Napoleonic warhorses are likened to smaller draft or Shire-type animals rather than modern thoroughbred racers. William the Conqueror's mounts are compared with sturdy Dartmoor ponies. A Crusades anecdote contrasts European knights' male horses with the mares used by Arab mounted archers. In that story, the animals' behavior disrupted the fighting when they met. Historical cavalry horses should not automatically be imagined as animals shaped like today's racers.
Notable Point · 1:35:05-1:38:02
What medieval and Napoleonic warhorses looked like
Medieval and Napoleonic warhorses are likened to sturdy ponies or draft horses, with a separate Crusades anecdote about stallions and mares.