Trouble with Horse Archers

[The Hun]

I noticed Horse Archers do strange things.

Carry on shooting, maybe 2 or 3 volleys after enemy killed.
When put on alt attack they still shoot as they run, not nice when friendly fire costs you your General
Avoid springing an ambush. I had 4 units in different locations and executed alt attack on Parthian horse archers. They had no escape route and I expected to see that unit killed in a sandwich. My units ran past them, turned and joined my other units to chase them. How stupid is that?

[Noong]

I think all archers do that. Well except for the shooting as they run part.

There was a unit of Egyptian axemen charging at my 4 units of archers. The archers were peppering them good and causing huge amounts of death but I thought I'd ride my light cavalry in for a flanking attack anyway. The flank worked fine, killed all the axemen, and ate a few arrows but that was ok.
A moment after the last axemen fell I heard my archers firing their bows again and my heart sank. I don't use fire at will so I knew exactly where they were shooting. Sure enough the arrows landed where the axemen once were and where my cavalry was now standing. Took out half of my horses.

[The Hun]

That is the very thing. My HA were doing the shooting, enemy almost finished, sent in Gen and HA in alt attack just to finish it. I know how you feel I could not believe it

[Colovion]

and pressing Halt stops them only if the animation for shooting hasn't started.... which is why it's annoying sometimes to get them to retreat - they won't stop doing something - they have to get to an "idle" state before listening to any incoming control messages

[HorseArcher]

Yes, there should def' be a "hold fire".