Medieval horses: What types of horse were used in medieval times?

Just like today, there were many types of horse in medieval times but they weren’t classified by their breed, but by their usage. Medieval knights must have used more than just their warhorse in their daily lives. In this episode, Jason introduces us to three horses that a knight might have kept in his stable and describes how each would have been useful in its own individual way.
• Executive Producer: Jason Kingsley OBE
• Executive Producer: Chris Kingsley
• Senior Producer: Brian Jenkins
• Producer: Edward Linley
• Director: Dominic Read
• Presenter: Jason Kingsley OBE
• Director of Photography: Ed Mash
• Camera: Andy Berryman
• Stills Photography and Continuity: Kasumi
• Associate Producer: James Howard
• Audio: Frank Newman
• Sound Design: Nick D. Brewer
• Music licensed from PremiumBeat
• Additional Camera: Darren Cook
• Additional Camera: Neil Phillips
• Additional Sound: Elizabeth Carlyon
Special Thanks:
• Chris Payton
• Ed Savage
Facebook: modernhistorytv/
Twitter: @ModernHistoryTV
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[@Razzy1312]

"And here's my fourth horse, a unicorn...."

[@waveman0]

I would prefer a alicorn (a winged unicorn, a hybrid pegasus/unicorn) if we are going fantasy, that or a griffon and be a Grey Warden (Dragon Age) riding it.

[@T3hderk87]

@@waveman0 Oh no! not Karl from InRange's NecroPegaCorn!

[@waveman0]

@@T3hderk87 mate I have no idea what you are on about......

[@ambi6891]

@@waveman0 A winged Unicorn is a Pegicorn not an alicorn this is common knowledge ;p

[@waveman0]

@@ambi6891 wrong, the winged unicorn can be called either a Alicorn or a Pegacorn, they have been known by both names. from wiki en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winged_unicorn A winged unicorn (or flying unicorn) is a fictional horse with wings like Pegasus and the horn of a unicorn. This creature has no specific name, but in some literature and media, it has been referred to as an alicorn, a Latin word for the horn of a unicorn, especially in alchemical texts,[1] or as a pegacorn, a portmanteau of pegasus and unicorn.

[@jonconnor0729]

Medieval times: Men flexing their personal transportation Modern times: Men flexing their personal transportation

[@katherineburton1766]

Some things never change! Lol

[@elizabethjansen2684]

Got a point there

[@leonorf2730]

"She is not particularly high-status, she is not a fancy colour, she doesn't have stylish breeding or anything like that, she doesn't come from an exotic place..." Dont you listen to that nasty man Bramble, you are an absolute queen ):

[@ModernKnight]

Yes I was probably a bit harsh on her to my shame. She’s a lovely spirited horse.

[@Cissy2cute]

@@ModernKnight A "plain Jane" she may be, but she looks like a dependable, multi-use horse. I think you should apologize to her with a nice, fresh carrot. 🥕 😄

[@soccerchamp0511]

I think she's beautiful!

[@lindaterrell5535]

Nora F She’s an easy keeper, my favourite

[@Eowyn3Pride]

I conquer!!! Nothing like a down home girl who keeps the wild knight faithful!!!

[@123popup]

My word Ghost is a STALLION in all senses of the word. What a striking powerhouse. Gorgeous.

[@miml9280]

Karliyah so a male horse that hasn’t been gelded?

[@erinonfire70]

I woulda named im crest... lol

[@paulacorso7954]

Ghost is unusual or rare. His appearance and demeanor. His mane lies on the other side. All three horses seem grounded.

[@equineheather9868]

Paula Corso he is neither. He is a Spanish cremello which are stunning I breed them in my stud

[@kingdomfreedom8323]

@@equineheather9868 Awesome horses...just gorgeous.

[@Evan-rj9xy]

These videos are sorely underrated. I've seen many official BBC and PBS documentaries that weren't nearly this professional or well made. Keep up the great work!

[@thomasbrown8917]

Agreed. In many ways, these are better

[@Stopsign32v]

Too true!

[@juliejay5436]

So true.

[@jumpingoutwindows260]

Yes

[@jumpingoutwindows260]

You are right

[@16Nire61]

"And this horse's name is Ghost..." "I beg your pardon, but my name is Shadowfax."

[@Eowyn3Pride]

Yeeessss!!! He certainly looks the Lord of All Horses doesn't he?!

[@DanielS-gv5nj]

It could also be Artax ;)

[@andybraginsky4805]

He will show you the meaning of haste.

[@condorboss3339]

3:07 He's enjoying that scratch.

