War horses are horses specially trained for use in battle or individual combat (see also: Jousting). Binomial name Equus caballus Linnaeus, 1758 The horse (Equus caballus) is a sizeable ungulate mammal, one of ten modern species of the genus Equus. ... The Battle of Waterloo by William Sadler. ... Combat, or fighting, is purposeful conflict between one or more persons, often involving violence and intended to establish dominance over the opposition. ... Jousting is a staple entertainment at renaissance fairs. ...

A war horse's training would generally address its responsiveness to being controlled without reins, tolerance for the noises of battle, and its adaptability to weapons and armor the rider would be using. In addition, some war horses were trained to kick on command, thus becoming weapons in the extended arsenal of the warriors they carried. A common misconception is that a war horse is simply a horse in armor. In fact, much training was required to overcome the horse's natural aversion to the smell of blood, and its natural disinclination to trample a person. The bayonet, still used in war as both knife and spearpoint. ... Alternative meanings: vehicle armour, Armor (novel) A hoplite wearing a helmet, a breastplate and greaves (and nothing else). ... An arsenal is an establishment for the construction, repair, receipt, storage and issue of weapons and ammunition. ... Red blood cells (erythrocytes) are present in the blood and help carry oxygen to the rest of the cells in the body Blood is a circulating tissue composed of fluid plasma and cells (red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets). ... Trample To trample generally means to crush underhoof. ...

Prior to the development of plate armour, small, agile horses were trained for use in battle by various cultures for both cavalry and horse archers. In some of these cultures, war horses were routinely gelded, as an ancient trick was to release a herd of mares in heat onto the battlefield to cause distraction and disobedience in non-gelded war horses. Plate armour is personal armour made from large metal plates, worn on the chest and sometimes the entire body. ... Cavalry is also a common misspelling of the Biblical hill Calvary. ... A horse archer (or horsed archer, mounted archer) is a cavalryman armed with a bow. ...

During the Middle Ages, large horses with the strength and stamina to carry both a knight and his heavy armor into battle were highly prized. In addition to size, these horses were selected for speed and trainability. The expense of keeping, training and outfitting these specialized horses prevented the majority of the population from owning them. The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... The silver Anglia knight, commissioned as a trophy in 1850, intended to represent the Black Prince. ...

Compared to the medieval knights' Great Horse, most modern breeds are small and fast. However, modern breeds of draft horse such as Belgian, Percheron and Shire horse descended from the huge horses that carried armored knights and were often armored themselves. A destrier is a historical term for a knights war horse. ... This page is a list of horse and pony breeds. ... A draft horse or draught horse is a large, strong horse breed for heavy work rather than speed. ... A pair of very typical dapple grey Percheron Horses Percheron draft horse at the Maryland State Fair The Percheron is one of the most famous draft horses from France. ... Shire draft horse The shire horse is a breed of draft horse. ...

Metaphorically, a war horse is a standard of the musical repertory, usually a 19th-century symphonic work, dependable but somewhat threadbare from familiarity, like "Beethoven's Fifth Symphony." It can also be said affectionately of a person; Robert E. Lee is said to have referred to James Longstreet as his "Old War Horse". When used in this sense the term often implies that the recipient is dependable, if a bit lacking in imagination. Ludwig van Beethovens Symphony No. ... For the author of Inherit the Wind and other works, see Robert Edwin Lee. ... James Longstreet James Longstreet (January 8, 1821 – January 2, 1904) was one of the foremost Confederate generals of the American Civil War, and later enjoyed a successful post-war career working for the government of his former enemies, as a diplomat and administrator. ...

External links

• New Riders of the Golden Age Modern performers of authentic full contact jousts on Belgian, Percheron, Shire, and Clydesdale horses.
• The British Cavalry Regiments of 1914-1918 The British Cavalry Regiments of 1914-1918
• The Spanish Mustang Registry (preservers of the warhorse of ancient Spain)