Roman Heavy Cavalry Fighting Techniques

[Aulus Perrinius]

One misconception that seemingly just will not die is that of the "cavalry charge". . . Horses and humans alike are not stupid enough to run headlong at sharp pointy objects. There is no 'first impact', indeed no impact at all.
So what really does happen? The 'chargers' launch their attack, at the trot or canter if done properly ( only very rarely will two evenly matched forces simultaneously 'charge' one another). The defenders soak up the terrifying sounds and sights, and actual ground shaking ( I have experienced this - it really is awesome and terrifying hock: ) and must collectively and individually decide whether to stand their ground ( in the case that they are infantry) or not. If they give way and run, the horses continue to trot/canter forward after them, and a kind of 'pig-sticking' or 'tent-pegging' takes place, with the successful 'chargers' spearing fleeing individuals. No need, then, to abandon one's 'kontos'.

If the defenders resolutely stand their ground, and present a prickly defensive wall, then the line of horses will spontaneously stop, out of reach of the defenders - and likely then sheer off, either to try again, or find easier prey. If the 'charge' is driven resolutely home, which in reality means that the horse, after spontaneously pulling up, is spurred, reluctantly, closer to the screaming thrusting prickly line one step at a time - here the 'kontos' comes into its own, for with it, the cataphracts/clibanarii can outreach the foe by prodding and jabbing at the defenders, while hopefully their own and their horses armour keeps them fairly immune. Again the 'kontos' is not a one-off weapon. Think of the way a 'Picador' in a bull-ring uses his lance to repeatedly inflict wounds.

That's based on Keegan's theory in The Face of Battle which he bases on one battle (Waterloo).

Yes, it's hard to train horses to charge head on into solid spears or pikes, but the idea that they never did and never could be made to do so is extremely harmful to the field of military history. Horses have charged head on into solid infantry formations at a gallop several times throughout history.

And humans beings can charge head on into spear or pike lines too.

And throughout history heavy lancers have always preferred to start out slow and close the last fifty yards at a gallop. Closing with heavy foot at a walk robs them of their cheif advantage. Besides stallions are very agressive and like fighting and they'll remember their heavy armour protected them from the spears and getting wounded by spears can actually make horses more aggressive towards spears and more willing to attack them.