During the Middle Ages, horses played a crucial role in society, serving as transportation, agriculture, hunting, and warfare. Grooms were responsible for managing horses and maintaining their health. The most common breeds of horses during this time were Arabian, Friesian, and Andalusian, which were bred and trained for specific purposes. Horses were also seen as a lens through which ideas about gender, class, morals, and knightly virtues were shaped and expressed.
During the Middle Ages, road travel was generally terrible, and water travel was a popular mode of transportation. Horses were highly valued for their stamina, agility, and strength, leading to the development of specialized breeds. In the late medieval period, the horse served as a cultural lens through which ideas about gender, class, morals, and knightly virtues were shaped and expressed.
In England, a large castle could have a household staff of at least 50 people, including cooks, grooms, carpenters, masons, falconers, musicians, knights, bowmen, and crossbow operators. River crossings represented bottleneck situations in road systems and demanded regulation and control.
In medieval times, horses were cared for by their grooms in tents, wearing caparisons and providing them with a healthy diet consisting of hay, grain, and water. Stable masters and grooms were responsible for horses and stables, exercising them, keeping them clean, and grooming them using tools like wisps.
Tie stalls were used to house riding horses on castle grounds, both for residents and visitors. The development of the horse as a status symbol in Western Europe during the Middle Ages highlights the importance of horses in medieval society.
📹 The odd shape of a mule’s back
Credits: Ghost The Mule with No Name Production, Direction, Camera, Sound, Editing Kasumi Production, Presenter Jason …
Who took care of horses in the Middle Ages?
In the Middle Ages, the jobs of farriers and marshals (ferrer and menescal) became mixed up because both groups shod horses and treated their diseases. Catalan-Aragonese scribes used these terms and combined them: farrier-marshal (ferrer-menescal). The medieval marshalcy (horse doctoring) originated with farriers (blacksmiths) who became horse doctors. This made them very important in some areas, especially in towns and cities (Fig. 1). In the late Middle Ages, the duties of farriers and marshals (ferrer and menescal) became mixed up because both groups shoed horses and treated their diseases. Catalan-Aragonese scribes used these terms and combined them: farrier-marshal. Like the change from barber to barber-surgeon, the term “marshal” was linked to economic and social progress. This was done by reading books in Catalan that were popular during the late Middle Ages. These books taught them about their work. Blacksmiths and marshals were similar in other ways too. They were members of the same guilds and councils, learned together through an apprenticeship, and were both involved in the same trades. The technical sides of their jobs were similar. They fixed horseshoes and bridles, which were very complex and varied (see Fig. 2). This was also done by bridle makers (freners). These tasks were described in marshalcy treatises because they were essential for the horse’s movement and because they had therapeutic applications, especially for correcting natural defects.
The sources show that marshals in the Middle Ages only treated horses. However, this may be because the documents are not complete. It is possible that they treated other animals too, using the same principles. This can be confirmed in the modern period. In cities, marshals probably only treated horses and mules, which were the most valuable animals. In the countryside, they also treated animals used for farming. In towns and cities, they had plenty of work with horses. In the countryside, they treated other animals, which were more numerous but less lucrative. Owners were reluctant to pay for their medical treatment and often preferred to change them rapidly for other animals.
How did Caligula treat his horse?
Caligula’s favorite racehorse was Incitatus. He gave the horse treats and a stable made of marble. Soldiers were told to be quiet when the horse was sleeping. “He even planned to make the horse a consul.” All this comes from Suetonius. If even he repeats something as hearsay, beware. The story of the consul has become part of the Caligula myth. In Robert Graves’s novel I, Claudius, Caligula makes the horse a senator. In Lloyd C. Douglas’s book The Robe, he actually does it. He didn’t. Maybe he said his horse would make a better consul than the current ones, and the senate made it into a joke. Caligula might have seriously considered making his horse a consul to make fun of the senate. Nero made senators fight as gladiators and prostituted their wives.
How well does medieval times treat their horses?
When the horses slow down, the Master of Horses decides if it’s time for them to retire. It’s sad when a horse has to leave the castle. The bond between the horses and the knights is strong, and it can be sad for everyone. The horses go to the Chapel Creek Ranch to live out their retirement. The horses live out their lives in comfort. They give so much. The horses of Medieval Times enjoy retirement with the best care, food, warmth, and socializing with other horses on the ranch.
How were medieval horses fed?
In medieval England, horses ate oats in winter and were pastured in summer. Hay and straw were also used as feed, with chaff, bran, horse bread, and legumes (peas, beans, vetches) as minor components. Horses in Bohemia were fed mainly on barley and later on oats. Lenka Lisá, Miriam Fišáková Nývltová, Aleš Bajer, Libor Petr, Petr Kočár, Romana Kočárová, Ladislav Nejman, Michal Rybníček, Zdenka Sůvová, Randy Culp, Hanuš Vavrčík Medieval Horse Stable; Research Results. Miroslav Dejmal, Lenka Lisá, Miriam Fišáková Nývltová, Aleš Bajer, Libor Petr, Petr Kočár, Romana Kočárová, Ladislav Nejman, Michal Rybníček, Zdenka Sůvová.
Published: March 26, 2014; doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0089273.
What did grooms do in medieval times?
The grooms of a castle took care of the horses and other animals at the castle and for guests. Messengers delivered letters, receipts, and goods across the castle’s lands. Although messengers got special clothes and shoes, they also had to eat letters and seals they delivered to angry people. They could also be beaten and imprisoned. Castles often had their own hunting dogs and falcons. Huntsmen, falconers, and dog handlers trained these animals for years. A huntsman, often a knight, tracked the prey during a hunt and supervised others to ensure the lord and his associates had an easy target for their weapons and no mishaps occurred. Another member of the chaplain’s staff was the almoner, who gave out daily leftovers to the poor.
What did the Romans feed their horses?
