heavy cavalry engaging heavy cavalry

[Michael Kerr]

Just adding an example of misconception of horse behaviour & the importance of training & breeding is in which a few ancient sources repeatedly emphasise the effect of elephants on horses, which are alarmed by the smell and noise of elephants and are loathe to approach them. Horses supposed fear of elephants was blamed for the defeat & death of Antigonus at the Battle of Ipsus when Demetrius couldn't return to protect his father's right flank because Seleucus isolated him by blocking his return to the battlefield with a herd of reserve elephants rather than the fact that Demetrius let the pursuit of the allied cavalry under Antiochus go on for too long thus exposing his father's right flank. Yet below is a link I posted a while ago on another thread regarding how in 16th Century Indian Marwari horses were bred & trained specifically to attack elephants or more importantly their mahouts.

http://travel.cnn.com/explorations/play/...nts-630647

Finally I just want to add in a charge by a large body of horses at a phalanx the herd mentality must kick in with horses being competitive & excited & affected by the noise of the charge so would a shield wall manned by inexperienced soldiers really be able to stop a large stampede of horses in this state?
Or would a horse in a large charge be worked up enough in a herd situation to do things he would usually baulk at?
Regards
Michael Kerr