines can be traced back to those horses first bred for their abilities in war.Ĭonflict still exists in the modern world, but thankfully, horses no longer play a role. It’s humbling to think that the ancestors of our modern horses were forged in the heat of battle. Wow, I feel like we covered a lot in this article on war horse breeds. Modern Shires, Friesians, and Percherons are all descended from horses that would have been destriers once upon a time. Instead, knights and soldiers would dismount and leave their horses somewhere safe before going into the thick of the battle.ĭestrier is not the name of an actual medieval war horse breed but a general type of battle horse. Interestingly, while horses were often ridden into battle, the circumstances or terrain would often mean fighting on horseback was not an option.Ĭavalry charges were not a common occurrence. They were strong and fast while being smaller and less expensive than destrier war horse breeds.Īs coursers were the most common type of charger being ridden by knights and soldiers, the terms were used interchangeably in the medieval period. CoursersĬoursers were by far the most common type of medieval war horse seen in battle. Sadly it would appear this is just a coincidence as there is no evidence supporting such a link. I couldn’t help but think of the word destroyer while researching these horses and wondered if there was a link to this word being used for battleships. They would often be used in tournaments and jousting as well as in battle. These horses were tall by medieval standards however, they were smaller than many modern draft horse breeds.ĭestriers were strong, agile, and a great source of pride and status for their owners. Despite this, they were not the most common due to their expense. Chargers could be broken down into two main groups.ĭestriers were the most famous and renowned of war horses in medieval times. The war horse breeds that were taken to war were generally known as chargers. This work horse breed was used to pull carts and other demanding work, which undoubtedly helped contribute to the war effort. This function of this group of horses is pretty self-explanatory. Palfrey is not a specific breed of horse it’s simply the name given to the horses used in this way during medieval times. They weren’t destined for the glory of the battlefield. Palfrey were horses that were used for general riding. There were two horses types that served more functional roles… 1. There were actually a few types of war horses that were categorized according to their role. Medieval war horses were not all tall, stocky horses designed to carry armored knights into battle. Thankfully a few dedicated breeders stepped in to keep this war horse breed going. They neared extinction following the 2nd world war. The Shire horse was called back to service during the 1st and 2nd world wars, where its strength was put to use, pulling heavy artillery. King Henry VIII even passed laws instructing selective breeding only of horses above 15hh.Īs the centuries passed and the use of horses changed, so this big horse breed adapted.Īgriculture and industry benefited greatly from the strength and work ethic of this large draft horse. Breeding strong horses was a high priority in the 16th century.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |