size of horses
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slavetrader
Recruit
yeah.. i dont know much about horses, but i'd imagine that the warhorse in this game is a pony when compared to real warhorses in the past. .. or my character is just very tall
Destichado
Squire
Actually, they're quite accurate. They should not be increased in size -or if so, only very slightly.
The average medieval warhorse stood aproximately 15hh -that's 60 inches- at the whithers (shoulder). Especially large examples were known, but slightly over 16hh (5'4"-5'5") was the absolute limit. That's about where the horses in M&B are now.
Our extra-large draft breeds were selectively bred in the late 16th century on through the 18th. The Shire, for instance, which stance around 18hh (6'2") was developed to pull a plow in England in the early 1800s. It's also one of the most kind, docile horses you could ever immagine. It's ALSO one of the most uncomfortable horses to ride that you could ever immagine, because of the enormous bredth of its barrel (chest) -our legs just AREN'T made to spread that far apart!!!
(ouch!!!)
As an additional concern, think about MOUNTING those horses. You're in armour. You have to get your FOOT into that stirrup. (and no, you did NOT get set on your horse with a crane, that's a myth. Young knights prided themselves on their ability to leap into the saddle, in full armour, without having to use the stirrups) On a horse that's 15hh, that stirrup will be about 35" (90cm?) off the ground. Easy, right? At 16hh, it's gonna be 39" (1m) off the ground. A little harder, isn't it! Now try stepping on to a shire at 18hh! That stirrup, the place you have to get your FOOT into, will be four feet off the ground!!!
My friends, you would need a LADDER to get on to your big horses.
The average medieval warhorse stood aproximately 15hh -that's 60 inches- at the whithers (shoulder). Especially large examples were known, but slightly over 16hh (5'4"-5'5") was the absolute limit. That's about where the horses in M&B are now.
Our extra-large draft breeds were selectively bred in the late 16th century on through the 18th. The Shire, for instance, which stance around 18hh (6'2") was developed to pull a plow in England in the early 1800s. It's also one of the most kind, docile horses you could ever immagine. It's ALSO one of the most uncomfortable horses to ride that you could ever immagine, because of the enormous bredth of its barrel (chest) -our legs just AREN'T made to spread that far apart!!!
(ouch!!!)As an additional concern, think about MOUNTING those horses. You're in armour. You have to get your FOOT into that stirrup. (and no, you did NOT get set on your horse with a crane, that's a myth. Young knights prided themselves on their ability to leap into the saddle, in full armour, without having to use the stirrups) On a horse that's 15hh, that stirrup will be about 35" (90cm?) off the ground. Easy, right? At 16hh, it's gonna be 39" (1m) off the ground. A little harder, isn't it! Now try stepping on to a shire at 18hh! That stirrup, the place you have to get your FOOT into, will be four feet off the ground!!!
My friends, you would need a LADDER to get on to your big horses.
Sir Saladin
Count
I just watched a weird movie from 1967 called "Reflection From a Golden Eye." And Liz Taylor and Marlon Brando used a set of steps to climb up on a big white horse but I am happy with the sizes of the horses at this juncture.
The size of a horse is not directly proportional to is strength. Some horses were designed for speed, which is why you don't see Arabs pulling plows, or Shires running races. I think the current system is fine as it is. What I WOULD like to see, though, is the heavier horse types like charger and warhorse have their own kick/bite attack, as many were trained to do this in battle.
shroom2021
Recruit
Im not sure if it has been mentioned yet, i did a quick search and didn't see anything and since it is related to this topic I figured I would put it here. I would like to see an condition for players wearing full plate armor not to be able to get back on their horse if they should somehow find their way off it. Knights in full armor usually had at least a couple of squires help them to get on considering their weight and limited mobility.
There's something people say semi-regularly around these forums.
The idea that a knight needed to be lifted onto his horse by a crane is a myth. Most knights were perfectly capable of getting on to a horse by themselves. Some young knights prided themselves on leaping onto a horses back without using the stirrups.
Maybe an older knight would've had squires to help him, but i don't think that would be necessary for a younger knight.
The idea that a knight needed to be lifted onto his horse by a crane is a myth. Most knights were perfectly capable of getting on to a horse by themselves. Some young knights prided themselves on leaping onto a horses back without using the stirrups.
Maybe an older knight would've had squires to help him, but i don't think that would be necessary for a younger knight.
kuzuk
Recruit
i would like to see ponies! really, the horses of the steppe peoples are reported to be rather small but fast and very manouvarable.
how about a trade-off between horse power and manouverability for smaller horses. they would get very slow when you wear a havy armor but for mounter bowmen they would be ideal
how about a trade-off between horse power and manouverability for smaller horses. they would get very slow when you wear a havy armor but for mounter bowmen they would be ideal
Ingo, isn't there some truth in that? IIRC in tourneys, the armor was so much heavier that cranes were actually necessary.
Destichado
Squire
Not likely.
That said: maybe. As time progressed, tournaments grew more elaborate like festivals and faires, and jousting on horseback (important because all tournament events -even those on foot or on rediculous contraptions meant to immatate battles- were called "jousts") became increasingly complex with more, heavier, and specialized armour. Mostly, this was so the jousters could avoid almost all possibility of injury.
What happened eventually is that -under SOME tourney rules- the entire left side of the harness was bolted -helmet, arm and all- to a single, heavy plate called the Garde-de-bras. Add in locking gauntlets and lance cradles for the right side, and jousting saddles with special armor to go OVER the leg armor, and it just might be that it was physically impossible for the jouster to climb into the saddle by himself. It's certainly possible that with his whole torso bolted together, he was incapable of *getting up* by himself.
However, I very much doubt cranes were ever used. For one, we have no pictures of it. And we have pictures of damn near everything in life from that time period. For two, leg harneses were never bolted together like the upper torso was. And for three, it's simply too easy to lead the horse up to a mounting block -a little staircase- so the encumbered knight can waddle up, slide into the stirrups and just plop down, rather than **** around with a block and tackle and an unruly horse who doesn't *like* that thing dangling in the air above him!
Satisfactory answer?
That said: maybe. As time progressed, tournaments grew more elaborate like festivals and faires, and jousting on horseback (important because all tournament events -even those on foot or on rediculous contraptions meant to immatate battles- were called "jousts") became increasingly complex with more, heavier, and specialized armour. Mostly, this was so the jousters could avoid almost all possibility of injury.
What happened eventually is that -under SOME tourney rules- the entire left side of the harness was bolted -helmet, arm and all- to a single, heavy plate called the Garde-de-bras. Add in locking gauntlets and lance cradles for the right side, and jousting saddles with special armor to go OVER the leg armor, and it just might be that it was physically impossible for the jouster to climb into the saddle by himself. It's certainly possible that with his whole torso bolted together, he was incapable of *getting up* by himself.
However, I very much doubt cranes were ever used. For one, we have no pictures of it. And we have pictures of damn near everything in life from that time period. For two, leg harneses were never bolted together like the upper torso was. And for three, it's simply too easy to lead the horse up to a mounting block -a little staircase- so the encumbered knight can waddle up, slide into the stirrups and just plop down, rather than **** around with a block and tackle and an unruly horse who doesn't *like* that thing dangling in the air above him!
Satisfactory answer?
Sir Saladin
Count
I don't think they would be using a crane system because it would just be too comical, you know. Another horse would be required to pull the rope coming from the well wheel as the proud knight swings up into the air like a log.
