@@Stephen_Curtin Apparently, he mostly uses spear and sometimes a sword so it's not exactly this but it's related and good content anyway. Thanks for the tip.
@@pRahvi0 I know I've seen one video where he talks about using a spear in two hands from horseback and not just for thrusting but for hitting with also. I'm not sure if he mentions it or not but the same techniques could be applied to cut oriented polearms like the guandao. I think that the video had something to do with horse safety in the title. Anyway his ideas about spear and shield from horseback are really interesting and I love to hear what Jason and Matt think about them.
Historians: Let's analyze from historical records and physics how weapons were probably used in combat during medieval times. This guy: Hold my chainmail, lemme get one of my horses and some of my polearms...
Thrano The general idea behind experimental archaeology is that there’s only so much you can learn without trying to do the thing yourself. At some point, the only way to find out more about whether something is plausible is to actually try it.
actually the proper way is to do both, first find out as much as you can from records, books and archeological findings, then try out how Things work. then the experimentation gives hints on how Things in the books and records have to be interpreted, and so on.
My favorite thing about this channel is the way Jason treats his horses. The irony always makes me smile: A horse named Warlord, a flawlessly faithful, intimidating, fearless, indomitable machine of destruction. And how did Jason train it to be so? By treating it with absolute kindness, understanding, and gentleness. "Good boy."
@@ModernKnight Have you done a video on how people treated horses in the middle ages? Did they treat them well or were they simply a tool to fulfill an objective. Might be an interesting video.
@@MaggotDiggo1 They used dirty great pointed spurs, so not much kindness I think. I remember reading about a prosecution for cruelty to animals in the 18th century - half a millenium later - and most people thought it was a terrific joke that anyone would be silly enough to mind what happened to an animal.
Idk maybe the horse is having a blast and was as excited as the rest of us when the dummy's helmet came flying off. Now this horse has a weapons system to wear on their back
@@ilayohana3150 trained horses are use to it and are usually what we call bombproof temperaments aka not much gets to them and chill. No different than training them to jump over things they'd be scared to normally. Hell one the horses I ride is trained to tolerate me doing archery off it's back
If the projections weren't there, it would be more likely to glance off armor plates. Like the Bec de Corbin, it's not a flat surface so it will have a tendency to dig into the plate and deliver more impact.
@@lawrencemorris2261 I said more likely. The projections help prevent that from happening. Sure, you will have times where you'll hit properly and transfer full force, but there will also be times where you don't have the optimal angle of attack and the blow will, in fact, glance and not transfer as much force if the hammer's head was smooth. Many warhammers from that time have small spikes on their heads or split like his bec-de-corbin, and it seems unlikely that they were used to either pierce armor or make it hurt more against lightly armored foes..
@@ModernKnight Have to say, I've always wondered why cavalry didn't use long chopping or crushing polearms and just gallop perpendicular to enemy formations causing havoc as they went. It seems a somewhat more safe, effective, and potentially dynamic approach than charging into a formation with a lance, even on a flank, or using a saber with limited reach. Your video seems a good demonstration that this could very well be the case. Kind of wonder why they didn't, now.
@@phillipanselmo8540 a ton is only 2,000 lbs/ ~900 kg. depending on the breed and the hands (height) a horse can weigh that much. Considering adult horses weigh between 800-2,200lbs it's not uncommon for them to weigh a ton just typically a very tall horse or a draft horse.
@@zacharyvowles6513 that doesn't change horses are a ton themselves before the man and armor occurs. the person I was talking to thought horses were max 1,500lbs no matter the breed.
Warlord is such a steady boy. It’s brilliant to see this being done practically instead of a theory. Best way to see if you’re right or not in how they did it
Once I watched a horse trainer in Texas run through a pretty impressive reigning sequence with his horse. When he stopped, he leaned forward, removed the horse’s bridle, threw it on the ground, and ran through another “reigning” sequence, sans bridle. So yes, I have no doubt you could easily use a two-handed weapon on a well-trained horse. 🙂
I admire the mental fortitude of your horse. Hardly any reaction on the swinging and smacking. He completely trusts you. I can't even fathom how much work went into this state of mind.
it looks absolutely nasty. if you were to land a lucky blow between plates, you'd inflict a terrible puncture wound and then drag the rider on the ground.
@@eugenio5774 I reckon that thing could even punch a hole in some thinner pieces of plate if swung with enough force. The plate would still diminish the damage of course, but I don't think anyone would like to try and see how much.
I absolutely love this community. More is being learned and discovered about medieval combat in the last five years than the previous 50 just by having honest conversations and insightful demonstrations. Someone needs to start publishing this sort of thing in relevant journals.
Horse archers used a different setup of stirrups, that made controlling the horse with your body movements a bit easier. Wonder if something similar was practiced in western Europe, which would make sense for two handed combat or maybe even sword and shield.
@@ObsessedwithZelda2 the samurai used archery on horse back. I watched a RUclips video about how they still practice it for ceremonial stuff. If you look that up you might find some interesting info about it
@@ObsessedwithZelda2 basically any Islamic Persian manuscript, they generally lack stirrups and direct the horse by ankle pressure. The mamluk did the same, but they hand long spurs they sometime used in emergency case when equipped
Connect is also how close to other riders you are, whether you're in a large battle or a small skirmish, how tightly packed the formations are for both you and the enemy etc. I think it goes without saying that you wouldn't take an untrained house into battle.
My 24 year old brain: This is fascinating. He's so well-versed in history, it blows my mind, and his videos are so professional. The 7 year old part of my brain: omg the horsey is a good boy 😍 Jokes aside, your channel is seriously amazing! I love learning all of these historical facts.
Also, just going to say that Beck DeCorbeck (The Crows Beak) would make a great name for a Medieval mercenary, someone with a shady past, who just takes the name of his weapon... *(Writes that down for DnD character)*
The archers of agincour had also been making their own trenches and wooden defenses, so the leaden mauls they carried were probably related to that kind of work. Probably not intended to become weapons, but at Agincour, they knew it was going to come down to using anything they had.
I peeked at the Morgan Bible folios and noticed a few things about two-handed combat from horses. In the few I looked at, it appears people, both with one and two-handed weapons, indeed dropped their reins. Notable exceptions include couching a spear under the arm or wearing a shield on your rein arm. Secondly, it appeared that most, if not all the combat was against other cavalry, not foot soldiers (they were all dead at the horses' feet). Two of the images showed, in addition to slicing open their opponent, the two-handed-weapon-wielding-knights knocking their opponent off of his horse. Lastly, when people were wearing armour, it was always mail. I don't know how things change as armour improves. The images I looked at can be found on Wikipedia or the Web Gallery of Art.
I like to imagine what your horse is thinking. Maybe something like: "Oh no, why is he hitting this poor helmet again. Doesn't he realise that is isn't a thread?" or "why did he have to interrupt my lunch to talk to a camera while on my back?"
More like: "what is this feeling? *BAAM* This tickling sensation in my hooves?*BAAM* In my legs! My instinct tells me this is what my ancestors were bred for! I LOVE IT!!!"*BAAAM* YES HOOMAN, KEEP PRAISING MEEE!! !*BAAM* jokes aside, you can clearly see the excitement in the horse at the end. Insticts most have pump it up.
THis is the kind of content that RUclips needs more of - so thank you! I'm an archaeologist myself but find it very interesting and educational to see someone actually look into HOW things worked in "real" life, and in this case IF they worked :)
14:28 "you'd probably want to drop the two handed weapon..." No, no, no, no Jason..... you don't "drop" a two handed weapon. It magically sticks to your back while you switch to your one handed weapon. Automatically.
I love this channel so much. It's one of those "Let's all study the facts and learn together," channels. Legitimate knowledge and experimentation at work.
Wow, another great video! Loved the killshot at 15:44. That was fun to see that you hit right under the helmet in the neck area and you knocked the heavy helmet off! Very informative as always and a relaxing way to learn about medieval warfare.
They also have a lot of use for short lance and quarterstaff, both iron-bound and just plain wood, which are cheaper anyhow. My impression is that short polearm is mostly for medium cavalry, who can switch between bow and polearm (which would be held under either the right or left thigh while the horseman handling the bow). It would make sense, for the same principle apply to other sedentary cultures with border on the steppes, such as Persia, Russia, etc... On the other hand, I can't quite place where are the advantages compare to good ole trusty light lance and shield combo? Didn't Turks, Turcoman and Mamluks prefer just that over two handed polearm? Can a glaive/poleaxe really hit harder than a simple lance thrust?
in the original video from matt he mentioned that aswell, and specifically aimed at european polearms with the emphasis that they ofc could be used on horseback, but the way he saw it in a couple videogames were unrealistc (in the game they would use them the same as on foot with wide swings etc without regard for the horse)
@@ModernKnight so how are shields used on horseback and what types are used? How useful are they in such a situation, and is there a way to strike with a shield from horseback effectively? Great video, keep up the good work!
These are my favorite kind of videos from this channel when you test weapons and equipment from horseback. The force of that blow was incredible to watch, excellent job to you both.
I am always amazed by the frankly astounding level of inteligence exibited by Warlord and your other horses. They're clearly much smarter than most people think!
I was constantly on the lookout if I could find anything about his horsemanship that should be critisized. I did found Zero, Nada, Zilch. The most obvious is definitely, how great the horses trust in his rider is and that it never showed any signs of discomfort, but instead rather seems to enjoy the partnership, including the action and excitement. This is man and horse working companionship at its finest. What a pleasure to watch! As far a weapon handling on horseback is concerned, the crown probably belongs to the Comanche Indians of North America during the heyday of the Plains Indian culture. To get the idea, look at the paintings and read the accounts of George Catlin. I think the question of using striking weapons like halberds, large axes, etc in two hand fashion can be answered quite clearly, you loose more when giving up amy of the control over your mount than you gain in additional impact power, the real force multiplicator is the horse, it adds much more in regards to power when you concentrate on maximum control of its direction than what you get from the use of both arms instead of one. What he said in the end about the situation of attacking in a closed together, knee-against knee of the men to both sides, and that this would allow to let go of the reins as your horse is led with the formation of the unit, you still would not use a long handled striking weapon as there is the incresed risk that you get entangled with horse, limbs or weaponry of your comrades to your left, right front and back. The exeption is when using a missile weapon, be it bow and arrow or a gun, as when using these you will try to sit as solid and stable as humanly possible and thus give no confusing signals to your horse which also avoids the risk of messing with your horses own balance by throwing your weight around in the saddle to deal the most crushing blow to your enemy with that gigantic 50 pound XXL Zweihänder-Super-Morgenstern-Mordaxt-Goedendag.
