The Loose Association of Wargamers

I'm struggling a bit with the question of how vulnerable were horses in combat.

With my Late Romans, there are a number of different types of mounted troops from all armoured cataphracts to totally unarmoured horse archers. With the bulk - various "scutari" types- you generally get riders with helmet, shield, mail coat. They're well protected.

However, the horses wear a variety of protective gear ranging from half-armoured & totally covered in thick cloth barding to nothing at all.

So do I ignore this, or do I grade the various scutari cavalry from 'medium' to 'light' armour based on the horses? In other words, how vulnerable to spear or arrow were horses?

donald

Not sure if it applies to your period, but in Mediaeval times there was a horse type called a "destrier" whose innate viciousness was capitalised upon and they were coached in kicking and biting.

The link is about the treatment of horse wounds by vets,
http://www.bchmt.org/esbch/BasicWoundM ... Horses.pdf


Ancient - Medieval history of horses at war,
https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/hors/hd_hors.htm

I know its a later period than you are thinking but it gives an insight.

A quote from an officer at Omdurman
‘They were as thick as bees and hundreds must have been knocked over by our horses. My charger – a polo pony – behaved magnificently, literally trampling straight through them.’
Lieutenant René de Montmorency, 21st Lancers, 1898
The lancers could only see a small part of the enemy force and could not stop before rushing into a gully full of 2,500 hidden tribesmen. The Dervishes stood their ground, killing 21 lancers and wounding many more.

Half the 447 horses on the charge were also killed or hurt. But the lancers regrouped and proceeded on foot, using their carbines to drive off the enemy.

Willz.

Horses are large sturdy animals and take a fair amount to bring down, unless you hit a vital spot. They also have pretty thick skin. Of course a well aimed spear or even crossbow bolt will do the job, but arrows much less so.

Or a plastic bag. Or seeing their own reflection in water. Being married to someone who was riding horses before she could walk, I’ve realised horses are not the brightest, nor bravest of animals.

Still brighter than the average cavalry officer.

Buff Redux wrote: ↑Wed Sep 01, 2021 7:07 am Still brighter than the average cavalry officer.

especially a British Napoleonic one

Jeremy wrote: ↑Wed Sep 01, 2021 6:36 am Or a plastic bag. Or seeing their own reflection in water. Being married to someone who was riding horses before she could walk, I’ve realised horses are not the brightest, nor bravest of animals.

So true. They are, however, just about the most expensive of animals. Particularly since there seems to be a fashion thing which requires that all horsey kit has to be replaced every 6 months because the latest 'in' colour has changed. If I spent as much on wargaming as I do supporting the horses I would have bought thousands of figures by now.
Oh wait . . . . . . .

Horses don't like being wounded both psychologically and practically even an arrow wound, whilst unlikely to seriously injure them will make them difficult to control. Even a well trained destrier is unlikely to want to plough on after getting two or three arrow wounds. Also being forced to charge/fight on will make the wound bigger, both internally and externally, leading to more pain and blood loss.
In game terms my thoughts would be that they are difficult to kill with missile weapons (due to the likely impact points and general sturdiness of such a big animal) but are likely to stopped or driven off. Unarmoured houses in melee are going to be much more vulnerable as they will most certainly not like it up 'em, their most vulnerables being easy targets to an infantryman. Convincing the foot troops to hang around by a charging animal the size of a horse with teeth and hooves is another thing entirely!
Interesting question though.

Thanks, Paul.

I figure that any canny foot soldier would look at the pretty well armoured rider & the armourless horse & know which is the better target.

donald