Roman cavalry - the hackamore

[John Conyard]

Time to cast my bread upon the waters once again.

I'm currently going through the torment of trying to get new horses ready for cavalry displays this season. Our old mounts are fine, but it's a positive thing to have new horses, especially faster ones. Maybe it's middle age, but I would like our small cobs to be faster. Perhaps something the Romans didn't care greatly about.

One of the new horses has the ability to be a very good mount. We suspect that in the past his mouth was abused, and he doesn't like a bit. So we are using a modern German style hackamore, with no bit. This has by necessity lead me to the wonderful world of Roman hackamores.

I appreciate a hackamore could be used in conjunction with a bit. The tombstone of Bassus demonstrates this admirably. However the Lancaster tombstone of Insus seems to show the use of a hackamore without a bit. That alone was a pleasant discovery, and not something I had come across before. I appreciate that carvings are open to interpretation, but the lack of bit in the horses mouth seems clear enough.

But now we get to the interesting bit, no pun intended.

If we put a plain metal hackamore directly on a horse, as shown on many tombstones, the result would be severe. So the hackamore would generally be covered in sheepskin to make it more comfortable, and in some degree to soften the effect.

I have given surviving Roman hackamores a cursory glance. To be honest I can see no evidence that they were likewise covered in sheepskin. They may have been, but hard evidence is lacking.

Unless of course somebody out there can point me to an illustration or a find that may illuminate the issue.

So please, help me out!

[caiusbeerquitius]

John, these questions are answered in detail in
Junkelmann, Marcus:

Die Reiter Roms, Teil I: Reise, Jagd, Triumph und Circusrennen, Mainz (Zabern) 1990
Die Reiter Roms, Teil II: Der militärische Einsatz, Mainz (Zabern) 1991
Die Reiter Roms, Teil III: Zubehör, Reitweise, Bewaffnung, Mainz (Zabern) 1992

especially in part III.

[John Conyard]

Thank you the speedy reply.

I fear I only have vols I and III. And my German is very limited. However the illustrations seem to show hackamores being used with a bit. And no pointers to the use of covering them with sheepskin.

Perhaps you could give me some direct reference to the text?

[John Conyard]

Soggy bread again!

[M. Demetrius]

Well, it's safe to say that ancient horse muzzles liked metal abrasion no more than modern horses, so if a pad is indicated to protect the horse, the decision should be pretty easy. While they didn't have PETA lawyers to look over their shoulders, cavalry of all ages depended on their horses for protection (speed) and reliability on the battlefield, so they probably took the best care of them that they could on campaign, don't you think?

[John Conyard]

Logic may dictate it, it certainly will do for me. But I'm after evidence.

To be honest many surviving hackamores look as if they could be easily be covered in sheepskin to reduce their severity. But the evidence is lacking. And no one has done it in the past twenty years of reconstructing Roman cavalry.

I appreciate that this is a bit of a specialist subject. But it's an issue that faces me directly. I think there are great strides yet to be made in fully understanding Roman cavalry. It's been attempted by few and data published by less. Nothing is ever clear cut when dealing with horses. Reconstruction has perhaps the central part to play. But it needs to be based on evidence.

After trying to come to terms with new horses, it was a joy last Sunday to ride my old mount of last season. He's a nasty bad tempered git, but if it was legal I'd marry him. Working with one horse is much simpler than working with several. Tack needs to be constantly made or adapted. Saddles need care and repair. It's incredibly time consuming, but there are moments when it all comes together. A few. Sometimes......

[M. Demetrius]

Tack needs to be constantly made or adapted. Saddles need care and repair.

No doubt that was part of the reason that cavalry was paid a double portion: it wasn't all for extra grain and fodder.

Good luck on finding the specific order for padded hackamores and horse harness. That's no small task. Meanwhile, if whatever you're doing hurts your horse, go with logic. At least that's my friendly suggestion.[/quote]