That is a beautiful horse, and at a canter with your combined strength you take the SFK's *head right off!* 0_0 Clever use of the horse's natural follow-the-herd instinct, btw; I imagine from the horse's perspective a wedge-formation charge might be akin to an *exceptionally well-organized stampede!* lol
Thank you, it's great that horse riders like you do this kind of test. We can spend all day speculating over how much we trust artistic depictions, at the end of the day we'll need this type of evidence anyway.
I just had a glimpse of a remembrance about that beautiful red saddle that you made for one of your horses... If I'm not mistaken, you said, answering to one comment, that you would try adding some golden leaves to it, if the yellow paint that was mentioned looked good. How is that actually going? I've just saw the new logo and, for whatever reason, this saddle came into my mind... I won't, of course, lose the opportunity to compliment the incredible overall job done by you and your team! From the research to the presentation, everything is well thought and well cared! Kudos!!
@@ragnkja There's probably a lot of preference in behaviors. I believe Warlord is his most trained horse in medieval activities, and the safety of the horse and rider are more important than showing off all his animals in these kinds of "experiments".
Vangarde I know that Warlord is a lot more experienced than Gossamer, hence why we’re seeing him in this video rather than her, but I still kind of “miss her”, and wouldn’t mind seeing her again.
Splendid presentation, as always. It's one thing to discuss medieval arms used on foot but an entirely different set of problems and techniques when mounted. Great living history.
The Soldier For Killing took a real beating! I wonder about rider balance with a two-handed weapon on horse, for the enemy is, of course, not just going to stand there waiting to die. Good to see Warlord again, too!
I have a question, perhaps a silly one with a silly no brainer answer but non the less... I am 24 years old and have been doing Historical Armoured Combat for about a year now. I fight with a hand and a half primary and I fight exclusively on foot (war horses aren't common in the Florida heat lol). The question that has been ticking at me is this: how did a mounted knight prevent a footman from taking down his horse in the midst of Combat? The horses seems to be the easiest target compared to a knight in full harness, so I'm curious if horses where protected by heavy armour as well, or perhaps societal restrictions that may have been common. Anyway, love the videos, been a fan for a long time now! Much love to you!
horses did get killed, but it takes a precise blow to kill a horse quickly, and any sort of caparison or barding makes that even harder. whilst you attack the horse guess who the rider is attacking? being in a static melee on horseback is bad, that's why movies get it so wrong. you must try to keep moving when mounted. your advantages are height and speed.
@@ModernKnight fair point, easy to forget the highly skilled warrior with a spiked hammer above you when facing off a massive animal. I imagine most footman wanted nothing to do with the mounted knights on an open field.
So lovely to see Warlord put thru his paces. He is so very good. The many hours you have spent with him show. So cute when he checked out the target. Sniff, sniff.
Wow, that hits with some force! That must have been done as the results, especially in the initial first charge, look like they would have been devastating!
*SFK = Simulated French Knight?* (I was just playing World of Warcraft so I immediately thought AFK, as a player Away From Keyboard would have a character about as responsive to attack as the SFK! ;)
I've watched Matt for some time now. I only came across this channel maybe a year ago. It is SO interesting to see the cross pollination of the channels! You, and Matt, also "interact" with Todd Cutler who I also enjoy watching. You guys are like the league of modern medieval knowledge! Thank you so much for all the fascinating content!
Mounted Games riders all ride with knotted short reins, they often have to control and stop their mounts from gallop to stand using just 1 finger. To olso gallop straight, to let the rider vault on with a " click click" from their rider. With training, the pony understands and I'm sure big intelligent horses would have been trained easily to ride straight without contact from a rider. If they trusted him. Like Warlord trusts you. Mounted games was developed from mounted army training exercises. Agility is a must for mounted soldiers for 1000's of years. And expensive, clever horses don't you think? I'm loving each and every video. The best on RUclips by far.
This reminds me of Braniac history abuse. An old history show that aired a long time ago, but this channel does things so much better., everything is so professionally presented and done.
It's good to see how actually could work from someone who clearly knows how to ride, how to fight with medieval weapons and how to put together these two things. I have just one question: you said that it would be easier to ride straight without touching the reins (while using a two handed weapon) if one is put among other riders knees to knees. But swinging the axe wouldn't result in hitting your friends? It's not like just putting your lance under the armpit as in joust, is it?
When in close formation, perhaps it just limits the rider to overhand, downward strikes with the weapon held above his head. When they hit the enemy, the formation will start to break up and there will be room for his follow-through.
