In the medieval ages, what was the most popular type/breed of horse?

Question

I love studying the Medieval ages and I especially love the rare moment when the author of the book says something like, "The knights couldn't have done anything as well as they did without their horses." I was just wondering, were the Arabians, American Saddlebreds, Morgans and Quarter Horses around in the mid 14 or 1500's? Just curious.

Answer 1

The freisan is probably the closest breed to what the nights used. The draft breeds are relatively similar to what they were in the middle ages. The Arabian is the same today as in the middle ages. Saddlebreds, Morgans and Quarter horse breeds are only a couple hundred years old.
But let's get a little more specific. The farmers used a generic cob - generally a mix of the draft & pony and whatever else was around. They also had the draft horses for heavy work. The draft horse originated in the green fields of Europe and was large & slow because it had few natural predators. The Arabian conversely, developed where there were swift predators and limited resources, hence they have greater endurance and smaller bones. All breeds we have today are a cross somewhere between the two. From medieval times [especially the crusades] returning pilgrims and nights brought the Arabian horse [aka spanish barb or moorish breed] back with them and they were bred into the local animals. The welsh pony, for instance shows it's arabian ancestry and influence in it's typey head & muzzle. Today's thoroughbred must prove lineage back to one of several Arabian imports [Godolphin Arabian, Bryerly Turk [sp] and at least one other stallion, but i don't remember which]. The Saddlebred is a mix of Arabian blood and created as a gentleman's horse in the american colonies [it was also the most common horse used by the cavalry]. The quarterhorse breed was developed in the Old West and is a mix of the draft horse and the saddlehorse. The Morgan breed came from one plucky little stallion owned my a man named Justin Morgan in the mid 1800's -- this little horse would pull with the draft horses & run with the thoroughbreds [marguerite henry has a great book that gives this horse's history].
Hope this helps. If you have anymore questions, I accept email.

Answer 2

OMG! Forget everything you just read!

The Cleveland Bay is one of the oldest breeds, and there is some suggestion that they were around when the Roman's invaded Britain, over 2,000 years ago!

Later on, about a thousand years later, a tapestry was made, it is known as the Bayeux Tapestry 1066 AD. The horses, depicted in this snapshot of Medieval Europe, are small - not large draught breeds. They are very like the Welsh section D, or as it is known here in the UK, the Welsh Cob. It is claimed that this horse was used by a knight - in full amour, and there is evedence to support this claim.
It is certain that the Iberian horse was extensively used too. These are also not big horses, and are very similar to Welsh Cobs - NEVER confuse a Welsh Cob, with a traditional Gypsy Cob, they are totally different.

A knight's horse would have been trained to fight and kill, it must have had very quick reactions and have been agile.

There is an ancient saying, here in the UK: Blood carries weight. Blood horses are Arabs (and Barbs), and Thoroughbreds (which is a modern breed). Iberian horses, like the Andalusian also have many of these traits - so does the Cleveland Bay.

Answer 3

Medieval Horses

Answer 4

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RE:
In the medieval ages, what was the most popular type/breed of horse?
I love studying the Medieval ages and I especially love the rare moment when the author of the book says something like, "The knights couldn't have done anything as well as they did without their horses." I was just wondering, were the Arabians, American Saddlebreds, Morgans and...

Answer 5

American Saddle Horses are 'American' and have only been around as long as we have. Morgans are a more recent breed as well, and far too light and small to carry a knight in full armor anyways. Quarter Horses wouldn't have been either.

Arabians have been used to influence many breeds throughout the centuries, but while there most likely would have been Arabian blood in a lot of horses they probably wouldn't have ridden straight Arabs.

They rode heavy breeds, draft horses, as chargers and warhorses in various periods in history. They also would have ridden native pony breeds, I can't remember which nation it was but one used some sort of native pony breed for their armies for quite awhile. They also might have ridden one horse to travel, a lighter horse, then a larger horse to actual battle.

Also, not only knights rode horses. All types of cavalry did. And depending on the type of cavalry, the time period, and what they were carrying they might have ridden anything from little ponies to the chargers you see in medieval movies.

Answer 6

Arabians were around in the 1400s. They're generally accepted as the original breed of horse, and have been around longer than all other breeds. Saddlebreds, Morgans, and QHs are all American breeds of horses, and therefore wouldn't date before the 1700s. The horses the knights rode were heavy horses called destriers, closer to drafts than Arabians (think about how much a grown man in armor + weapons would weigh...they'd need a big sturdy horse).

Answer 7

The Knights, prior to the crusades, had very heavy horses. Each time the Christian Knights came back from "the Middle East" they brought Arabian mares and stallions to interbreed with their heavy drafts. The resulting breeds were the Percheron (France) Clydesdale (Scotland) Friesian (Germany/Dalmatia).There are stories of the great battles during the middle ages where the 900 French Knights were mounted on 2000 lb Percherons, thundering across the fields of aegincourt towards the enemy. Must have been magnificent and terrifying it you were a foot soldier!

Answer 8

For the knights, it was a heavier horse. Depending on the calvary, the middle east used Arabs (but didn't have as heavy of armor), Spain/france- Andalusians, and the netherlands- Fresian. Parts of Germany used heavier warmbloods as well.

QHs and Morgans just started showing up around later that time- they are US breeds, so would not have been around for medevial times. I think the first registered morgan was the early 1600s, but I could be wrong.

Answer 9

American breeds came about later. Check out the latest issue of Equus it has an article on knights and the size of horses, most were probably stout, drafty 15 hh horses.

Also check out Ann Hyland for books on the horse in the ancient world, roman cavalry, etc.

Answer 10

Arabians were probably around in the mid 14-1500s. They mainly used heavy draft horses like Belgians, Percherons, Shires and Friesans . Arabians are one of the oldest existing breeds. They founded breeds like Throughbreds which, when crossed with other breeds made breeds like American Saddlebreds and Morgans. I don't know when the Quarter horse came along.