Having opened this stable door, it’s time to go in and see what we’ve got–I expect it’s going to take more than one post to cover both horses and horsemanship, so I’m starting with the easy one.<\/p>\n
In our world, horse breeding had already produced multiple breeds and types of horse by the end of the 15th century: horses bred for work in harness, for packing loads, for riding in various types of terrain, suitable to different climates, etc.\u00a0\u00a0 So to populate Paksworld with horses, I looked at these sorts of horses and what I’ve observed (and read) about the size, shape, and capabilities of horses when horses were the main means of getting from here to there and waging war, and what resources were needed to produce them (abundant grazing, for instance, which means land not used for other purposes.)<\/p>\n
Some types were clearly not suitable for Paksworld: Arabians, for instance.\u00a0 Arabians are easily recognizable by appearance and associated in most minds with a mythology of the breed and its origins…and these pre-existing ideas about the breed would clash with the mythology of Paksworld.\u00a0\u00a0 So any tough, distance-covering breed couldn’t look like Arabians (and I like Arabians and have owned a few, so it’s not dislike of the breed.)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Nonetheless, I stole some of their characteristics (not the most recognizable to most readers) for other “breeds”.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 There are no pure racehorses in Paksworld (though there’s never been a horse-using culture in which people didn’t race them) so no racing breeds.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 There are no extremely tall, extremely heavy horses, since these characteristics were bred into horses late and at considerable cost to hardiness and ease of care.\u00a0\u00a0 But aside from that there’s a variety of sizes, colors, and types.<\/p>\n
There are ponies as small as 12 hands (48 inches at the withers) and horses as tall as 16 hands (60 inches).\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The weight-carrying capacity of horses (for riders or pack weight) depends on both the “bone” (thickness of bone in the legs) and the conformation of the back,\u00a0 and not on height.\u00a0\u00a0 The draft (pulling) capacity of horses does depend in part on height (the mechanics of starting and pulling a load being very different from carrying one.)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 So a horse to carry a knight in armor (for instance)\u00a0 need not be overly tall, but does need to be heavy-boned, with a broad shortish back and a perfect loin coupling….while a pack horse (carrying a non-living load) does better with a longer back, the load being spread along it rather than concentrated in one area.<\/p>\n
For general draft use (pulling\u00a0 wagons, carts, coaches)\u00a0 good roads and axle material are more important than the horses:\u00a0 mediocre ponies and\u00a0 horses can pull a wagon as long as they have good footing (no mud-pits) and as long as the vehicle doesn’t create more friction than necessary.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 (Increasing the load in a wheeled vehicle requires stronger axles–which in wood means thicker axles–and increases friction as the axles turn.\u00a0\u00a0 The shift to iron axles allowed an increase in load without an increase in horse strength.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 But iron axles require an iron industry sufficient to produce iron for other uses than weaponry.)<\/p>\n
Heat stress is a consideration with horses used fast or in hot climates.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 A working horse overheats easily and big chunky-built breeds overheat faster than lean, smaller breeds.\u00a0\u00a0 So for military use, a horse must not only be able to carry the weight or pull the load, but shed heat (thus thinner-coated, lighter-built for more surface area per muscle mass)\u00a0 through repeated long days of work.\u00a0\u00a0 The ideal cavalry horse for moving your troops will cover 45 miles\/day, repeatedly,\u00a0 in the climate you have, without overheating.\u00a0 (Depending on road conditions, weather, load, and all those other factors.)<\/p>\n
Most of Paksworld does not have improved (all-weather, relatively smooth) roads, and agriculture north of the Dwarfmounts doesn’t rely on big draft horses for plowing.\u00a0 Thus most dray horses are smaller than we now think of draft horses (under 16 hands, mostly 14-15 hands) as these are less costly to maintain and easier to hitch and drive.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 They’re used mostly in and near cities (with improved roads)\u00a0 and most carry goods to market on a ridden or led horse…which can go around mudholes far more easily than a cart.\u00a0 These are easy-gaited (ambling), and amply-boned animals that can carry good weight but aren’t particularly fast.\u00a0\u00a0 Many are also trained to harness, and might be in harness on the one nearby good road twice a month, and the rest of the time under saddle.\u00a0\u00a0 They might do a little light agricultural work (Paks’s father had a large pony for plowing the one more-fertile patch)\u00a0 as well.<\/p>\n