@MichaelKingsfordGray you can have the best horse in the world and the highest level of training but there will never be space to swing such blows without hitting your allies
A few things. One, trained riders had a lot of core strength so that they could extend their body as much as possible while still staying on the horse and swing. Two, the equipment back then (for some armies at least) was different. Instead of using the reins to steer, they trained the horses to move based on which direction the foot put pressure in. That means they had both hands free to grip the weapon
That horse deserves a mighty nice carrot, a good scritching and a round of applause what a fine horse! Thanks for sharing your training and the trust you two have with each other!
These videos are fantastic. I love how he manages to breathe life into history. And the subject matter is always so interesting! Not just names, blah, blah, dates blah, blah... but things you've always wondered about; daydreamed about. I hit the like button just as a Modern History video begins because I already know it's going to be great. ❤ And you get to see beautiful horses and a handsome mule! 😄😉
i had never thought about this before i always just assumed lances and shorter one handed weapons (like hand axes, swords and maces) where used i think that polarms are highly underrated and it was great to see a potential new use for them
When horses are a BIG part of everyday life and work, you begin to grow a bond with a horse that let's you use minor legs movements to control a horse without a big need for reigns. This has been demonstrated by professional horse trainers like Buck Brannaman, and Mongol horse bowman and women...I think alot of people from that time period would have so much horse experience that they could release the reigns and still have alot of control over the horse
Great Video, as always. The effect when the helmet flew away from the SFK looked amazing, the surely would have hurt a LOT. You often mention the effect of riding in a close formation has on the way to fight. Ithink it would be amazing if you could do a video about this topic, if you have two friends or so who can ride a horse, so you could have one on each side, just to look how this affects things. Also, all of your viewers love your horses, so there is no harm in having more of them.
Wow, that last blow! You spun the breastplate around even though your blade alignment was off (which is not a surprise, considering you hadn't used a swinging polearm from horseback before). I certainly wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of a blow like that! Thank you for the video, great job.
Whew, that second-to-last strike. That was an "off with his head" moment for sure. A psychologically damaging sight if that had been a friend you were fighting alongside.
My first thought when you said SFK was Short Fat Knight. The weight of rifles such as the Lee Enfield .303 used during WW2 and the L1A1 SLR used from the 50s - 80s by the British Army were both around 9lb. The centre of balance at around 2/3 is about optimum and practical with a long haft.
thats what i like the most of this channel... medieval warfare seeing through the perspective of a seasoned horsemen. Not just weapon, armor or tactics... the horse is a fundamental piece of the combat. also, any update on the battle donkey?! haha
How about Alexander's companion cavalry? Very long spear and no stirrups. It'd be interesting to know how difficult it was to be cavalry in the ancient times.
Great stuff Jason, thanks for taking this on and playing with it!
my pleasure, it was fun to do and made me think too.
The two of you should check out the channel of a guy called Thilo M. He has some cool videos on using weapons from horseback.
@@Stephen_Curtin Apparently, he mostly uses spear and sometimes a sword so it's not exactly this but it's related and good content anyway. Thanks for the tip.
@@pRahvi0 I know I've seen one video where he talks about using a spear in two hands from horseback and not just for thrusting but for hitting with also. I'm not sure if he mentions it or not but the same techniques could be applied to cut oriented polearms like the guandao. I think that the video had something to do with horse safety in the title. Anyway his ideas about spear and shield from horseback are really interesting and I love to hear what Jason and Matt think about them.
*me holding my Matt and Jason dolls together*
Now KIIIISSSSSSS
Historians: Let's analyze from historical records and physics how weapons were probably used in combat during medieval times.
This guy: Hold my chainmail, lemme get one of my horses and some of my polearms...
Thrano
The general idea behind experimental archaeology is that there’s only so much you can learn without trying to do the thing yourself. At some point, the only way to find out more about whether something is plausible is to actually try it.
I think there were some Thracian units that used a rompeia from horseback
@@ragnkja I am aware, but pointing that out is less funny.
actually the proper way is to do both, first find out as much as you can from records, books and archeological findings, then try out how Things work.
then the experimentation gives hints on how Things in the books and records have to be interpreted, and so on.
Ulrich Kälber
Yup. How would you know what to try without doing the research?
My favorite thing about this channel is the way Jason treats his horses. The irony always makes me smile: A horse named Warlord, a flawlessly faithful, intimidating, fearless, indomitable machine of destruction. And how did Jason train it to be so? By treating it with absolute kindness, understanding, and gentleness. "Good boy."
He's a very good boy!
softie
😁❤They are family...
@@ModernKnight Have you done a video on how people treated horses in the middle ages? Did they treat them well or were they simply a tool to fulfill an objective. Might be an interesting video.
@@MaggotDiggo1 They used dirty great pointed spurs, so not much kindness I think. I remember reading about a prosecution for cruelty to animals in the 18th century - half a millenium later - and most people thought it was a terrific joke that anyone would be silly enough to mind what happened to an animal.
That horse is thinking, "Humans sure are weird. Mine likes to talk to that black thing over there while swinging stuff over my head."
