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Originally Posted by Jim McDougall
This is a fascinating topic and not often covered directly as arms and armour are discussed, but the horse was throughout history very much a 'weapon'.
The horse was not only means of transport, but in many cases trained to even become a combatant in battle, such as with the famed Lippizaner stallions.
Ibrahiim, thank you for posting the dramatic painting of the charge of the Royal Scots Greys at Waterloo by Lady Butler, known as "Scotland Forever".
This famous charge, in which Napoleon referred to the 'Greys' as they rode headlong into immortality, as 'the finest cavalry in Europe', has been greatly studied and key in military history.
These units of heavy cavalry became in military battle order, 'shock action' in the opening of pitched battle between armies, intended to break and decimate ranks prior to use of the light cavalry units in more strategic tactical attacks. Before this, mounted troops were typically 'dragoons', which were effectively mounted infantry who rode to battle location, dismounted and fought accordingly. Meanwhile, other units fought mounted, such as the famed Polish 'winged hussars' , though the actual use of the 'wings' feature in combat has been disputed.
One of my favorite recollections in researches was in 1996, when deeply involved in studying British cavalry in India, I was able to meet with Brig. Francis Ingall, who led one of the number of 'last' mounted cavalry charges of the 20th century . This was in 1931 in plains areas in the Khyber Agency of the Northwest Frontier, when he was a subaltern with the 6th Bengal Lancers (Duke of Connaughts Own).
He had written his autobiography, "Last of the Bengal Lancers" (1988) which described these events.
As we talked in his home in Sonoma, Calif. and he showed me swords from these times including the M1912 sword he carried in the charge, he would look wistfully at the huge portrait in a place of honor over the fireplace.
It was of his 'faithful charger', named Eagerheart, and I thought perfectly recalled the bond between man and horse as they faced battle together.
While from a different context, that same bond is well portrayed in the movie "Lonely are the Brave", with Kirk Douglas. Though not a 'war horse' and about a cowboy and his horse as the modern world encroaches into their wilderness.
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