Horses in War

[X99Lynx at aol.com]

In a message dated 2/5/00 12:40:52 AM, mclssaa2 at fs2.mt.umist.ac.uk wrote:

<<  X99Lynx at aol.com wrote:-
>> (from Tom Clancy - who also mentions cavalry's superiority to chariotry:)
> Only once the modern stirrup was invented.

I once saw on TV a reconstruction of a Roman cavalryman :: on each skirt of
his saddle was a sideways projection, which the rider hooked his knee round,
and that held him quite firm against impacts.>>

Yes - the principle was to either tie or grasp yourself to the saddle or tie
or grasp yourself to the horse.  The rudimentary stirrup (now dated to India
2d century BC) was a block of wood -essentially something to stand on.  The
improvement was of course the shifting of leverage of the rider's weight down
to his or her feet.  And the difference from the Roman knee grips is the
difference between playing tug-of-war on your knees versus your feet.  Or for
that matter turning to shoot an arrow on your knees versus on your feet.  The
weight of armor of course gave other advantages to the stirrup - including
getting on and not falling off.

Regards,
Steve Long