[@user-me7mm7gr1p]

"derp"

[@bostonrailfan2427]

He’s a gelding, so it wasn’t having the affect most would think ;)

[@a.mie.533]

Say what you like - a man on a horse is still way more attractive than a man in a BMW ... : )

[@AdonisBlueCo]

Yet I've been single for over a decade, go figure..

[@a.mie.533]

@@AdonisBlueCo ... in your BMW or on horseback .... :; ?!

[@AdonisBlueCo]

@@a.mie.533 Should of been obvious by my profile pic?.. ;p

[@hugodogobob]

I'm single in my BMW so don't worry

[@Jakegothicsnake]

Now imagine if that armored knight and horse were one magnificent creature! A centaur!

[@vancesummers422]

The way my jaw almost dropped when the shot of Ghost walking down the road came up. What an impressive stallion. He seems like a really sweet horse too.

[@glenkaiser633]

Being a city raised person I never got much experience with horses. But just looking into the eyes of these animals gives a feeling of..."yes, I can see why people can love horses".

[@zeytelaloi]

Apparently they are like big dogs.

[@SlayerofFiction]

Until they do not get ridden enough and get rank mischievous. They are a very high maintenance animal and while I loved their company, I don't miss them for that aspect.

[@TheCrimsonIdol987]

Horses are awesome. A common sight in my neck of the woods, as literally down the street from my apartment complex there's quite a massive horse barn and riding area, right smack dab in my town. One of the horses there was basically like Ghost from the video, except, completely black, and I joked with my wife that instead of typical horse noises the horse says in perfect English, "Neigh."

[@_hunter_hunter1048]

Science will never find an alternative to fuel engines so Horses will be back in busynes

[@misschieflolz1301]

That is one well behaved stallion. I've not had much exposure to intact animals; one was a 17.2 beast of a dressage horse and a perfect gentleman, the others were absolute nightmares. I really appreciate how well behaved he is

[@JustNatax3]

Yeah, the stallions I met were all bad tempered and a nightmare to care for too... This one is very well behaved!

[@misschieflolz1301]

@@JustNatax3 I think the way the dangerous ones were raised had a big factor in cementing their attitudes. One did get gelded and became the most chilled warmblood I've ridden. There was one colt that I worked with, a livery brought him from sales in a very poor and unhandled state. While he was spirited, when he was rising 4 and intact he was well mannered enough. He was also a welsh cob as well

[@chrisclarke754]

It's mostly about exposure. In my (limited) experience, stallions who are kept away from other horses and treated differently like they're dangerous fire-breathing dragons eventually end up exactly how their handlers expect them to act. On the other hand, stallions who are well socialized, consistently and fairly handled, and generally treated like horses with appropriate boundaries (as any horse needs) become model citizens and behave (in most situations) like every other horse since that is how they have been trained to behave

[@misschieflolz1301]

@@chrisclarke754 Yeah, I assumed as such. One in particular I know was moved yards back to us and he was extremely aggressive after this move. I never really blamed them since I was only a volunteer, but it was a public riding school and not really a location that was suitable for housing stallions and youngstock: they certainly didn't get the time they needed put into them Let's not talk about the zebra they also had as well. I actually got on with him quite well when I did have to handle him, but letting the public near him came with so many near-misses

[@vakama9053]

@@chrisclarke754 So, just like children then. Treat them like you expect them to behave to a certain standard, and they often will behave to that standard, regardless of whether it's a high or low standard.

[@j311ycaa5]

You can tell how much Jason loves and respects animals by how engaged he is with these horses. It's heartwarming!

[@Cissy2cute]

Jason's eyes really soften us as he is touching these horses.

[@Ganpignanus]

yes i appreciate that. i have my own horse too.

[@Belkan2087]

The third one is the type of horse an elf king would ride.

[@jackduffy1817]

And the Elf knight would blow his horn whare the flowers grow, He blew to the east, And then to the west Whare the roses grow, Ladie Isabel sent for the elf knight down in the valy O, Where the roses grow. The elf knighte, Sung by, ( Maddy Prior )

[@jackduffy1817]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/l2m9gHyCmt-Fq68 The elf knight by Steel-Eye Span, Sung by ( Maddy Pryor ).

[@royalroyal2210]

Or a steward of Gondor

[@avasmith2274]

Irk I love fantasy things and midevil times

[@JTM1809]

@@jackduffy1817 Thumbs up for the Steeleye Span reference. I like their early work the best.

[@annapollitt9160]

I actually gasped out loud when he showed Ghost. What a gorgeous horse.

