A recent article on a blog by the name of Muhlberger’s Early History has me really taking a bit of an issue with it. The blog can found at http://www.nipissingu.ca/department/history/MUHLBERGER/2008/07/re-enacting-medieval-cavalry-henrik.htm. In the article, one of the founding members of the SCA, who has participated in the re-enactment of Hastings starts to claim that perhaps horses in medieval warfare were perhaps not as much a factor as we would like to believe.

Interestingly enough this goes against most of what we have in both the record and what is put forth by most noted historians. In fact, most of the historians, and indeed most of the record seems to support, that the medieval era from horses standpoint in warfare actually sees its rise to the pinnacle of the ultimate shock troop and its fall from that position to the little more then a quick moving “infantry” or scouting role by the close of the period.

What I find most surprising, is that Steve Muhlberger, who owns the blog and is a professor of history takes the few written words by Henrik Olsgaard (I am sure that is his SCA name only) and without other supporting evidence presents it on his blog. That in itself is not so bad, but his blogs stated purpose is for the use of his students as a bulletin board and interesting history related information. I suppose that this is all well and fine, however, I take issue with there being very little counter balancing of information on this particular piece – not in fact, any real mention that this would be the opposite to the general accepted view.

I will give both Muhlberger and Olsgaard the point they fail to make fully in the blog, that being that the Hastings has been played up as the place where the heavy mounted lance/spear wielding knight, especially when couched, came to its own and turned the tide of the battle. In reality it was probably turned more by someone being shot in the eye, the horses sparing the stamina of those charging uphill repeatedly throughout the day, shear willpower and grit on Williams part, and lastly the ability of the mounted troops to mop up easily once the formation started to break open.

Olsgaard keeps most of the focus on the fact that horses are herd animals and are prone to follow the leader or run from anything frightens them. Further, he indicates that the horses they were using were very hard pressed, if at all, to charge right into a shield wall. All of this is really a no thought required in most of the ways of looking at it. Having trained horses for over eight or nine years to do some of this, what to the horse, has to be stupid medieval stuff, it takes time. Some of these horses had never even been mounted in amour until the day before, for a few hours at best of riding and practicing. It typically takes a good three or four months to get most horses ready for even the more simple things in relation to this kind of participation in a medieval event.

I am going to give you a basics for what can happen. My first horse that I ever did this kind of thing with, a gelding, been there and done that kind of horse when I got him. First Gulf Wars we went to, when I was still a bit of a green rider, he was a pain in the behind. He was nervous and wanted to kick at other horses when we were idling. We rode down a trail over behind the field battles and when the crash of shield and sword took place he got wide eyed and backed away. I then spent the next several months riding him as in similar situations almost daily – and as my fiefdom was small and lacking in numbers, we played battle scenes through loud speakers around where we riding, and we we would hit posts with swords, break lances on posts, etc. When the horse was retired a few years ago due to loosing his site, he would approach anything and even take a light blow with out a flinch or thought of fear so long as the rider on him maintained their confidence. This kind of training (with the sound actually included for real) was available to a knight and his horses readily – and is a large part of why we had the tournaments that eventually lead to the joust of one on one facing each down the lane (the first mounted tourneys were big melees, that often turned into bloody affairs, despite crests being the target sometimes).

Olsgaard makes another point about the severe spurs and bits that we sometimes see in the historical record as proof to just how frightened and hence how much effort was required to control the animals. I say ‘bah-humbug’ to that as well. The twelve inch shanks on bits can be found in many horse activities today, where the horse is certainly not being exposed to the kinds of terrors that you would find on the battlefield, though some would think the show ring is just as rough. As for the both of these devices, just because they were there does not mean that they were used to that extreme. I know one person that I took lessons from said you should not put spurs on unless you need them for the horse – I am of the opinion that you should have them in case you need them – cause it is a bear to go get them the moment you need them already mounted on a horse. Even then though, just because the spur was so severe doesn’t mean it was required and used in such severity. By today’s English standards, most big rowel star spurs of Western design are considered harsh – but watch just how often those are used to apply as much pressure as could be used with them in a western based high caliber reigning class at a show.

In short summation, I find the article that focuses on one aspect with out giving any credentials other then he has been in the SCA since its founding and has ridden a few times on untrained horses at the re-enactment of Hastings, a far cry from an authority on the subject. Even in his own article he notes of horses with training that will charge through a shield wall and in such instances, even in play with out intent to harm when it was maybe expected to give way, people were blooded. Imagine 30 or 40 horses impacting a shield wall at nearly the same time, as the ground shakes, as they approach at a gallop, with horses all trained to make that charge and as they approach all the horses are going that way so herd instinct drives it. And just imagine then, if just two or three gaps open in the wall where someone and his buddy next to him get a little scared. And if are in doubt, come to my house at feeding time and I will let you stand between me and the feed as the two or three horses come charging past you.

** Originally published on Mephistos on 19th of July 2008