Idk maybe the horse is having a blast and was as excited as the rest of us when the dummy's helmet came flying off. Now this horse has a weapons system to wear on their back
@@genericfakename8197 something like "yeah just like my great grand pappy at Vienna!!!! whoooohoo!!!"
@@Maupaci91 THEN THE WINGED HUSSARS ARRIVED
@@genericfakename8197 i do wonder... Do trained horses enjoy combat? Because untrained ones are absolutely petrified
@@ilayohana3150 trained horses are use to it and are usually what we call bombproof temperaments aka not much gets to them and chill. No different than training them to jump over things they'd be scared to normally. Hell one the horses I ride is trained to tolerate me doing archery off it's back
Imagine: you are in the middle of the battlefield then this guy comes charging into you and all you can hear is "THWOCK! Good boy".
Then you turn around as hulking armoured mass chuckles heartily and exclaims, muffled through his helmet; “Let me show you its features!”.
To be fair you probably only hear the "good boy" if he comes charging towards somebody else.
@@thegreenmage6956 Jeorge: *LAUGHS*
:-D
BONK
"This does resemble a meat tenderiser, which is exactly what it is."
- a baddass
If the projections weren't there, it would be more likely to glance off armor plates. Like the Bec de Corbin, it's not a flat surface so it will have a tendency to dig into the plate and deliver more impact.
@@Modighen did you just say a hammer would glance off armor plates?
@@lawrencemorris2261 I said more likely. The projections help prevent that from happening. Sure, you will have times where you'll hit properly and transfer full force, but there will also be times where you don't have the optimal angle of attack and the blow will, in fact, glance and not transfer as much force if the hammer's head was smooth. Many warhammers from that time have small spikes on their heads or split like his bec-de-corbin, and it seems unlikely that they were used to either pierce armor or make it hurt more against lightly armored foes..
More brutal kitchen tool kill animal cut it in a pieces prepare fire Hammer the meat Cook and the dinner is ready
They called them "Beef Eaters" for a reason
Polearm and helmet violently colliding a foot away from the horse's head: *WHANG*
Warlord: "It is of no concern to me, for I am a good boy."
The level of professionalism in this channel is amazing. I think Jason commitment and enthusiasm is actually inspiring
Thanks.
He always has been, both in person and professionally. He is also a real gentleman
Hello person with the same first name as me as well as initials
Two handers on horseback in bannerlord is op
yes, but it's possible!
A bardiche on horseback was absolutely deadly in warband
@@tugboat945 yep, one hitting people like human golf
@@ModernKnight Have to say, I've always wondered why cavalry didn't use long chopping or crushing polearms and just gallop perpendicular to enemy formations causing havoc as they went. It seems a somewhat more safe, effective, and potentially dynamic approach than charging into a formation with a lance, even on a flank, or using a saber with limited reach. Your video seems a good demonstration that this could very well be the case. Kind of wonder why they didn't, now.
Am I the only OG in warband and bannerlord to just used a lance and sword from horseback?
I bet this channel got many many new people into history. I'm certainly one of them! Thanks for all you do, Jason!
thanks for watching and your feedack too.
And other people into horses 😊
@@PaletoB I was one of them.
I just know him as Templars boss, but yes sir. Great channel, love the cooking videos.
yeah this is way more fun than history class
12:45 Oh boy, that very quickly went from "bloke on horse flailing around" to "absolutely terrifying angel of death"
😂😅
This man is nearly a centaur. they move so seamlessly. Can't imagine trying to fight someone this well trained on a 1 ton animal with equal training.
1 ton animal
(looks at m1 abrams and an elephant)
1 ton? don't horse weigh 700kg maximum ?
@@phillipanselmo8540 a ton is only 2,000 lbs/ ~900 kg. depending on the breed and the hands (height) a horse can weigh that much. Considering adult horses weigh between 800-2,200lbs it's not uncommon for them to weigh a ton just typically a very tall horse or a draft horse.
@@ayajade6683 You can also add in the weight of armour, both for horse and man.
@@zacharyvowles6513 that doesn't change horses are a ton themselves before the man and armor occurs. the person I was talking to thought horses were max 1,500lbs no matter the breed.
Warlord is such a steady boy. It’s brilliant to see this being done practically instead of a theory. Best way to see if you’re right or not in how they did it
“I better rearrange his head” and with my twisted sense of humour I immediately thought “you’ve been rearranging his head for a bit now”
Same.
😆 lmao
Once I watched a horse trainer in Texas run through a pretty impressive reigning sequence with his horse. When he stopped, he leaned forward, removed the horse’s bridle, threw it on the ground, and ran through another “reigning” sequence, sans bridle. So yes, I have no doubt you could easily use a two-handed weapon on a well-trained horse. 🙂
I admire the mental fortitude of your horse. Hardly any reaction on the swinging and smacking. He completely trusts you. I can't even fathom how much work went into this state of mind.
That crow's beak looks absolutely devastating
it looks absolutely nasty. if you were to land a lucky blow between plates, you'd inflict a terrible puncture wound and then drag the rider on the ground.
