Quote Originally Posted by alexanderthegreater View Post
This discussion intrigues me. Some claims have been made that horses wont charge into a row of spears, but what is the truth of this?
It should be easily testeble, if you have a horse lol.
I do know that horses wont run into mobs of people. But you can train them to do it. The riot police, for example.
So can you train horses to charge into men and/or pike formations? and if so, was ancient cavalry trained to do this?
Isnt chaeronae an example of well trained cavalry succesfully charging a (hoplite) phalanx?
i owe horses... and NO, I wont ''test'' the truth of this! But I can tell you that naturally, that is, without proper training, a horse will never trample a man purpusfully. but of coooorse, they can easily be trained for any kind of use... train them to charge in a wall of spear, and they'll do it, even if that's mean their death... it's a matter of trust. the horse trust his cavalier, so he'll listen him ''nearly'' no matter what...

i'm no proffessional of history, that's just an hobby, but I can talk a whole lot about horses!