best cavalry?

**Steppe Merc** · 05-22-2005, 18:03

I consider Byzantines as Western.

**Duke Malcolm** · 05-22-2005, 18:07

I have to say, Steppe Horsemen were quite remarkable. I don't know much about Eastern Cavalry...

**IliaDN** · 05-22-2005, 18:13

In antic times parthian's horses were considered ( even by romans ) the best!

**VAE VICTUS** · 05-22-2005, 19:50

steppe warriors were exceptional,but were really strong,or was everyone they fought very weak?also to be an affective fighting force you must have some kind of unity,i dont recall the name of the battle(it may of never happened but i remember reading about it somewhere)where after attila died,the huns fought an army of germans,and were defeated from their lack of preparation,stratedgy,and unity.

**VAE VICTUS** · 05-22-2005, 19:54

also the fact that there bodies,and that of their horses were in incredible shape.each could endure a level of hardness most would find difficult,if not impossible.i have several horses myself,and you would be suprised how easily they can get over weight,you have to work them out.also there is a major difference between a horse eating grain and oats,and a horse living off grass.

fight by day...

drink by night!

**The Wizard** · 05-22-2005, 22:10

Originally Posted by VAE VICTUS

steppe warriors were exceptional,but were really strong,or was everyone they fought very weak?also to be an affective fighting force you must have some kind of unity,i dont recall the name of the battle(it may of never happened but i remember reading about it somewhere)where after attila died,the huns fought an army of germans,and were defeated from their lack of preparation,stratedgy,and unity.

Give me a single battle of any force in any time period where a leaderless army won a battle. Even a battle where an ill-led, ill-prepared force won -- there are precious, so precious few of those, if any.

And their physical condition only adds to their honor -- it is an amazing achievement to be able to execute the Parthian shot alone. Hard life breeds hard men -- and both the Mongols and the Roman legionaries, for example, were hard men with hard lives.

~Wiz

**Steppe Merc** · 05-23-2005, 00:02

The steppe horses were ponies, not actual horses. They were tougher, smaller and hardier than other horses, and they lived of the steppe, like their riders could. The steppe horsemen were all great horesmen, and great archers, other wise they wouldn't have grown to adult hood. They also have incredible discipline, pulling of insanely complex manuevers that knights were never able to accomplish.