@@eugenio5774 I reckon that thing could even punch a hole in some thinner pieces of plate if swung with enough force. The plate would still diminish the damage of course, but I don't think anyone would like to try and see how much.
@@Vini-zv3lr Indeed!! I'd like to see its effects on a mannequin tho
Definitely, though maybe not the best weapon on horseback. Seems like it would get stuck, and possibly get pulled out of your hands.
@@jamesmaysflyingwashingmach7459 Or fall off the horse.
I absolutely love this community. More is being learned and discovered about medieval combat in the last five years than the previous 50 just by having honest conversations and insightful demonstrations.
Someone needs to start publishing this sort of thing in relevant journals.
The way him and that horse work together reminds me of a centaur. It's like they're connected.
Horse archers used a different setup of stirrups, that made controlling the horse with your body movements a bit easier. Wonder if something similar was practiced in western Europe, which would make sense for two handed combat or maybe even sword and shield.
Do you know where I could find any imagery of such a setup? Or at least some writing on the topic? It sounds really interesting
Usually shield is wrist mounted, so that's the hand to control the horse.
@@ObsessedwithZelda2 Foot control. Lots of people train the horses for it, where extra pressure on one side tells the horse to go away from that side
@@ObsessedwithZelda2 the samurai used archery on horse back. I watched a RUclips video about how they still practice it for ceremonial stuff. If you look that up you might find some interesting info about it
@@ObsessedwithZelda2 basically any Islamic Persian manuscript, they generally lack stirrups and direct the horse by ankle pressure. The mamluk did the same, but they hand long spurs they sometime used in emergency case when equipped
You are one of the very few who could make a first hand experience video on the topic. Thank you very much.
Our pleasure.
"Context"I would say is a well trained horse and an experienced rider.Otherwise it would be a mess.
Well if you were riding a horse into combat, you better have both of those anyway.
@@Specter_1125 Bringing an untrained horse into combat is about as practical as entering combat on top of a pack of chickens.
@@tl8211 very practical, if you need to feed a crew of archers!
Connect is also how close to other riders you are, whether you're in a large battle or a small skirmish, how tightly packed the formations are for both you and the enemy etc. I think it goes without saying that you wouldn't take an untrained house into battle.
@@tl8211 With the chickens you at least surprise your enemy. An opponent fallen from a horse due to laughter is still fallen off...
What I loved the most about this video was knowing that that horse was a good boy, and Jason surely let him know that
My 24 year old brain: This is fascinating. He's so well-versed in history, it blows my mind, and his videos are so professional.
The 7 year old part of my brain: omg the horsey is a good boy 😍
Jokes aside, your channel is seriously amazing! I love learning all of these historical facts.
Never lose the 7* year old bit of your brain, it's good for your mental health.
*Here our default is 6 years old but the principal stands.
Yay! You are doing it!
P.S.: since Matt is "Captain Context", is Mr. Kingsley "Sir Goodboi"?
Yes and yes, lol.
oh my God that's what i thought
The Smiling Knight. Sounds better.
Sir Game Director
Also, just going to say that Beck DeCorbeck (The Crows Beak) would make a great name for a Medieval mercenary, someone with a shady past, who just takes the name of his weapon... *(Writes that down for DnD character)*
The archers of agincour had also been making their own trenches and wooden defenses, so the leaden mauls they carried were probably related to that kind of work. Probably not intended to become weapons, but at Agincour, they knew it was going to come down to using anything they had.
I peeked at the Morgan Bible folios and noticed a few things about two-handed combat from horses. In the few I looked at, it appears people, both with one and two-handed weapons, indeed dropped their reins. Notable exceptions include couching a spear under the arm or wearing a shield on your rein arm. Secondly, it appeared that most, if not all the combat was against other cavalry, not foot soldiers (they were all dead at the horses' feet). Two of the images showed, in addition to slicing open their opponent, the two-handed-weapon-wielding-knights knocking their opponent off of his horse. Lastly, when people were wearing armour, it was always mail. I don't know how things change as armour improves. The images I looked at can be found on Wikipedia or the Web Gallery of Art.
I like to imagine what your horse is thinking. Maybe something like: "Oh no, why is he hitting this poor helmet again. Doesn't he realise that is isn't a thread?" or "why did he have to interrupt my lunch to talk to a camera while on my back?"
The horse probably just thinks that he is completely nuts xD
Making speaking noises, whiles continously hitting one object is quite weird tbh...
He is thinking, "I can tolerate almost anything so long as the feed is OK, but this guy ever tries to pass off straw as alfalfa... right in the dirt!"
More like: "what is this feeling? *BAAM* This tickling sensation in my hooves?*BAAM* In my legs! My instinct tells me this is what my ancestors were bred for! I LOVE IT!!!"*BAAAM* YES HOOMAN, KEEP PRAISING MEEE!! !*BAAM*
jokes aside, you can clearly see the excitement in the horse at the end. Insticts most have pump it up.