[@lisa-shitsakwibjnie]

I used to foster horses amd train them so they are easier to be adopted. The one breed I fostered the most was Arabians. They are hot tempered and very intelligent so they outsmarted owners so they would get rid of them. I had a Friesian as a foster once and I immediately fell in love with his temperament but I didn't keep him because if I kept them all, I would run out of space to foster and help more. The Tennessee walkers also had amazing temperaments. But the one I did keep because of the bond we made was a sorrel Quarter horse. She was rescued from the Amish. She wouldn't let people near her but me. I worked with her for years to make her not afraid of everything. She would wait to see how I reacted to an object to know if she should be scared or not. She had complete trust in me and I had complete trust in her. The only other humans that could be completely safe around her was children. She had amazing patience with children and would follow them around a pasture all day long keeping other horses away from them. She lived the rest of her life with me. I got her as an older mare and I had her about 10years before old age got the best of her. I'm guessing she was around 30 yrs old when she passed. Me and my ex split up and he kept the land so I can no longer foster. I don't believe in boarding because if I have horses, I want to be the one handling them every day. Thank you for taking the time explaining horses to people. I wished everyone who had horses was educated about them and how to properly train them.

[@thepotatoincident3593]

than you for raising horses so well

[@FernandoTorrera]

I love Arabians

[@a_921]

I did some horseback riding for therapy several years ago (for back/shoulder pain), "my" horse was an Arab. Stubborn as hell, .I was the only "kid" that could control him (and even I was defeated sometimes :p ) Loved him

[@elvishskills]

I love Bramble, she’s number one in my heart!

[@bieuxyongson]

Clevertrousers I feel in love with her too. She’s just my size.

[@wyrenfire]

Clevertrousers Me too, might be a bit bias because I have a welsh but she's still such a beauty

[@tonyoutdoors8245]

Your love of the horse comes through! As far as I’m concerned it’s a large part of why these videos are so cool

[@sharonr2121]

Hallo! Although this is unrelated to the topic of your comment, God loves you, and He died for you as Jesus Christ! Please turn entirely to Him while you still can, because time is running out, but don’t be afraid! Have a good day!

[@sharonr2121]

@your mom, hmm. Please turn to and accept God entirely while you can, because your chances to are running out, He loves you, and have a good day!

[@vancesummers422]

Agreed! It's really obvious his horses are well taken care of and they trust him and I really like that!

[@viceb7]

So many horse experts in the comments.... Cremello is extremely difficult to throw, I've been around horses my whole life and only seen one true cremello, beautiful boy. Really interesting video I would love a series on ancient horse history

[@dena-albaalba-dena8923]

I harder to get a palomino since you only need one cream gene

[@merkules6]

The stable I ride at had an albino horse when I was a kid. Always felt like I was riding an unicorn.

[@exceednexcel]

@@dena-albaalba-dena8923 I disagree. A palomino is simply a cremello bred to (preferably) a chestnut, a bay if your happy to risk a buckskin foal. To get a cremello you'd need a cremello x a palomino, or both parents to be palomino, and thats only a 25% chance of a cremello, 50% chance palomino and 25% chance chestnut. I know of a cremello stallion who's full siblings are all chestnuts

[@viceb7]

@@exceednexcel exactly!

[@madisonandamira2723]

I live on a double diluted breeding farm...we have a cremello stallion and chestnut mares...when we breed the cremello to a chestnut it is 100% guarantee that you will get a palomino!! And of course we have had multiple cremello and Perlinos and buckskins❤❤

[@maydavies888]

Wow- I've never really noticed the crest on horses like it is so clear on him, but suddenly the little Black Stallion sculpture makes sense. The ridge on the neck of that little statue from the movie is the crest, not the mane. 💡

[@christinab1611]

ghost is a beauty! such an elegant face.

[@Radagast49230]

Yes but all the warmbloods are too fine for my taste with legs too gangly. I've mostly lived in hilly areas and seen too many horses that everybody swore were beautiful, well bred horses turn their legs into broken kindling with one bad step on those hills. And think more people should alter their definition of beauty a bit and breed for thicker more sturdy legs and joints.

[@ineshvaladolenc6559]

@@Radagast49230 Mules need more recognition!

[@JimmyFoxhound]

My gosh, Ghost is an absolutely beautiful horse! He looks like a living Michelangelo sculpture. Stunning!

[@seaschulainn]

I love Bramble I also have a Welsh pony and he's tough as hell and very adventurous. I got him 9 years ago to be a temporary friend to my other horse but could never let him go.

[@jackduffy1817]

The first horse I was introduced to I was 5 years old and Scot was a 16 hands 7 year old Perceron gelding, He was a wonderful show horse, When he met any one he would hold his head up highe and present his self, I would ride him around the farm property, We would ride from gate to gate, The horse would sidle up to the gate so I could climes off, He would walk around to the other side after I had opened the gate, Then stand by the gate so I could climbe back on, I felt like a gentlemen farmer on that horse with a sack for a sadle, Everyone we met mentioned how wonderfull he looked.