The grain or fodder the ancients fed depended on where they lived and what was available. Roman authors said that barley was often the grain of choice for horses in many parts of the Mediterranean and Europe. Oats are rarely mentioned in ancient writings, but first appear in Roman documents around 100 CE. This is because oats did not become widely available until they were introduced via the Near East. This shows that ancient horse owners knew how to feed their horses. This knowledge has been passed down to this day.
How equine nutrition has changed over the last century. For many millennia, people have passed on information about feeding horses. But it was only in the last 100 years that we really understood equine nutrition. We now know more about why and how our horses eat.
Did medieval peasants marry for love?
Many couples married for money or because they were attracted to each other. Many marriages were unhappy. This is reflected in a popular saying of the time: No man ever marries without regretting it (Richards, 34).
Sex and Spouses: Marriage, Pleasure, and Sex. The church told women they could avoid sinning like Eve by becoming a nun or by having children. Most women were expected to marry and have children. Hostensius said that girls were ready for marriage once they were physically ready for sex, and the same was true for boys. However, girls could marry at a younger age because they reached puberty earlier. Boys usually reached puberty at age fourteen. Many couples didn’t marry for love or sexual attraction because of arranged marriages involving property. Many marriages were unhappy. This is reflected in a popular saying of the time: No man ever marries without regretting it. People in the lower classes only married for love or sex. Peasant marriages were not common because the poor did not need to exchange property. Marriage was also seen as a way to control sexual activity and desire. All sex outside of marriage was sinful. Most canonists and theologians believed sex within marriage was only acceptable for procreation. Most authors agreed that a good sexual relationship was good for marriage. They also agreed that desire and pleasure shouldn’t be the main things in these relationships. For example, Thomas Aquinas said that a man who slept with his wife only for pleasure was treating her like a prostitute (Brundage, 448). St. Jerome said in the 4th century that a man who loves his wife too much is an adulterer. This was a common belief until the 16th century. William of Pagula thought it was OK to marry for love, as long as it wasn’t the main reason. Procreation was seen as the only acceptable reason for marriage. The church made it clear that sex within marriage was for procreation. There were many rules about how it should be done. James Brundage says that sex in marriage should be planned and thought about carefully to avoid sin. The Summae Confessorum, a handbook for confessors published during the early thirteenth century, said that sexual activity between husband and wife was not allowed on certain days, including feast and fast days, Sundays, and when the woman was considered unclean. Most married couples could have sex less than once a week. In II.10 of the Decameron, Messer Ricciardo di Chinzica, who can’t keep up with his younger, lustier wife, finds a way to limit their sex life.
How did Romans treat horses?
Horses ate barley and each Equites Romani member got 6 bushels a month. Polybius says horses got 3.5 lbs a day.
Horses could get sick or hurt. The most common problem was lameness because horses were mostly barefoot. In battle, minor wounds could be treated, but the biggest threat came from infected wounds. Roman monuments show us a small, stocky animal. New research shows that the horses used in the military were smaller than we think. Much has been written about the size of the Roman horse. Roman horses in the west were about 13 to 14 hands tall, with some as tall as 15 hands.
Were the horses treated well in Lord of the Rings?
The Lord of the Rings franchise has been criticized for its treatment of live horses. In 2012, Peter Jackson was criticized for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Three horses and other farm animals died during production. PETA started a petition asking people not to see movies where animals are harmed. Jackson later said the claims were false.
What age did girls get married in medieval times?
You could get married at puberty, without your parents’ permission. In the Middle Ages, marriage was the only acceptable place for sex. Christians could marry from puberty on, usually at 12 for women and 14 for men. No parental consent was needed. When this law changed in England in the 18th century, the old rules still applied in Scotland. This made towns just over the border, like Gretna Green, a destination for English couples defying their families.
The wedding of Saints Joachim and Anne, the parents of Mary, the mother of God. Codex of Predis. (Photo by Prisma/UIG/Getty Images)
The medieval church said that couples should get married with their free consent. But in practice, families and social networks usually had a lot of influence over who couples married. People at all levels of society made arrangements for their widows and children. Everyone was expected to ask their lord for permission. Kings even consulted over their own and their children’s marriages. People of different classes were not allowed to marry.
How long do horses live in medieval times?
In medieval times, plow horses and oxen lived about five years, while cart horses lived about seven.
📹 Horses on Campaign in Medieval Times | Logistics & Transport
Description: In this video, Horses on Campaign in Medieval Times, Kevin Hicks delves once again into medieval history and …
Jason: Measuring a horse’s back is actually quite interesting and complex, you see… Mule: BOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBOREDBORED
When I was a little girl, a very long time past, pre flexi curves; we had a saddler come and measure a horse for a new saddle. He had a chamois leather cloth marked with a line down the centre and “stripes ” marked off the line each about 4″ or a ” hand ” apart. He used like you a strip of lead In exactly the same way as you did your flexi curve. When he next came it was ti check the fit of the wooden and steel tree. It sat on the horses back as though it was made of wet pasta! But with a gap over the withers. He then built the saddle around this tree to suit both his customer and the horse. I never got to sit in the saddle Horse too big and me too small, but I never forgot the process. I love your series. I learn a lot of things that I already know but it is a pleasure and a privilege to watch and listen to a true horseman. Believe me, I’ve known a lot of wannabes! Carry On Knightly!
I love perusal the mule & comparing it to a horse. It’s like the difference between a Labrador & a terrier. One will do what you asked just because you asked and they want to be a good boy, the other wants to know why & what is in it for them. Both are great but their personalities couldn’t be any more different. As the owner of 3 terriers, I think I I might like owning a mule.
Now I am thinking of a rhyme I heard or read when I was younger “On mules we find two legs behind and two we find before. We stand behind before we find what the two behind be for. When we’re behind the two behind we find what these be for. So stand before the two behind behind the two before.” ~ Esther J. Nelson Had to look it up on line to find to whom to attribute it, but I remembered the rhyme.
