Which are the best modern breeds for Roman cavalry horses

[John Conyard]

I agree Brian, these questions are fascinating. The number of horses, and support horses, needs addressing. Beyond that officers would not want to go on campaign with one horse. I'd want at least three, plus one for the servant! And the very adventure of getting these horses to Chesters must have been not unlike the British army sending horses to Spain in the Peninsula war.

Chesters is one of my favorite forts. If a unit from Asturia brought their Spanish horses to Chesters, they would not last forever. But as well as taking native breads less susceptible to the local climate, they must surely have breed from their Spanish blood lines. There is certainly the suggestion that the Welsh ponies benefited from Spanish blood lines.

I'm enjoying my "eve of campaign dinner" at present, but between bottles of wine I can vaguely remember period quotes suggesting Spanish horses having speed but not courage. but they would certainly do for me!

[PhilusEstilius]

There is another thing about the ala Asturia at Chesters that interested me, there is in the museum there a roof tile that is stamped COH 11 Asturia. It makes one wonder was this a pure cavalry outfit or was it a mixture of infantry also such as a cohors equitatae, this could well cut down on the horse numbers for the fort may only have held around 500 men.

[jkaler48]

So does anyone know of any written records about Roman Cavalry Horses (Including those written on roof tiles I guess) :lol:

[John Conyard]

Do you mean the records of individual horses? Their size, markings etc. I think something exists along those lines from Dura.

Or do you mean a summary of breeds, as can be found in Hyland's book Equus?

[Hugh Fuller]

If you don't mind, may I ask if the cataphracti and clibanarii used somewhat larger horses? I guess that my sister's Trakhaners would not serve as Roman horses.

Also, Equus: The Horse in the Roman World (Hardcover)
by Ann Hyland (Author), Training the Roman Cavalry: From Arrian's Ars Tactica (Military Series) (Hardcover)
by Ann Hyland (Author), and Medieval Warhorse: From Byzantium To The Crusades (Medieval Military Library) (Paperback)
by Ann Hyland (Author) are available though out of print. I have found them at reasonable prices through Amazon and I have these three and have learned much from them as well as enjoyed them immensely. I am not a rider but an historian, so I appreciate that Ms. Hyland gives the non-rider the basic information necessary to understand her works. The one criticism that I have seen of her with which I agree is that she is terribly biased in favor of the Arabian breeds as opposed to, especially, steppe horses.

[Musivarius]

One breed worth considering would be the purebred Spanish Mustang, not to be confused with the Bureau of Land Management Mustangs which are more of a 'mixed' breed.
The Spanish Mustangs go back to the horses bought over by the Conquistadors to the US and come from the original Spanish Barb.
Small in size, my boy is only just 15 hands but they take a lot of weight. They are still used for cattle work and are quite happy with a western saddle plus rider for long periods through the day.
Many are used unshod, their hooves form much tougher than other horses due to their genetics from the enviroment they are in.
They make great endurance horses and whilst they may not be as fast as say the Arabs they suffer less injuries and are less likely to be pulled at the vetting gate.
As far as I know the fashion for big horses taking a lot of weight seems to come from Medievil times, weight bearing is about the length of back and bone size rather than height. I played Polocrosse once on a 14hand pony and he didn't seem to have a problem with my weight and I'm 6ft (even if it was for me like riding a goat!)If you're working on horseback all day then you really don't want to be getting on and off a 17 hand hunter.
Also a lot of the horsemen then would have been good, natural riders. They ran studies using a saddle cloth with electronic sensors in to measure pressure on the horses back from a rider. They found that a heavy, good rider put less weight on a horses back than a lighter novice rider.
Lawrence

[jonwr]

Check out the smaller Morgans. There are some around 13.5-14 hands. Nice going horse.
I have used a POA for mounted archery. But a bit flash for Roman cav. But you do sometimes see one that isn't coloured up. They often go for a little less money, especially a gelding.
Jon R.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

That Spanish Mustang sounds interesting, any photos of these babies?

[Musivarius]

Here's my boy, 15hh stallion, you can see the Spanish in him.
They're your original indian pony, the Native Americans used them and they were taken up by the cavalry as well they realised they couldn't catch them with their mounts.

[Musivarius]

Ok, that one was a bit small, I'll try something a bit bigger!

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Ahh ok! Nice, and not very pony looking either!

I have just foolishly signed up for a riding lesson/refresher to see if I can stay on one afer all these years.... hock: :roll: Make an offering for me....I will need it I think!

[LUCIUS ALFENUS AVITIANUS]

At north spain there is a breed called asturcon:



It's not big: 1'30 m is the common height.

It's very strong, and easy for taming. I think nobody have used it for roman cavalry re-enactment.

[LUCIUS ALFENUS AVITIANUS]

More pics:

[LUCIUS ALFENUS AVITIANUS]

I think it's the ideal horse. It's very strong and now it's usual to preserve it living almost free in the mountain, not in stables even in winter.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

not too far to fall either...LOL