[@terrynewsome6698]

Your first horse reminds me of the extinct Irish hobby horse that the Scottish used their wars of Independence as light cavalier. They were such a problem for the armys of Edward the second that he tred blockading the Irish straight to stop the Bruce from getting any more of these small fast horses for raiders and archer hunters.

[@IRISHATLANTIC]

The Irish Hobby was used even earlier as an Irish innovation to turn the tide against the Normans/English. In Ireland's boggy countryside it often proved superior to bigger English warshorses. The Irish and later the Scottish used them successfully. Eventually the English, French and others would get their own prized Irish Hobby. Advantage lost Ireland.

[@sophieseeker929]

@@IRISHATLANTIC Today some Pipe and Drum Marching Bands have one in colors of the Clan and adorned with the ribbons it has won and it walks proudly at front of March.. See Braemar Channel

[@paulbrockway9524]

Ghost is an absulotly beautiful stallion, all of your horses have so much character and are completely diffrent compared to each other, they are all amazing and beutaful horses.

[@RaevenKS]

I am a simple man. I see horses, I press like.

[@oliwiajakubowska2710]

OMG Ghost is one of the most beautiful horses I've ever seen, his eyes, his colour, his mane he's just perfect.

[@execbum1]

This is something I've always wondered about whilst reading medieval historical novels. I'm so happy to have found a video on the subject with a succinct explanation of the different types. Your horses are so beautiful, especially Ghost - what stunning eyes and gorgeous colouring!

[@ModernKnight]

Thanks, he's lovely to ride too.

[@Czed93]

You can tell he really loves his horses by the way he keeps slipping into baby-talk when speaking to them :) Great to see, gives a very wholesome feeling to the videos that I really enjoy.

[@RebeccasStudio]

I'm writing a young adult fantasy novel and although my book is not 100% accurate to medieval times this is really interesting to know.

[@generictoasterstroodle1080]

Fanimal Central ~ HD What do you plan on calling it? And will it ever be publicly published?

[@RebeccasStudio]

GENERIC Toaster Stroodle I do plan on self publishing through createspace 😊 the book is called The Magic Candelabra. Unless I come up with another idea 😂 if you want to stay updated follow my Twitter @fanimalcentral and instagram @fanimalcentralhd

[@RebeccasStudio]

Warmoog Abdi @fanimalcentralhd instagram all my book updates will be there.

[@generictoasterstroodle1080]

Fanimal Central ~ HD That is awesome!

[@RebeccasStudio]

@@generictoasterstroodle1080 My Book? If so thank you :D I'm trying to edit it for the new year.

[@wisedupearly3998]

Sad to recognize that the statement at the end "The Medieval battlefield is not as scary a place as everyone says" is really for today's society. For the horse it was extremely dangerous. In Medieval times Ghost was merely a very expensive weapon. William the Conqueror had to change horses 3 times at Hastings I believe.

[@animalobsessed1]

That's why he said "convince". You probably can't fight on a horse that's just trying to run away, so you need to convince them that staying on the battlefield is the better option - even if it isn't really.

[@katherineburton1766]

I absolutely love this man! I watched the video of the 14th century saddle, and he never once got upset with the horse, always telling him he was a good boy for every little try. He is definitely an exceptional horseman, whether medieval times or modern. Many people could learn so much from him. Bravo, Jason!

[@apocalypseblues3897]

i absolutely love that he spoke quieter when he mentioned that his first pony wouldn’t have been too expensive back in the day. so as to not hurt her feelings!

[@peachinom1625]

I love how you can clearly see a great bond with all your horses, they all seem so content 😃

[@saddleridge4364]

The opening shot of the black horse kicking out, they actually trained them to do that in battle. QUITE effective against a man on the ground, armor or no armor. This man's love for his horses is evident. Thank you for your kindness and understanding with them. Everyone should be this way with their horses. Love your videos!

[@ModernKnight]

Yes, that called a war kick or Croupade and I trained several of mine to do that. That horse, Mr Dibs is quite good at Capriole too!

[@minerwaweasley1008]

@@ModernKnight Wow! It's terribly difficult! On the other hand, since I saw Dibs with you on his back standing practically on one hoof - nothing will surprise me. Say they can fly and I will believe.

[@AnneAndersonFoxiepaws]

I had an albino Blanco as a teenager. He was a Welsh or Connemara cross...the nicest horse I have ever owned. He was just under 15hands and had the sweetest nature.

[@callumbiasnow4825]

Wow Ghost is a truly magnificent beasts. Glad he’ll never have to go to real war, but what a beautiful animal.