Forty years ago I had a half-Shetland hinny, bought from a rag and bone man. He used to roll at almost any opportunity, even tied up quite short like your mule! He’d been taught/had learnt at some time that rolling while harnessed or saddled was not acceptable, fortunately, and so he didn’t, but other than that, he’d roll if the opportunity arose. The best one was when I took him to visit a dementia day care centre and he rolled in the middle of the lawn and then did a big wee. He was much more ‘touchy-feely’ and generally physically affectionate that any of my horses or ponies.
Gosh when he dragged down the shields on the wall I burst out laughing, because I’ve had hoses done similar things (usually jackets or safety vests being pulled off down) when brushing them. I remember the stable I used to ride at having different extra padding layers to go between the vojlock and saddle depending on season, and having to explain to kids that no, they couldn’t just ignore putting the padding on (or use the padding on another horse). Never really thought much of it back then, just that we had some horses that needed extra padding and to be sure to check that it was the right one for each horse. Was wondering how long he was going to last when he started kicking at the ground covering before rolling. Did not get disappointed by his silliness and decision to roll right after you had specifically told him not too.
Aw! Your mule may have resisted being named but he certainly has opened up since you got him! He seemed so tense and closed down in the first article, then there was the riding through the woods article (which I loved!) so I knew you were making progress, but this article? Wow. He’s really interested in you, not afraid to show what he wants and even showed some affection in how he didn’t bite you when he nosed at your back and arm. What a funny, smart and perceptive animal he is! I’m sure all that praise and kindness is having a great effect on him. Well done! I’d love to see a article of him turned out to play in the arena sometime. Thank you so much for showing how to measure a horse or other equine’s back for saddling. That was fascinating.
Thank you so much for sharing this article, Jason! Unfortunately, I had a friend sadly pass away in a sudden and terrible fall from being bucked off her horse. She and her mother did not measure the saddle correctly, and use proper padding and support, for an off-the-track Thoroughbred gelding with an injured back/spine that they had rescued to “rehabilitate”. This is why measuring saddles and support properly is crucially important.
No Name seems very bright. I especially liked when he figured out how to roll while being tied. He will be so much fun for you to work with. I had a horse with a very independent mind and even though he was frustrating times he bore his way into my heart and when I lost him I felt I lost someone very special and I miss him to this day. There is a big empty space in my heart, the bugger took it with him. Hang in there with No Name he will give great joy when you least expect it.
He seemed quite interested in what you were drawing haha! He is such a character. I think it’s also wonderful how much he seems to like you, obviously he needs to learn when it’s time to actually listen to you, but it really seems like he trusts you a great deal and is – as much as it’s possible to be anyway – friends with you. perusal him was both hilarious and fascinating, honestly! I think he’s quite the most wonderful mule ever! I knew saddle making was extremely complicated and a specialist profession, but I’d never considered just how measurements were ever managed for the saddle tree. I suppose I thought they had some sort of general starting shape, that they then cut down in some manner until it was the proper way. But I can see that would be more time consuming (and potentially more annoying for the horse and the artisan and anyone else involved). So does this mean, then, that a horse’s shape is made into some kind of form – like a cobbler makes a unique last of someone’s foot? I hope he got to have a good long roll and a nice ride as well to burn off all that energy! Thank you so very much once again! Your updates always make my day, but most especially when your animals are part of the lesson!
As a person who has ridden and worked with a few mules over the past few years, I can tell you they will test your horsemanship. They think about everything all the time, and when they know their job they do it well and they want to do it all the time. Mules also roll a lot more than horses do don’t know where in their DNA they get that from, but a great reward for after a ride is to let them roll. My mule loves it, better than any treats. Love perusal you work with him.
This article illustrates one of the big problems with history. You’re explaining things to us that people back then took for granted. Horses, saddles, and harnesses were so much a part of daily life that they never thought to record some of the things they did. If you went to a medieval person and said, “You’ve got to adjust a saddle to meet the changing conditions,” they’d roll their eyes and say whatever the medieval equivalent of “Well, duh!” was. But it is new and interesting information to us because most of us don’t have horses as part of our daily lives. The problem for the historian is that people don’t often record the “Well, Duh!” stuff. That’s how we lost so much of the past.
Always felt the expression “stubborn like a mule” was misunderstood. They are intelligent and it’s about understanding and working/incorporating their natural abilities and personality. They are very independent thinkers and I think they know they are big characters….at least the ones I met! He’s a beauty….never saw a salt and pepper one!
I picked up a hobby during quarantine; altering model horse figurines and making tack for them. The way the community makes custom fitted saddles for Breyer and CollectA models is by putting seran wrap around the torso and then slap on clay and let it harden to get the form for the saddle right for each model. Do you think this sorta thing could be done with a real horse in some way? Like, putting a piece of leather onto them and then slapping on clay (+ hay to speed up the process and lighten the load) or something different. Likely while stalling them so they barely move. I don’t know IF they even cared for a correctly fitting saddle, but this is probably the easiest way to get the shape as accurate as possible.
What a good lad, bless him. He just wanted his mates and a good old roll. I think he did very well. Thanks for the article, it’s so nice to see The Mule With No Name again 🙂 I can’t believe there is still no name though 😆 What do you call to him if you’re calling him in from the field? That Bray/neigh is absolutely hilarious, sounds like a dragon. Its nice he has a good home now, he must have had a fairly uncomfortable old life before he came to you with all his scars.
Oh my gosh, I’m absolutely in love with no-name mule. He’s such a character and so utterly lovable. Frisky and stubborn with a mind of his own yet gentle, sensitive and intelligent. What an awesome personality, even if it might be not the easiest one to train with. lol 😀 Also, his ears alone had me melting since day one.
Loved the article; I’m impressed how much care and concern is taken for a proper fitting. Senor No Name is such a lovable rascal…actually, Rascal, or particularly Scamp, wouldn’t be a bad name for him. 😊 P.S. — In keeping with his Spanish origin, Picaro (sp. for scamp) would also be a worthy name (IMO).
