Macedonian Soldier Stele

[John Conyard]

I liked the dancing. I may take it up instead of yoga. I need something to keep my muscles working.

You can find various bits of iconogrpahy showing riders carrying the lance and the kontos, one handed. I don’t deny it. I just maintain you use a kontos with two hands.

I think it is dangerous to underestimate the capability of riders in any period. Or assume the capability of any particular breed of horse.

Horses are directed by weight distribution, leg pressure, verbal commands and the bit in the horse’s mouth held by the reins and bridle. Every horse needs different degrees of direction. Some can be directed using balance alone, although this can be difficult when using weapons in the saddle. Spurs can be used to magnify leg pressure. I can sense I rely heavily on verbal commands and tone of voice, which generally works with all animals and my two sons. I like a horse that responds to leg pressure, which is actually easier to apply when in a four horned saddle than when in a stirrup-less steppe saddle.

In this period snaffle bits not unlike a modern bit, were standard with on occasion the potentially severe curb bit. The Romans could also use the hackamore to increase leverage on the horse’s jaw. Various metal examples have been discovered, yet many more could have been made of leather or even dried grass leaving no trace. A simple hackamore would have no bit, and the 1st century tombstone found in 2005 in Lancaster seems to show a bitless bridle. This system is useful for young horses, or those with sensitive mouths and I find it hard to believe earlier cultures did not use them. The rider has to learn to neck rein, using one hand to control the horse by exerting pressure on the horse’s neck with the reins, or even at times his shield. A long weapon can also be used to give direction to a horse, and I use my kontos to guide the horse around an arena.

I am not a great fan of classifying anything, and certainly not ancient riding styles. I suspect the only groupings were those who could do it, and those who couldn’t. No doubt some could pretend to ride, and some could ride really well. But I don’t like classifications. I any cavalry melee there will come a time when it is useful to drop the reins and use balance, leg pressure, and verbal commands.

In the 4th century the steppe saddle was introduced into the west by the Huns and their allies. It is a simple and strong design. It is possible that some saddles were built with a one piece wooden tree, but reconstructions are made of no more than four pieces of wood joined and shaped to transfer the weight of the rider to the horse’s sides. In time this saddle would develop into the medieval saddle and the modern Portuguese and Spanish saddles. The proportions of the pommel and cantle can only be deduced from surviving metal decoration. The earliest such fittings from Europe are a set of early 5th century curved and triangular-shaped gold sheet mounts from Mundolsheim, Alsace. These suggest a very high-fronted saddle, used to display wealth and status. Lower status riders could have used lower fronted saddles, for which rare, small and functional fittings have been found from later dates.

The steppe saddle does not need integral padding and can be left as just bare wood, weighing 6.4kg. It sits on several layers of wool or fur to protect the horse. It does not need breast or breaching straps, although they may be of use over long distances and rough terrain. Coming from a four-horned saddle, the Roman rider is initially concerned about sliding out of the “side door”. They try and hook their legs under the front cantle to secure themselves in the seat, as they would hook their legs under the front horns of the four-horned saddle. But the steppe saddle is not designed for this and the position soon becomes very uncomfortable. Instead the rider must use a straight leg and a very deep seat when cornering. Such a position is relatively easy on the riders legs and can be maintained for long periods of time. But this saddle is a design that naturally benefits from the invention of the stirrup. The rider can continue to ride with a straight leg, but with the addition of long stirrups giving greater stability. They can raise themselves in the saddle to cushion the effect of the movement of the horse whilst engaged in horse archery, important in a steppe culture. And perhaps most useful of all, the stirrup allows the horse to be easily mounted.

I appreciate perhaps more than most the great culture and legacy of the steppe peoples. But when it comes to riding I suspect others were as effective in the saddle.