[@erissablackthorn9444]

All your horses are beautiful. Ghost is especially enchanting to look at.

[@lizmorgan347]

I liked this video but you failed to mention that most palfreys, especially those ridden by women, were gaited. It wasn't until foxhunting became popular in France that people started really riding trotting horses. Coursers were not gaited as they were used for both racing and hunting nor were destriers, used for jousting, as gaited horses can be awkward transitioning to the gallop and aren't nearly as fast.

[@jasonkingsley2762]

Good points thanks. Gaited horses might be the subject of another show one day, though, other than tolting, it's hard to find modern examples in the Uk at least. I plan on going into more detail about walk, trot and canter at some stage, though, as you probably know, it can get quite complex and is hard to put into words, especially for a non-specialist audience. FYI One of my ponies when I was a boy was five gaited, but I didn't know about it at the time!

[@lirdulce5292]

Gaited offers a smoother ride and trotted offers a more bumpy ride, is that correct.

[@awuma]

As a kid, for a while I rode a standard bred pacer. This was when my dad still had us riding bareback, so I could not yet post to the trot. The pacer was pure luxury compared with our thoroughbred mare, until I soon graduated to the saddle ... [Only guys will know what I'm talking about ;-) ]

[@elizaprescott2429]

What does gaitedmean

[@lirdulce5292]

@@elizaprescott2429 The smooth motion that some breeds of horses make when a rider rides it.

[@moonffleur]

Ghost is a gorgeous mover. Would love to see a video of his dressage training. He’s absolutely stunning, I’ve always been smitten for Lusitanos and Andalusians. :)

[@ModernKnight]

Thanks for watching, and yes he's incredible to ride too, very sensitive and highly strung too.

[@chrisclarke754]

While everyone is arguing about the other horses mentioned, lets appreciate how handsome and calm Silver was. Anybody else thinking modern Thoroughbred? Don't believe his breed was mentioned in the video.

[@jrppark1]

Chris Clarke actually being I'm from the US, I was thinking she's a leopard Appaloosa, but being all his horse are in the UK and European bred I doubt that. But she does have the coloring and the build of an Appy mare.

[@autumnatic]

@@jrppark1 That is not appaloosa build or coloring. That is fleabitten grey color, which has much tinier spots than a leopard appaloosa would. Appaloosas the American breed don't usually have a particularly light build, more like a quarter horse. This color and build occur in breeds and mixes with Arabian ancestry. A Thoroughbred as Chris suggests is possible.

[@Cissy2cute]

@@autumnatic I quite agree. Patterned horses were around way back in history. I hate the word "fleabitten" but it is correct. I bet he would make a good, dependable trail horse. Palfreys were valued for the gait because it was much more comfortable to cover a lot of ground with their distinctive movement that didn't much jostle the rider.

[@cindyrissal3628]

Yup...i was thinking TB also...beautiful & well built. I wish he would mention everybody's breed like he did w/ Bramble...

[@cindyrissal3628]

@@jrppark1 Appys have bigger spots as a rule...& many Appys also have striped hooves, mottling around eyes & muzzle & often a funky little tail that never grows very long...😊

[@BeckVMH]

I never been around horses very much, but fascinating content. Another illustration of why this is a wonderful channel. And the Cremello stallion is incredible. Very understandable why this type of horse was so desirable.

[@maritasue5067]

Jason, if you want to make a video about the gaited palfrey maybe you could make a “business trip” to the US. There are many gaited breeds in N. America that are still here, probably because “the frontier” and it’s lack of good roads lasted into the 20th century. The Narraganset Pacer, popular in the 17th-18th centuries, was probably bred from a British gaited type in early Rhode Island, but went extinct with the advent of good roads in the 19th century. There are gaited breeds that have been specialized for horse shows that look and act nothing like palfreys (just as many modern dogs look nothing like their working ancestors), but the breeds Rocky Mountain Horse and Missouri Fox Trotter probably resemble the palfrey rather well. (Personally, I prefer riding my pony sized dressage-destrier, but I don’t need to rely on him to get over the mountain passes).

[@deadwave2738]

He has some beautiful eyes. Ghost that's a great name for him...He is absolutely fantastic.

[@j.b.9581]

A thing that I saw about Ghost is that he is a pacer, so that makes him smooth to ride when in full gear. Gorgeous horse, he carries himself so nobly. This is the third of your videos that I have watched . . am SUBSCRIBING!!

[@ModernKnight]

thanks for watching us, and for subbing too!

[@whathappenedwas7083]

I know you've heard a million times before, but your channel is underrated!

[@ModernKnight]

Thanks, we seem to be getting more viewers these days.

