Roman Heavy Cavalry Fighting Techniques

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Control of the horse could come from the cavalryman's seat (bottom in the saddle) upper thighs (stability) and lower leg (direction). It is debatable whether the horse was trained to compensate for the rider's weight being on one side (which ever side the lance was carried) or that the horse was kept straight by the cavalryman's opposite leg (ie if your lance is to the right, your left lower leg would keep the horse straight and vice versa).

Not convinced personally about stirrups and lateral stability but there may well have been something in the saddle design to give the cavalryman more support for the impact.

But this begs the question what he did with his lance? Did he charge through the front rank carrying all before him or did he batter through the front rank, let go of the lance then use his sword on the next ranks?

Pure speculation, but the lance is a "one hit" weapon I think and the length of the kontos gave the heavy cavalryman the opportunity to make a hole in the front ranks from far enough away to have his sword out and to use the horse's impetus to carry on through the ranks...if anyone was foolsh enough to stay in his way.:wink:

You need a brave horse that's for sure.