It's about time we praise horses. They have been on every civilization battle
THis is the kind of content that RUclips needs more of - so thank you! I'm an archaeologist myself but find it very interesting and educational to see someone actually look into HOW things worked in "real" life, and in this case IF they worked :)
14:28 "you'd probably want to drop the two handed weapon..." No, no, no, no Jason..... you don't "drop" a two handed weapon. It magically sticks to your back while you switch to your one handed weapon. Automatically.
lol
10:45
Warlord is trying to figure out the weird signals being sent, and it's oddly adorable.
This is great its actually looking like a medival training.. and the sound bring life to history
I love this channel so much. It's one of those "Let's all study the facts and learn together," channels. Legitimate knowledge and experimentation at work.
Wow, another great video! Loved the killshot at 15:44. That was fun to see that you hit right under the helmet in the neck area and you knocked the heavy helmet off! Very informative as always and a relaxing way to learn about medieval warfare.
This is one of the best RUclips channels of all time!
2H weapons from horseback were common in East Asia, as Chinese and Korean horsemen used polearm and cavalry flail.
Yes, like Guan Yu, Lu Bu, Zhang Fei etc.
And Cathaprac. their effectiveness against Infantry are questionable. In real world, not in some video/computer games.
dont forget the horse archers
They also have a lot of use for short lance and quarterstaff, both iron-bound and just plain wood, which are cheaper anyhow.
My impression is that short polearm is mostly for medium cavalry, who can switch between bow and polearm (which would be held under either the right or left thigh while the horseman handling the bow). It would make sense, for the same principle apply to other sedentary cultures with border on the steppes, such as Persia, Russia, etc...
On the other hand, I can't quite place where are the advantages compare to good ole trusty light lance and shield combo? Didn't Turks, Turcoman and Mamluks prefer just that over two handed polearm? Can a glaive/poleaxe really hit harder than a simple lance thrust?
in the original video from matt he mentioned that aswell, and specifically aimed at european polearms with the emphasis that they ofc could be used on horseback, but the way he saw it in a couple videogames were unrealistc (in the game they would use them the same as on foot with wide swings etc without regard for the horse)
I haven’t watched the whole video yet but I already know its going to be great!! Love this channel- so interesting!
Hope you like it.
@@ModernKnight so how are shields used on horseback and what types are used? How useful are they in such a situation, and is there a way to strike with a shield from horseback effectively?
Great video, keep up the good work!
These are my favorite kind of videos from this channel when you test weapons and equipment from horseback. The force of that blow was incredible to watch, excellent job to you both.
Warlord is such a good boy, I love seeing videos where you two are having fun! Thanks for the video Jason!
Watching this video improved my Pole arm handling skills on Mount & Blade banner lord 2 online Multiplayer.
Love the way Warlord does not flinch when you swing the pole-arm. Such a good boy.
I am always amazed by the frankly astounding level of inteligence exibited by Warlord and your other horses. They're clearly much smarter than most people think!
Sir, I like to imagine you're a knight in the medieval times who somehow learnt cinematography and how to access the internet.
it's our secret, I'm a time traveller.
The core strength you'd need to be effective with a double handed weapon atop an 'orse
You'd put Henry Cavill's rocking abs to shame!
I was constantly on the lookout if I could find anything about his horsemanship that should be critisized. I did found Zero, Nada, Zilch. The most obvious is definitely, how great the horses trust in his rider is and that it never showed any signs of discomfort, but instead rather seems to enjoy the partnership, including the action and excitement.
This is man and horse working companionship at its finest. What a pleasure to watch!
As far a weapon handling on horseback is concerned, the crown probably belongs to the Comanche Indians of North America during the heyday of the Plains Indian culture. To get the idea, look at the paintings and read the accounts of George Catlin.
I think the question of using striking weapons like halberds, large axes, etc in two hand fashion can be answered quite clearly, you loose more when giving up amy of the control over your mount than you gain in additional impact power, the real force multiplicator is the horse, it adds much more in regards to power when you concentrate on maximum control of its direction than what you get from the use of both arms instead of one.
What he said in the end about the situation of attacking in a closed together, knee-against knee of the men to both sides, and that this would allow to let go of the reins as your horse is led with the formation of the unit, you still would not use a long handled striking weapon as there is the incresed risk that you get entangled with horse, limbs or weaponry of your comrades to your left, right front and back.
The exeption is when using a missile weapon, be it bow and arrow or a gun, as when using these you will try to sit as solid and stable as humanly possible and thus give no confusing signals to your horse which also avoids the risk of messing with your horses own balance by throwing your weight around in the saddle to deal the most crushing blow to your enemy with that gigantic 50 pound XXL Zweihänder-Super-Morgenstern-Mordaxt-Goedendag.
Love the content and how you connect with other content providers discussing history and possible historic scenarios.
That is a beautiful horse, and at a canter with your combined strength you take the SFK's *head right off!* 0_0
Clever use of the horse's natural follow-the-herd instinct, btw; I imagine from the horse's perspective a wedge-formation charge might be akin to an *exceptionally well-organized stampede!* lol
Your horse is trained extremely well, so responsive and willing!