[@GodsSparrowSpeaks]

Greatly enjoy the loving and appreciative constant contact you give your companions. All should do this. The destrier (forgive if my spelling is incorrect) is quite stunning! His neck is incredible. I look forward to working with a beautiful compact gelding Clydesdale later this year, and hope to learn all I can from your videos. As a deaf person, I greatly appreciate the cadence of your speech, and your enunciation as well. Thank you for sharing. Be blessed

[@user-xn2hf9re8r]

Ghost is striking but Bramble looked camera spooked bless her. I'm loving your series as I was raised with horses and dogs like you but now don't have the space but everytime I see a horse my soul leaps.

[@helena8465]

I finished reading Tennyson's Idylls of the King several days ago and have been thinking about the Medieval Ages since then. Palfreys and chargers are mentioned quite a lot in the book, so being a lover of horses myself, I had to look up a video about Medieval horses. That's how I ended up here! Thank you for sharing your knowledge!

[@juliadowney-ragheb5349]

Wow I’ve worked with horses and it’s a beautiful thing watching them be so at ease and peaceful with you..especially that gorgeous stallion! I feel sorry for anyone that has never known what that’s like!

[@cherylmendenhall8795]

Very interesting. I never knew about a stallion having a crest on their neck. Thank you for sharing! You have beautiful horses!

[@tinfoilmadhatter]

Silver has a gorgeous coat. Instantly in love with him! Actually all these horses are cute.

[@Saartje05]

What an amazing horse Ghost is. Beautiful.

[@feralcherylshow]

The horses seem to know he is singing their praises 😄

[@Eowyn3Pride]

Even poor Bramble!❤

[@virglibrsaglove]

Yes, it looked to me like she was waiting to see if he liked her. But when he said good things about her she seemed pleased to me.

[@Axemantitan]

All of these classifications are used in the "A Song of Ice and Fire" novel series. This video helped me to understand the distinctions, because I had no idea what they were previously. I thought that these were names for breeds and not uses. Thank you for teaching me!

[@XianVivre]

I don't know much about horse, but that Ghost is a beauty. Completely breathtaking. Awesome horses and awesome videos, my man!

[@turinsbane4200]

I'm here because my girlfriend loves horses and Ghost is the exact breed and coloration of the horse I use in Red Dead Redemption 2 xD. Cool seeing the real life counterpart tho.

[@AdventureHusky]

I always thought Black horses would be more intimidating and better for camouflage at night so more knights would ride them. Bramble is the greatest, bramble can show up any fancy smancy knight horse any day.

[@johannakox2479]

I am a medieval history student. Love Medieval History and this channel is so amazing! Great work guys keep it up!

[@vincenttrujillo6143]

Those horses all looked strong, and dependable, but Ghost really does look like a whole other kind of animal.

[@waveman0]

and most knights and men-at-arms would have to be satisfied with a courser and/or rouncey. While the Destrier was the most sought after they were not all that common (or cheap) and only the wealthy and/or nobility could afford to have them. A catchall name for warhorses is 'chargers' The palfrey was the prefered riding horse, and most medieval peoples would use the palfrey as a riding horse over longer distances because of their gait. (It was a lighter-weight horse, usually a smooth gaited one that could amble, suitable for riding over long distances) What most people don't understand is the knight would have a string of horses, of different types and used for specific situations. One would not ride his Destrier (or courser and/or rouncey) around day-to-day, that's what he would have his palfrey for, and his Destrier (or courser and/or rouncey) saved for when he was expecting to go into combat. Also the horses armour is called barding and again the hose would not have this worn just riding about, it was used when the knight expected trouble.

[@mrclueuin]

It's like the difference between a Honda, a Infinity, a Mercedes, and a Hummer, right?

[@waveman0]

@@mrclueuin The destrier was the finest and strongest of the warhorses, and the most sought after. The problem was they were also very expensive. from wiki Value of quality war horses A good destrier was expensive. 7th-century Salic law gives a price of 12 solidi as weregild, or reparational payment, for a war horse, compared to 3 solidi for a sound mare or 1 solidus for a cow. In later centuries destriers became even more expensive: the average value of each of the horses in a company of 22 knights and squires in the county of Flanders in 1297 compares to the price of seven normal coursers.[15] The price of these destriers varied between 20 and 300 livres parisis (parisian pounds), compared to 5 to 12 livres for a normal courser. what separates all of the chargers was price, and one's place in society (denoting mostly how wealthy one was for the most part) determined what sort of horse one rode. Remember chargers were determined not by breed but rather by their job (and ability) here is a good wiki on the subject en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horses_in_the_Middle_Ages

[@rogerlafrance6355]

Big war horses were expensive to buy, keep up and not that handy if you had heavy plate armour on. Large ponies, cobs 13-14 hands were the most handy for most uses till the advent of the motorcar. A 14 hand Arab or other stallion is a lot of horse!