3:38 he wanted to smell his dung. Looked, couldn’t reach and got frustrated. The human doesn’t seem to realize (which is more than OK, he’s talking to camera and holding the mule) so the mule protests, and gets really gently corrected. It is wonderful to watch someone who does not read ‘dominance’, ‘naughtyness’ or ‘stubbornness’ in every action of an equine. Moreover, he thinks the reason might be the mule doesn’t like to be standing there, so he decides to get to it fast. How absolutely wonderful, really. Mules do like to explore more than horses do, which also makes them more resistant to getting spooked. At 11:11 he again gets restless for the same reason, wanting to check his dung pile. Anyway, thank you for your content
He is such a handsome mule, and I’m guessing as stubborn as they are reputed to be, you are a lucky man, but you know that don’t you. I’d love to know how many hours a week on average you get to work with your horses, in fact I’d love to see a day in the life of Mr Kingsley OBE, its probably a lot more mundane than I think it is, but back in my Youth horses were my life but as I was from a working class family I was never going to have my own horse, then like many before me I became a teenage and found boys, or rather the other way around, at the tip old age of 67, I can now say, I should have stuck with horses. So if you ever get a chance to show us a day in your life as a horse owner and mule owner I’d love to see a article of that. Why still no name for your mule?
How about naming him “Adonias” which is Latin for mule? A Stable owner I know who’s family has run the stable in lyminge for meny meny generations said they used to be meny ways to measure saddles for horses which included taking a sort of cast of the animals back using a form of whatlinge (clay or mud usual over a blanket or linen sometimes with grass addad to strengthen) . I have no idea if this is true but I know it was a medieval way of making a cast for an injury usually for a animal.
Dear Jason. I suggested a method of forming a 3D re-usable template using wet parchment and I also suggested that you try out this method yourself, but I understand that you may be reluctant to leave a wet sheet on the back of your horse until it dries out, so you could bring the whole idea into the 21st century by placing a very thin sheet of polythene or even several layers of cling-film on the animal’s back first to prevent any chance of rheumatism or anything like that. I’m sure that it would only take an hour or so for the wet parchment to dry out and stiffen completely on a warm day. Also, I know that you like to wear medieval clothing but please tell me that you don’t wear a codpiece….. please!
Silly the Mule: jason im bored Jason: I don’t actually know how they measured a horse’s back in the Medieva… Silly: jason i said im bored Jason: I can’t go into depth on this topic because I’m not a speciali… Silly: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA (we’ll assume for our purposes that el mulo ha aprendido a hablar inglés)
dude, if I may, sir… I want to say thank you for all your hard work and love of history. And your horses are wonderful, and beautiful, as are you. I thought the Arabian white was gonna kill me by trampling…. when I hunted and wanted to cross his field.. after two charges at full gallop and intimidation, I froze… then, a gentle nibble on my shoulder, and I held my head down, but.. damn, horses rock.. so lifted up my arm (not the one holding my bow of course, just really also wanted to make friends with that horse), nibble, on shoulder, the flapping lip smaking… to get my attention, and arm went up to cradle his neck… then the mares all five of them or so (memory kinda sometimes runs low) well heck, they were all then surrounding me, nickering, and neighing, and jumping gently…. and we all laughed at what a sight that day was… ever since, I would pack in by backpack carrots, some sugar, and apples as a bribe and I whistled Gaspar Sanz Canarios tune, by favourite song.. made me feel big, made me feel strong…….. I whistled to let that herd know, I wanted to cross their home to look for the deer, but mostly, I wanted my friends to come near. Ya know? but even though this was meant for another online friend, he asked what we were rocking out to.. and that was no mistake, I recorded this as soon as I heard.. sometimes a tune, or song… well….. heard, herd, horse hoarse… no matter what, the whistle can come, and is so wonderful and lifts the heart. Anne Bolyne the song, the joke, we had when building houses an old friend of ours, justice of the peace from Rosedale Alberta.
Love articles of the Mule with no name! He is wonderful and I adore his little boisterous antics, please do more articles with him! I am a reenactor so I mainly used to watch your articles for the historical stuff but I also enjoy the horse/mule content tremendously and I’ve learnt so much! I love perusal you interacting with your animals, you are so gentle and patient.
I’m pretty sure that was mule speak for, “Hurry the hell up! I’m bored, and I want to roll in the dirt!” Also where the phrase, “Stubborn as a damned old mule,” comes from. 😉 I have plenty of experience with horses but very little experience with mules, although I have a friend who swears he’d take a good mule over any kind of a horse every day of the week, especially on rough terrain.
Jason brushes the dirt off of his back and two minutes later he rolls in the dirt. As if to say “I liked it dirty, what the heck man?!”. He also seemed pretty upset about his white spot being discussed on camera. 😀 I’m utterly in love with him. His personality has me giggling and heart-warmed simultaneously every second he’s on camera.
I do a great deal of leather work. A trick I’ve found when needing to take a form from a complex shape, is to use a cotton canvas (like painters canvas) that I’ve soaked in bee’s wax. You press it around whatever the object is, remove, and then you have a semi rigid material to easily pattern from. I would do that here to first get a pattern to make the fabric pad, design the tree, then fit the leather parts.
Maybe this is the Army in me, but having been in the field for weeks I have an easy solution. One thats easy to figure out being in the same clothes in mud and sweat for weeks on campaign. Linen or other thin blanket. Field muck. Thin mud. The general field muck will make that blanket stiff as hell. Add thin layers of mud over the top. I and I’m sure many vets have had uniforms that after a week or two in the field will stand up on their own. Pull it straight up of the back. It will sort of collapse in on itself, but the mud and muck will stiffen it enough that it should crack the mud but not enough for it to fall off. Then you simply lay it out standing “up” and gently pull it apart until the thin cracks disappear on their own. You now have a basic and fairly accurate mold of the animal, that can take a fair bit of weight, especially if you are just making a cloth pattern. You also don’t have to waste the cloth since you can use it as padding for the finished saddle. It’s something so obvious to someone that’s lived in battlefield conditions, it wouldn’t need to be recorded “cause everyone already knows”. It is so simple that even if it was lost it would very likely be rediscovered, but also so simple its like to only ever passed down verbally again anyway.
