Footsoldier-Mounted Rider Combat

[Chevalier]

Hello!

I am off for the weekend but I have been asked for Footsoldier-Mounted Rider combat rules several times, especially leading up to NAAMA. To my knowledge, we do have
-mounted combat rules (mounted knights engage in one-one combat on horseback)
-melee rules (mounted knights engage in a mass situation on horseback)
-Skill at Arms- rules
-jousting rules
-horsearchery rules
but actually NO universal Footsoldier-Mounted Rider combat rules. In all cases known to me the horse owner/rider have developed their own system, which they teach.

Many, for example, require at least a basic grading in steelfighting by all footfighters who are then taught how to engage with the rider (never the horses!).

We got some quite amazing things done at NAAMA: riding towards and through infantry lines, pushing through infantry lines from behind, even pulling rider of their horses...

... as for the actual Footsoldier-Mounted Rider engagement WITH steelweapons: this is usually similar to theatrical display fighting, target zone is rider (never the horse) while footsoldiers can expect to be hit on head and shoulder. And from there on it is all about practical sessions to improve on timing etc.
And improvisation! I remember how much the audience enjoyed Dawson and Moonie running for their lives (just ahead of the cantering horse)... and D. cut me down rather spectacular in a smilar situation that ended with a huge shoulder role... Practice with your group(s) - it takes trust and time!


What other recommendations do people have for Footsoldier-Mounted Rider engagements?

[Callum]

As far as I know there are no formal rules for horse vs. foot combat.

English Heritage have some display guidelines that I use. You have to bear in mind that horse versus foot combat with steel weapons is potentially the most hazardous of all the equestrian combat activities - even if scripted. The joust may seem more hazordous but this is contained in a controlled and defined area and only two horses are involved. But a melee between two teams both consisting of riders and foot men has much more risk, hence the reason why this is the last equestrian combat activity that we are developing.

To make it work you need to have foot men who are confident around horses and who have a good horse knowledge. A lot of people don't hence not everybody will want to or be able to take part in it. We have to make a lot of compromises in this area. Historically Stallions were used as warhorses and they were trained to bite and kick people on the ground. Horses are also 'flight' animals so their natural instinct is to flee rather than face a dangerous situation. We use geldings and mares and obviously can't train them in the same way as real warhorses originally were. So whenever we put them into the joust or a melee they are doing it because they trust us. As soon as a horse gets hurt then that trust is broken and it can take years to rebuild that trust.

However we are now spending more time training with infantry who want to do melee combat with horses and we are building up some good numbers of people who I would be happy to engage in melee with my horses. Despite the low numbers of people who took part in the recent cavalry workshops at NAAMA, all those who took part represented a good across the range representation of clubs.

You can also mitigate the risk somewhat by using fake weapons. I have 12 heavy foam replicas of original wooden tourney clubs that you can't tell are not real wood from all but close distance and still pack a mean wallop. I also used the MLHNZ's ball tipped spearheads and really liked liked them.

The vision is to be able to do a proper "combined arms" re-enactment battle similar to Hastings and the other big events in the UK and Europe. This involves applying archers, infantry and cavalry tactically to various battle scenarios.

[stephan]

awesome i would love to get into that

almost have full kit required to joust
just need to lean to ride a horse !