[@RealSaintB]

The destriar would be like top end European sports car is today. The charger would be like... well it would be likev charger

[@bobbyhood101]

The thing that people forget is that the average person in medieval times were alot smaller and the average horse was a huge animal to most people! The average medieval man was 5 ft 5 and women seldom exceeded 5ft2 and 150lbs was heavy!

[@dorianphilotheates3769]

The average knight or nobleman was generally a great deal bigger than most serfs or peasants - they ate better and bred amongst themselves.

[@alexk7973]

And the average Destrier seems to have been around 14 to 15 hh, possibly some making it up to 16 hh. Modern day sports horses (warmbloods) usually START at 16hh and 14 hh is considered child-sized.

[@darylblackburn9946]

That 3rd hourse was stunningly beautiful

[@pjatkins568]

I love how much you love your horses and look after them. I don’t own a horse, but l’m sure it must require a lot of work to own that many horses. Great job👍

[@foots-qt4pk]

I just love your videos! Im learning so much about medieval warfare. William Marshall Earl of Pembroke is my 24th g-grandfather and though there are many famous and often royal ancestors, from the Conquerer through the Plantaganets but William is my favorite. He is known as the Worlds Greatest Knight and was the only man to unseat Richard the Lionheart from his horse in battle...by killing the poor horse. It seems so sad to me to think of all the poor animals that were killed in battle during those times. Your horses are beautiful, and obviously well loved!

[@brooksequine7621]

This is wonderfully done . Well explained and your horses are mannered and well handled . I can enjoy your videos without cringing as riders ride badly or waffle on as complete amateurs . Thank you for your posting these informative videos !

[@brianfuller5868]

Great video. Horses were defined by their job, and absolutely vital. It is easy to forget that in pre-mechanised agriculture and militaries, horses were extremely important.

[@jacquelindavidson5014]

Thank you for doing this!!! It is a GREAT way for me to integrate historical knowledge in my classroom, without being carried away in OVER-explaining horses!!!

[@ModernKnight]

Glad it was helpful! Say hello from me to your pupils.

[@jacquelindavidson5014]

​@@ModernKnight....I absolutely will do!!!

[@Leto85]

What can I say; I just love it how much love he shows in both the subject as well as the horses he takes care off.

[@lizbecker1677]

Such fun videos! I've been horse-crazy my whole life, and I used to daydream about stuff like this when I was a little kid sitting in math class. All your horses are beautiful and seem well adjusted and very calm.

[@elliotRust29]

Ghost is absolutely stunning i could stare at him for days and not get any less amazed

[@andromeda1903]

that white horse, ghost, is phenomenal

[@bunniesbunniesbunnie]

aw, that poor little stud. "this crest is used in battle" *shakes crest* stud: ???? I'm sorry what did I do sir I love youuuu that is Such a sweet boy and the guy isn't doing anything wrong just lol ghost doesn't know why he's getting this weird strange human chomp.

[@rosemaryshydawn8539]

Country boy I love youuuuuuuuuu

[@palipali4264]

That horse is loving the attention!

[@virglibrsaglove]

I hadn't thought about it that way. I suppose you're right. He did react as though he was a bit concerned, didn't he?

[@benjohn6743]

What a great channel I'm surprised you haven't got more subscribers. I like how you go into fine detail on everything medieval. Keep bringing the videos!

[@HughLlewellyn]

I loved all three of your horses. Ghost is magnificent. The perfect destrier. Silver was so cute when you were scratching his itchy spot.

[@Prophet630]

🤩 I just love Silver's "freckles" Ghost looks like a Peary, with that magnificent crest

[@madnessbydesign1415]

The production values in this series are amazing. This level of quality should be used as educational material - both for the subject matter, and how to present it... :)

[@Ymril]

I love how your love for them is so obvious. Really nice to see !

[@Cordyceps_Canine]

Ghost is simply gorgeous. Love the cremello coat combined with his body type.

[@nibbleniks2320]

Mr. Kingsley, could you do a program on how these animals were cared for? Particularly feeding and grooming--in medieval times? Perhaps on your upcoming podcast? Also could you talk about the people who supported a knight? Squires, grooms, others? How many people were typical supports? Love this channel. Goodness knows we need Good Knights today.

[@rpowling]

This channel is absolutely fascinating! Such a gem. And i really love how kind and gentle you are with your horses. Thank you!

[@ModernKnight]

Our pleasure!

[@paleona5820]

I loved this video! Informative, to the point, and your horses are all lovely 🖤 I can tell how much you love them all, it really made me smile.