I’m a horse trainer in Canada and saw a mule jump at Spruce meadows for the first time a few years back. The reaction was very positive here and I can’t imagine why there would be any push back. I have no experience working with mules, only horses but these articles show happy and relaxed animals doing the job every bit as well as a horse. In some cases the mules appear the jump more easily and with better form!
I’m wondering if they used what we often use in construction… a template. Shooting from the hip here so bear with me but if you took something that is plaiable when wet and gets fairly rigged when dried, you could place it on the horse’s back wet and allow it to dry. Once dried you could remove it, flip it over and maybe fill it with clay or something that will add a lot of strength to the template once it is dried as well. Once the template is complete, it would just be a matter for the leatherworker to form the leather to the template which is an exact replica of the horse’s back and could withstand being pounded to shape. You’d only need the horse around for as long as it takes it to dry and I think it would be a far more accurate fit to the horse’s back than trying to transfer a large number of measurements. This whole template process would be something an apprentice could handle easily freeing up the craftsman for the more skill-intensive work.
Hi Jason! Thanks for sharing with us again! I love your Mule with No Name, he is so funny! Please show more of him? I would have loved to see him role in the dirt some more. I just love the way you handle your animals. Only where you had him get used to that bit, I felt real sorry for him. But I don’t know much about horses or mules, etc., unfortunatelly I never got to be around them much. I really enjoy you sharing yours with us, and everything you teach us! Thank you! Have a beautiful day!
Beautiful! I have not spent so much time studying an equine as I have perusal you with your mule and your previous two articles with this animal. I adore his coat! I was amazed by your white mare Gossamer. Her eyes were arresting! I shall watch for more forthcoming articles with this mule and endeavour to ride at some point in the future. Thank you for inspiring me!
I had such an adverse reaction to this website months ago by its name (TV), I thought It was some British tv show throwing extra content to YouTube to be hip. God was I ever so wrong! This website and this man are truly magnificent and every history dork, like me, should love and respect the hard work, dedication and intelligence of this website. Plus, I grew up with dogs and cats but shit now I want to learn to be around horses if I ever get the chance. SO much power, personality and Majesty… not to speak of their enormous role in the history of mankind!
Very nice article, nicely explained. I’m an endurance rider- it looks like our saddles are pretty dang close to the medieval saddle (basically a seat, a tree, bars, and some padding). I have my saddle so that I can adjust the padding throughout the season to make sure all the weight is nicely spread on the back. It’s definitely harder when you have a saddle with a wider surface area. When you get it right though, ultimately better for the animal!
Hello Jason, I enjoy your articles. You are a good instructor and interviewer. Your patience and horsemanship are commendable. I especially love your mule, No Name. It is spirited and gorgeous! I believe it has found the right owner! No Name just loves you! Thank you for such a pleasant and informative article.
Horse w/ no name: Still in training. More lessons 2 B learned. Master horse trainer: Needs more training in student misbehavior. (Tongue and cheek comment) from a mum and teacher!! Interesting article. Older members of my family R Native American. Have heard similar stories of having 2 different sets of ‘riding comforts’ be it, blanket combinations or much later (for them in history) blankets. Thank you once again 4 another great article.
You’ve got a great looking mule. Im jealous. But hopefully next year my daughters mare will be heading to a big Mammoth Jack to give me a gated mule. You get him doing that little running walk that most mules have you will enjoy it. Most of them can do it all day. Id never tell a man how he needs to discipline his animal but having been a muleskinner my entire life ill tell you that you need a very heavy hand when you discipline a mule. There will be times you have to remind him who is the real boss. He’s beautiful and obviously a great mule. How tall is he? Please keep sharing his progress.
In fact, people like you are groundbreakers, innovaters and pioneers. Thanks so much for giving these glimpses into the worlds history. You are a treasure! God views and values us as individuals- not as cultures nor nations. You are the opposite of groupthink- I think that is superior!!! I treasure all your films! Best fortune with Modern History and slso with your business!!!🌹
Good luck fitting Mr. Mule! He was quite curious about your drawing at around 12:12, very cute. I know mostly about American western saddles for trail riding, but generally when tacking mules with western saddles we need britchen, breastcollars, and two girths if we want stability when going up and down slopes due to how darn flat their backs are. I’ve seen illustrations of medieval horses wearing similar set ups, though I’m unsure of how historically accurate these are.
Great article and I want to thank you for your love of this part of history which is one of my favorites. For the marking to make the saddle, is it possible to make a paper-mache kinda of mold like the one they did for your armour? that way there is a “solid” form to build the saddle around. Just a thought
Howdy Jason…from Ft. Worth, TEXAS! I have to laugh, as I live on 1 acre and behind me on 20 acres are 3 mules who’ve been my neighbors for 15 years! One looks like a Paint/Pinto horse 🐎. Mules are very common on ranches in Texas as they guard cattle/livestock against wolves/coyotes, great guardians. You have one HANDSOME MULE, his color and character! I’D call him LANCE/LANCER after SIR LANCELOT, and the medieval war tool. 🥰
As a mule riding equestrian, I have greatly enjoyed your series of mule films. I have recomended them to people trying to get a basic understanding of the difference between mules and horses. Bitting mules is often challenging (mouths are a bit of a different shape than a horse); I think we have more options for mule bits in the States, as riding and driveing mules here is more common. We have gaited mules, and I wonder if the medieval world did, too. I may refer to mine as an “ambling mule” now, for fun. Looking forward to an update!
