Roman Heavy Cavalry Fighting Techniques

[Aulus Perrinius]

Also not keen on the references to stallions from Aulus Perrinius. Why is the assumption made that the cavalry rode stallions and nothing else? Three or four stallions left to their own devices are probably going to be more intent on maiming each other than the enemy. Horses were gelded in the ancient world (and yes, I am looking for the reference(s)) and a mare is just as much an entire as a stallion without a lot of the overtly aggressive stallion behaviour.

I didn't make an assumption, the french and burgunian ordannces of the 15th-16th century required men-at-arms to own at least three stallions for battle. The polish husaria also used stallions for battle, as did most western medieval heavy cavalrymen.

While stallions are aggressive they're also well-trained and well trained horses don't run around trying to maim each other.

And Xenophon's comment about making sure a cavalry mount's balls weren't so big they interfered with the horse's gait would indicate he preffered stallions.

I do agree that throughout history some rider's prefferred geldings some didn't. I never stallions were a universal cavalry mount.