[@anyascelticcreations]

Ghost is absolutely glorious. Though, he looked a bit concerned when you were holding onto his crest to show how another horse might bite him in battle. His big blue eyes opened pretty wide. I think that shows his trust in you that he only reacted with his eyes. Beautiful, beautiful boy.

[@trojanette8345]

Very enjoyable and well put together video. I will most definitely tap into your show every so often.

[@winterbear8633]

Just discovered your channel today. You're a legend man! It's clear you really love your horses and don't just see them as tools.

[@alecbrown66]

nice! would be even more interesting if you could round off your equestrian equine series with not just pure horses and ponies used in medival times, but those types not used around warfare or middle class transport. how about medival work horses, for the plough or cart ( yes i know they also used serfs or oxen), and the types used by local priests etc, including the maligned mule, and the donkey? its so important, especially now in the 21st century and our total reliance on cars, tractors and lorries, that at least somewhere on the internet there is something showing our ancient reliance on equines for everything

[@Verwilderd]

I just discovered this channel yesterday and it’s quite awesome! I’d love to see longer versions of these videos. They are AMAZING!

[@seahorse5689]

Gorgeous, every single one of them. Great video, yet again.

[@dmshchep]

This is a great channel and a great series. A lot more people should watch this.

[@TheNeeenha]

Oh my...all your horses are lovely...But the first one is sweet, love the color and love the fact that she's a bit shorter, I'd love to ride her Thank you for introducing them to us

[@pyro-millie5533]

My gosh your horses are beautiful!! And Ghost has to be the buffest freaking horse I’ve ever seen! Are you sure he’s not a unicorn? He looks like an absolutely stunning magical creature!

[@graceerhart5796]

Fascinating! The stallion looks like a Lipizzan with all the muscle on him! Beautiful horses-and a great talk as well. Here in the US, breeds were known early on, but some were invented as time went on, while others disappeared. The Narragansett Pacer, popular in the Rev War as a riding horse, was gone by the CW as more popular types and breeds had developed in place of it. Even if they were not known as breeds at the time of the Medieval Ages, I could see that happening then as well, as other types of horse were developed for new uses-heavy carriage horses for instance, or hauling of lumber.

[@MagisterialVoyager]

I'm so thankful for this video, because this has led me to this amazing channel. I think horse is such a beautiful creature and it's so interesting to see how history mingles with them.

[@LuvBorderCollies]

Loved Welsh ponies since I was a kid. Great dispositions, smart, easy to train to the point of only using body lean and leg/foot pressure instead of reins. Don't recall her height in hands but when got up to 6' I was too tall for comfort. I didn't know a lot about horse breeds except those common in the American West. She looked exactly like a down-sized Am.Quarter Horse...stocky and rippling muscles from neck to rear. Her hind quarters were noticeably large for her height. Often wished all horses would be like her. Later I got a Thoroughbred and that was not a good buy and would never been considered as a warshorse. They're only good for eating up the miles for hours in a comfortable lope. Otherwise Thoros are too high strung, nervous, unpredictable and that's the nicest I can say about that experience.

[@123canadagirl]

Such beautiful horses! And to see Ghost before you started riding him in medieval tournaments. He’s extra beautiful! I am enjoying seeing these older videos.

[@tonyoutdoors8245]

I really enjoy these videos! They are informative and this video, the horses were beautiful! I like the horse you rode in the eye slit video as well! He was awesome and you seem excellent with them! Keep up the great videos!

[@SoraCyn]

ghost 3:53: wut? what is happening?? lights! rubbings! so much talking to no one?? [bewildered face]😮

[@bieuxyongson]

Beautiful horses. If I still lived in the U.K. I would be very tempted to bring you my Friesian Percheron cross for training.

[@ModernKnight]

That’s a lovely strong crossbreed. I imagine it’s very comfortable to ride.

[@bieuxyongson]

He’s lovely now that he matured. Nice mover for such a big boy. Very sweet temperament.

[@ModernKnight]

Heavy horses always seem to have sweet natures. As they get smaller, they get naughtier in my experience!

[@bieuxyongson]

After 30 years of knowing and riding them, I think you are spot on on that count. Although, I still haven’t found many that I don’t love, even the naughty ones. I learned to ride as an adult at a small stable near our home when my husband and I were stationed at RAF Lakenheath.

[@r.mcguire6685]

The 3rd horse (Cremello) reminds me of my gelding, Louie. He is a grey (now white) Percheron cross though. I always thought he'd look cool going as a jousting/battle type. I really like your videos! Thank you!

[@akshatsahay9015]

I love everything about this series. I'm so glad I got recommended your video about peasant foods!