Love your website, Jason. This is sooooooo interesting. I had always wondered how the horse was measured for a saddle. It never made sense what was written or what I was told even by people who were supposed to know. That flexi-curve is so excellent. My sisters horses strides are shorter when the saddles are too close or partly over their shoulders. We always put the saddles slightly further back for their comfort. Does your mule have a name now?
My great grandfather took me to his attic once to get some things and I saw some old rawhide strips in similar shapes. I asked what they were and he told me, “that’s Joab’s back.” That was his old walking horse, long dead. So, at least in the mountains of Virginia in the 1930s, it seems they would moisten some rawhide strips and press them onto the animal’s back and then trace them before the warped and twisted.
I bought a mule that had been ridden poorly with a poorly fitting saddle. Until it completely healed he wouldn’t consider anything on his back. Obviously his injury has healed and I’m glad you are looking to fit him well. I wouldn’t use a crupper on him- rather a britchin – he has decent withers – nice.
“I’m staying a little bit away from his dangerous end”… few seconds later at 4:18 Mulie: “but I can do things with my head too!” 🛡🛡⏬😂😂😂 “Don’t roll please” “don’t roll”. Two seconds later Mulie is rolling. 😂😂😂 And you just stand there 😕. Man, I love you both!😘😘😘 But great informative article with the help of an enormously bored awesome mule! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Would you consider making a article featuring your horses/Mule with no name? Maybe where you got them, what kind of horse they are, region where they came from, why you have them etc etc. Not sure how that would relate to medieval history but they’re such a big part of your website, it would be cool to get to know your co-stars!
You do a pretty good job of explaining the basics of saddle fit. Your mule is quite underweight and lacking muscle right now, so any saddle you get now will need to be able to accomodate him when he puts on weight and muscle, as you mentioned. You can address his behavior, but it will take time and patience. Spending the time to do it now will pay off for his lifetime.
Extremely interesting article, sir. I had assumed saddles were shaped like armour in that a plaster mold was made of the horse’s back and the saddle fitted to it but the flexible curve you used seems to work. I don’t know if the animal would let you put plaster of paris or paper mache on it’s back so maybe it wouldn’t work.
That flexible curve is very useful — I’ve never seen one before. I wonder, though, if you shouldn’t also use it to measure the curve of the equid’s spine, marking along that longitudinal curve where you took the V-shaped measurements. Especially if you were taking it to a saddlemaker rather than making the saddle yourself — and especially since most modern saddlemakers would be unfamiliar with mules — I would think that would be an important additional piece of information.
I grew up withy dad in the english saddle and tack shop he had. We would drive a few towns away to the saddle maker, he had to be 65 when my dad was 30 or so and i was 15. The saddle maker or repair man would ask the address of the person, a phone number if they could not bring the horse to him he would drive out to measurer the horse right. After saddle was built then he would ask the person to come sit so to fit the saddle to person also. Not a cheep saddle but a well fitted one! A lost art in the USA.
He’s smart enough to want to follow you back when you go to transfer the shapes to the paper; I bet he turns out to be a real pleasure to work with, and becomes very attached to you after a little time! What name have you given him; with such beautiful grey gradations, I think I’d see how he feels like answering to “Patina”. :D. Either that or “Bennis”, after the Seinfeld character, Elaine Bennis, as he reminds me of character dancing, when he’s got a surplus of energy and kicks his hooves about and tosses his head Thank you for the educational posts!
He seems to have lost a his lovely round(ish) rump in the 7 (?) months since you got him. What a shame. He is looking lean and angular now, not soft and cuddly. Hope the saddle turns out well fitting, but I would have liked more flesh on his spine prior to measuring, if he were mine. Looking forward to seeing the first fitting. Is it being made in the UK? Does the maker have a website we can visit? Thanks.
If I were to take a stab at it, I’d proffer 3 potential techniques (or a combination of them: 1. Saddlemakers may have had a multitude of precut frames that they then attempted to match up on the animal’s saddle regions. These frames could’ve been labeled and the specific frame numbers kept for reference in crafting. 2. They could’ve used long, thin slats of pliable wood bound together with cord. The slats could slide over each other and used to hold a curve with tension in the wood and the cords. Think of the process of bow-making in Japan. 3. A wet felt blanket formed to the back, then removed once it was dry to create a soft mould.
That sound at 0:37 and 0:46 feels like a clip of a anxial flow jet engine starting up. (I don’t know what that sound clip is actually from and would be curious to know) But in the first time the sound hits while the view is of someone in rather substantial helm creates and interesting juxtaposition between the view of centuries old high end military tech, and the sound of modern high end military tech (after all so much expensive military equipments from cargo planes and helicopters, to AWACS, to attack aircraft, to drones, to destroyers and cruisers are powered by some varients of an axial flow gas turbine.)
Enjoyed this – my grandfather worked with mules during WWI. I have a question, though, about your voice commands to your horses/mule while riding. Would silent commands, like those used in dressage, be preferable? Silent commands wouldn’t alert the enemy to a rider and in the heat of a noisy battle, silent commands could still be communicated to the horse. Just a thought!
I cannot recall the exact reference now, but I believe it is from an Allied WWII campaign where the ship carrying the cavalry/pack horses/mules for the invasion had to push the animals over the side (as you describe) to get them to swim to shore. Unfortunately, the animals grouped up and started swimming in the opposite direction, out to sea! The handler, thinking quickly and smartly, got out the bugle and sounded “retreat” at which point the animals turned around and swam safely towards the shore!
I have never left a comment on youtube but without a doubt Mr Hicks is among the very best at this genre I have seen, his pieces are well researched and he is a natural story teller. As a history graduate originally and former army reservist (my own operational outing was Bosnia) he really strikes a chord with me. One of the very few who can really get beneath the surface of what it felt like to live, work and fight in past times. Quite outstanding work.
Watching military logistics articles from this time period gives you a greater appreciation for why leaders who managed to get their troops to a battle “a day or two faster than expected” was such a monumental feat and an amazing tactical move of the times. It was a monumental task to move at normal speeds let alone double time.