I modeled the farm animals in the north after the pony\/horse working breeds in northern Europe, including several pony breeds from the UK (Exmoor<\/a>, the oldest, also Highland<\/a>, Fell<\/a>, and Dales<\/a>),\u00a0 the Norwegian Fjord<\/a> (horse\/pony), etc.\u00a0\u00a0 with crosses to “lateral-gaited” types to produce amblers, pads, etc. of 13-15 hands.\u00a0\u00a0 Sizes range from under 12 hands up, and grade into “horse size”\u00a0 (capable of carrying full-size adult over distance.) These are hardy, tough animals that can live out year-round and need no coddling…similar to the animals reported to have been used centuries ago.\u00a0\u00a0 Horses used regularly for draft (city cart and wagon horses, traders’ horses) work year-round and are more likely to be kept stabled, and thus don’t need the same level of hardihood as a farm chunk turned out for the winter; they’re mostly 14-15.2\u00a0 hands high.<\/p>\n The Paksworld horse nomads of the steppes have horses much like the original Mongolian horse<\/a> (as they did and still do in places)–small, chunky, large-headed, straight-necked, extremely tough and enduring.\u00a0\u00a0 Few of these horses have white markings (considered unlucky if more than a small mark)\u00a0 and many have the “primitive” black points of duns even if not truly duns.\u00a0 A dun mare is considered the most lucky of colors; a white-splashed red chestnut the least lucky.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Most are very round in the barrel, with enough muscling on the back to be comfortable rides bareback (unlike some Mongolian horses I’ve seen in pictures, who are “ridge-backed”, something that explains the high-arched Mongolian saddle.)<\/p>\n The Pargunese breed larger, taller horses (possibly originally for moving timber for their ship-building) and strongly prefer blacks and dark bays (for reasons of their own)…the “Pargunese Black” is taller than a Friesian<\/a> (but built much the same,\u00a0 at 15.2 – 16.2 hand)\u00a0 and shorter and lighter than a Shire<\/a>, though sharing with the black Shires a tendency to white markings. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Paks’s “Socks” was probably a Pargunese Black.<\/p>\n The\u00a0 heavy mounts of the Tsaian Royal Guard are a cross between Pargunese Blacks and Marrakai-bred grays.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Gray has been a favored color in both Fintha and Tsaia since Gird’s day, thanks to Gird’s horse (the “old gray nag” he rode.)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Marrakai breeds the best quality riding horses in Tsaia, a balanced blend of\u00a0 hardiness, trainable disposition, weight-carrying, endurance,\u00a0 and speed.\u00a0\u00a0 They have the broad “double-muscled” back that makes riding bareback more comfortable and also (often) ensures a solid loin coupling,\u00a0 high-set necks with a natural arch, impeccable leg conformation, and most have a natural overstride in walk.\u00a0 They’re highly prized by military commanders both north and south of the mountains.\u00a0 (And they cost the earth.)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Their good qualities carry in most first-generation crosses, so half-Marrakai is often almost as good and most Tsaian studs (Verrakai and Konhalt being exceptions) have included Marrakai influence.<\/p>\n Other Tsaian studs of note include the royal stud (Mahieran–the riding horses are longer-headed with a slightly different profile, as well as other differences),\u00a0 the Verrakai (completely different appearance–longer-backed, taller, like a fined-down Pargunese black), and the Tivarrn (he’s a count now on the Royal Council) who imported a southern stallion to cross onto native large-pony mares, hoping for the “metallic” color.\u00a0 He’s producing very fast, agile horses that are gaining popularity with the nobles for sport horses.\u00a0 But he’s still considered a hobby breeder.)<\/p>\n In Aarenis, the horse breeds are different (climate-related)–lighter in bone, more adapted to heat and humidity but not extreme in that. \u00a0\u00a0 The riding horses mostly\u00a0 have longer heads than the Marrakai, a straight or Roman-nosed profile,\u00a0 a straighter neck,\u00a0 and can be lanky and long-backed.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 The quality of the Guild League roads mean more heavy wheeled vehicles using larger teams (four and six,\u00a0 rather than just pairs, as is more common in the north.)\u00a0\u00a0 Mules are also in more use (though the Duke used mules for his wagons, since they were usually working in the south.)\u00a0\u00a0 Southern horses rarely show the “pony” characteristics of many northern horses (upstanding neck, small muzzle, heavy mane, tail, and leg feathering.)<\/p>\n Cavalry commanders may try to obtain uniform color for their troops–all bays, all chestnuts, all grays, etc.–but quality comes before color. \u00a0 For light cavalry, speed is essential (and weight & size of troopers is strictly controlled); for heavier cavalry units, a slightly heavier horse will be used.\u00a0\u00a0 In cavalry units, each trooper has an assigned horse (sometimes two.)\u00a0 Infantry commanders like the option of having mounted infantry (for speed of movement) but don’t need as much speed as the light cavalry–their horses will be mid-weight, but not too tall (for quick mounting\/dismounting in preparation for battle.) \u00a0 Mounted infantry do not have assigned mounts–both horses and riders are expected to adjust to changes.\u00a0\u00a0 These horses, though trained to come near a battle without freaking, are not fighting platforms and thus not trained to the same level as officers’ mounts or regular cavalry mounts.\u00a0\u00a0 They are transportation only.<\/p>\n