As someone who has a 16 hh mare that is generally regarded as small, it is absolutely wild to me how small horses were in the past. Sure, people were less tall as well, but putting a full grown man (plus armpur!) on a pony and expecting it to last the whole battle – that’s some mad respect deserved by the horse!
This was incredibly interesting and something I had not given much thought to either. The logistics and planning required just to procure and transport the horses was immense, let alone the men, baggage train, weapons, armour and food! While on the subject, can you imagine the huge cavalry forces the Mongols used to field, 30,000 men on horses or more. The amount of food and care required to do such a thing is truly mind boggling. Thanks again Kevin.
This is a very interesting subject Kevin. Growing up on a farm in Michigan, we had cattle & hogs. Most people don’t realize the care that’s necessary for a large herd of cattle. I know for a fact that a large steer or horse can suck down 5 gallons of water in just seconds when there thirsty. The logistics your discussing here would have been mind boggling for there campaigns. Thanks so much for this presentation.
Great models, as always! Funny how horses are treated in works of fiction, like sports cars that the heroes can jump on and ride, then jump off of to get on with their “heroing.” Horses are surprisingly delicate animals, requiring quite a lot of care to keep fit. Also, actual warhorses had such a fearsome reputation that it has been said a destrier’s worth might be measured in the number of grooms it had killed. =^(.)^=
I love these YouTube History websites. Decades ago, I was the guy sitting down perusal The History website and Discovery website, etc all night long before there was a YouTube. As far as YouTube, I love “The History Guy” (general and varied history) and Mark Felton(mainly WWII), but Kevin here is my absolute favorite. I want to buy an “I’ve made a model” t-shirt!
Enjoyed this and often visit the Royal Armouries in Leeds. I have 6 horses myself. The horse has served mankind well for centuries. The Boer War lasted 970 days and over 300 horses died daily. Few horses have returned from wars and the ordinary soldier couldn’t afford to bring his beloved equine home.
Brillant. Very well explained. Years ago I met a fella – Charlie Pasco, I think was his name – who once brought and sold horses for the British army in Inda. He told my husband and I many things about the selection, and breeding of the horses he had always called Bounders. History knows them as Walers (Australian stockhorses of colonial bloodlines) We were traveling from the Northern Territory to NSW (with a Waler, bred wild/feral in the NT. and my Anglo Arab) at the time and were stopped in Queensland for a couple of days, I wish we could have spent more time with this fella. So many stories. He spoke a little about the logistics of transporting by ship from Aust. to Inda. One story I remember was of an Officer who wanted a piebald, so at length they did find and buy a piebald for him… which do you think was the first horse to die on that voyage!
In addition, this knight would’ve had to have carrying capacity for his armor, tent, effects, and that of his squire’s. He’d also have had to have room to carry for whatever plunder or ransom he may capture in battle. So I’d imagine he’d most definitely have more than one work horse in addition to his spares, his charger, his courser, and his palfrey.
Thanks for yet another fascinating article and for taking the time to illustrate it with your beautiful models. So many points I hadn’t considered, especially regarding the loading and unloading of these magnificent beasts. The image of grooms swimming dozens or even hundreds of horses to shore is captivating.
Wish I had people like you as history teachers during my school time. I might have actually learned something. Horses are such underrated and important animals in pre industrial society we should give them more credit. During Napoleons retreat from Russia and rebuilding of his grande armee the biggest issue he faced was reassembling new cavalry units. Soldiers can be trained in a few weeks and you will always find men willing to fight, horses however need to bred and trained far longer to be used as war animals on the battlefield.
I think of the logistics of loading and carrying horses on a campaign, particularly on ship and I feel like Scrooge talking to Marley: “I’d rather not.” I have some experience with horses and riding myself, nothing like a great big charger but something that a yeoman might have; I think the closest we could get to one is an Icelandic pony. Not only have the Icelandics never been bread with another breed they have a special gait that is halfway between with canter and trot and the amazing thing is that gait barely bounces the rider so you can ride for quite a while with out getting sore or tired and for the ponies it’s almost like putting them in autopilot.
We’ve always had horses, my dad always said it’s all about experience, you get a young horse who hasn’t experienced anything eg sounds, ropes bridles etc, he spooks at everything, yet the 15 yo horse is quiet, cause he’s experienced everything and learned he won’t die! He always made sure to put an older horse or donkey in with the young ones cause the older horses are quiet and not flighty and teach the young one to stay calm, It’s absolutely fascinating to think about, I know horses and the horses you think a knight would ride is a heavy horse, with not great agility so when you said about the get away horse it makes so much sense that he’s a smaller agile horse that doesn’t tire as quickly ❤❤
I love all of your articles, especially when dealing with medieval history. But this one really got my attention. My dad was a farrier, so I grew up with horses and am always looking for details related to them in film. A little side note: farriers often have a bit of smithing knowledge. While the shoes are most often prefabricated, many farriers travel with an acetylene torch and anvil in order to shape shoes to a perfect fit. Thanks for all that you do, and keep them coming!
Interesting history! I also enjoyed learning the origin of the word “constable”. My husband has a lot of family in Mississippi involved in horse work. His nephew is a farrier, and the nephew and others have kept horses and done endurance rides. An uncle managed an Arabian horse ranch for years. It is amazing they moved those horses with what little they had back then!
In a book on swordmanship written in medieval times, there is a passage about a travelling knight beset by “50 ruffians”. It doesn’t say if the knight was wearing his armour, but he was travelling by himself, so I would recon he was on his palfrey and wearing just his normal travelling clothes. The account does say that the 50 ruffians came a right cropper and had to be tended by the local monks (who recorded the attack in their daily log book) with the result being hands, arms and feet being cut off the ruffians. There is no record of the knight suffering any injuries. Of course knights travelling by themselves would be a bit odd I should think, but not un-heard of if they were just on a very local journey to another castle or great house. Travelling by themselves wearing armour and on a charger? Not likely. Hollywood has a lot to answer for and thankyou for the effort you put into these article’s, you make me want to study medieval history more.
Another fascinating article Kev!! I never knew this about the horses. I did know that jousting was a practice for a war situation. So obviously blacksmiths & farriers would have been taken on campaign too! A huge amount of organisation for a campaign as you’ve touched on before. Keep the great articles coming mate! Dave.
I American from very early English and Irish Colonists. We have been farming here to this Day. My family raised Horses and Mules for Agriculture. I must say that none of this activity would have been possible without Mules and Oxen. They were important for hauling supplies. Just look at the reruns of Gunsmoke. Old Festus rode a Mule@!
I was at the Hermitage and there was a temporary exhibition of mounted armored knights on stuffed massive tank horses. Sitting in front of that charging line of five knights in different armor kits (one was in black armor & white feathers), with a flimsy red cord barrier around them, really brought in what it must have felt to be a lowly footman about to get trampled. Truly scary, and brave of anyone facing such.
Although I have absolutely no interest in horses … you still manage to make me think … “give me more knowledge, I want … no wait !! I NEED to know more about Horses on Campaign”👌 It’s a real pleasure to see how must you enjoy telling stories and sharing your knowledge… I get a bit of awe, when I think about how much work, research and planning goes into each and every one of your articles. .. for that I am truly grateful.🙏 many thanks for showing and please keep up the good work 👍
Mr Hicks. Your models and garb remind me of learning programmes in the early 70’s, on the telly that I watched when I was a lad before Rainbow came on. No CGI, or fancy graphics &c. This is pure nostalgia for me but fascinating nonetheless. A real joy I must say. CONSTABLE? Wow I never knew that. I know you watched ‘How’ .I will be perusal your website alongside my lady bird books. My form teacher was called Miss Palfreyman and she explained to us what her surname meant.Keep it up good buddy.
Kevin, can you talk (make a article) about the history of horses in Europe and the correlation of work animals to stock animals? For instance? The idea of dogs being pets is a relatively new thing, and horse meat is readily sold in many part of Europe today. I would love to hear the realities and evolution of medieval Europeans to domesticated animals as a whole. Maybe do a separate article for dogs?
“The Wolf Time” ( George Shipway ) explores the concept of mounted archers. It seems the Moors had developed a breed of small agile horse which crucially, could be guided using the legs . Also, a type of chain mail was necessary as this was the most supple type of armour. The book is a work of fiction but I ‘m certain it was well grounded in solid research.
Another really interesting article Kevin thank you, but in reference to the horse known as the, courser was used as a hunting mount, coursing is cross-country hunting either on horseback or on foot with dogs as in hare coursing, so it was probably the only dual use horse in the night stable, hunting and as you say a fast get away 😎🏹🙏
It is amazing how the invention of the combustion engine wiped out this whole era of horses in about 15 years. Which is itself being wiped out with the technology of electric vehicles and self driving robotaxis. Barnet, in North London has a famous horse fair which started in 1588, It found its way into Cockney Rhyming slang — “Barnet Fair” rhymed with Hair. So you’d be off to the barbers to have your ‘barnet fair’ cut. Further obscured by shortening it to just “Barnet”— I can’t come out tonight I’m washing my barnet. A Cockney is a Londoner born within the sound of Bow church bells. They have their own “pearly king and queen. The English can be very silly. The fair is still going. Great article. I’m off up the apples & pears to bed now.
This is awesome my family had horses since the family homestead property 200 + years ago still have it. We used to keep them till my grandfather passed about 15 years ago now, we always had quarter horses for the most part, pretty big breed to other i have seen, love it! My last quarter horse was name, Ridge mostly all smokey black and shiney huge such a sweet and protective horse i miss him.
@6:55 You are so right. I had a bull that turned nasty on us. I carried a shock stick on the tractor in case I had to keep him ham at baye. It fell off somewhere in the high grass so I took the quarter horse out to find it. I found the shock stick (in the shape of a pipe 75cm long) and got off to retrieve it and the horse went to grazing as soon as I got off. I held the shock stick in my left hand and put my hand to the horn as I put my foot in the stirrup and went to mount the saddle when she picked her head up, she saw this strange pipe and in full quarter horse fashion took off before I was seated in the saddle. By the time I could bail she was going full speed and I hit the ground harder than any time before or since. I leaned, let the horse know what you have in your hand or on your person BEFORE MOUNTING!
There was also a “traveling” horse that could “canter” and carry a rider a LONG way than their “regular” horse they used for shorter distances. Not necessarily for battle or war time. But, IF you needed to MARCH a LONG WAY this type of horse would be invaluable. I think I watched a Hicks article about them….
Kevin I’m in the opinion you could talk about grass growing for 20-30 minutes and make it riveting. I really believe that. Every article is just like wow 20 minutes has passed, but I feels likes in only been 2-3 minutes. Absolutely amazing. You have a very special gift for gab. As my mom says. Even with your explanation being so detailed for a short article it’s just a wealth of information on whatever subject your discussing/explaining. It almost always leaves me disappointed, and craving more. Well done brother. One of the best websites on YouTube. I wish we had your articles back in the days of vinyl records, and tape cassettes. Sure would of helped with my history classes! You would of made a brilliant teacher, or college professor. This from an old army ranger! Lead the way brother!
Ive always been intrigued with medieval times. Ive always wanted to go back and see first hand how they did things. Your website has definitely answered alot of my questions and you my friend have earned yourself another subscriber and I eagerly await more articles about stuff I never though of. Keep up the good work! Thank you for the content.
Greetings once again from nova Scotia, thank you for covering a huge part of history, the logistics behind the scenes. I must admit I never really thought about the reality of every day life, like in the movies, everything is just there,ready for use. Thanks again, be safe, and as always best regards, Arthur