Currently getting ready to run at the gym. Just wanted to comment on how pumped I am to watch this afterwards
Thank you, it's great that horse riders like you do this kind of test. We can spend all day speculating over how much we trust artistic depictions, at the end of the day we'll need this type of evidence anyway.
I just had a glimpse of a remembrance about that beautiful red saddle that you made for one of your horses... If I'm not mistaken, you said, answering to one comment, that you would try adding some golden leaves to it, if the yellow paint that was mentioned looked good. How is that actually going? I've just saw the new logo and, for whatever reason, this saddle came into my mind... I won't, of course, lose the opportunity to compliment the incredible overall job done by you and your team! From the research to the presentation, everything is well thought and well cared! Kudos!!
It has been a while since we’ve seen Gossamer, now that you mention it.
@@ragnkja There's probably a lot of preference in behaviors. I believe Warlord is his most trained horse in medieval activities, and the safety of the horse and rider are more important than showing off all his animals in these kinds of "experiments".
Vangarde
I know that Warlord is a lot more experienced than Gossamer, hence why we’re seeing him in this video rather than her, but I still kind of “miss her”, and wouldn’t mind seeing her again.
Your horse is a badass and should have his own channel. Game reviews maybe.
just by seeing the appearance of those weapons, it gives me chills to imagine someone being killed by the hit of them.
Especially when Jason took the helmet off using his Pole axe, if that was sharpened... heads would literally fly!
Modern weapons do far worse damage.
@@majungasaurusaaaa except the part that modern soldiers doesn't have to see their victims up close.
@@SetuwoKecik The infantry still has to often get quite up close and personal. Even if it's just to mop up and occupy captured ground.
Splendid presentation, as always. It's one thing to discuss medieval arms used on foot but an entirely different set of problems and techniques when mounted. Great living history.
The Soldier For Killing took a real beating! I wonder about rider balance with a two-handed weapon on horse, for the enemy is, of course, not just going to stand there waiting to die. Good to see Warlord again, too!
Reminds me of all the good shows you'd see on history channel's, not all the alien/conspiracy stuff you see now 🙄
that bec de corbin looks absolutely nasty. I shudder to think the kind of wounds it can inflict with that cruel, hooked tip!
I have a question, perhaps a silly one with a silly no brainer answer but non the less... I am 24 years old and have been doing Historical Armoured Combat for about a year now. I fight with a hand and a half primary and I fight exclusively on foot (war horses aren't common in the Florida heat lol). The question that has been ticking at me is this: how did a mounted knight prevent a footman from taking down his horse in the midst of Combat? The horses seems to be the easiest target compared to a knight in full harness, so I'm curious if horses where protected by heavy armour as well, or perhaps societal restrictions that may have been common. Anyway, love the videos, been a fan for a long time now! Much love to you!
horses did get killed, but it takes a precise blow to kill a horse quickly, and any sort of caparison or barding makes that even harder. whilst you attack the horse guess who the rider is attacking? being in a static melee on horseback is bad, that's why movies get it so wrong. you must try to keep moving when mounted. your advantages are height and speed.
@@ModernKnight fair point, easy to forget the highly skilled warrior with a spiked hammer above you when facing off a massive animal. I imagine most footman wanted nothing to do with the mounted knights on an open field.
You can tell your horse has a lot of trust in you. Love these videos.
So lovely to see Warlord put thru his paces. He is so very good. The many hours you have spent with him show. So cute when he checked out the target. Sniff, sniff.
Wow, that hits with some force! That must have been done as the results, especially in the initial first charge, look like they would have been devastating!
warlord is so well desensitized! he doesn't even flinch at those loud bangs or the pole arm being swung near his head.
Next Episode: Loading and Firing a Ballista from horseback
that's a job for elephants x)
@@Vladd0r Elephants aren't very good at loading ballista. Except for putting the missile in - but they're crap on the windlass.
@@77gravity what animal do you recommend then. One that craps less?
We need Joreg
*SFK = Simulated French Knight?*
(I was just playing World of Warcraft so I immediately thought AFK, as a player Away From Keyboard would have a character about as responsive to attack as the SFK! ;)
I was thinking Sad Fucking Knight
I thought Sack Filling Knight.
@@elfarlaur yep!
Super fat knight?
The real question here is Horde or Alliance? And what realm?
I've watched Matt for some time now. I only came across this channel maybe a year ago. It is SO interesting to see the cross pollination of the channels! You, and Matt, also "interact" with Todd Cutler who I also enjoy watching. You guys are like the league of modern medieval knowledge! Thank you so much for all the fascinating content!
Mounted Games riders all ride with knotted short reins, they often have to control and stop their mounts from gallop to stand using just 1 finger. To olso gallop straight, to let the rider vault on with a " click click" from their rider. With training, the pony understands and I'm sure big intelligent horses would have been trained easily to ride straight without contact from a rider. If they trusted him. Like Warlord trusts you.
Mounted games was developed from mounted army training exercises. Agility is a must for mounted soldiers for 1000's of years. And expensive, clever horses don't you think?
I'm loving each and every video. The best on RUclips by far.
This reminds me of Braniac history abuse. An old history show that aired a long time ago, but this channel does things so much better., everything is so professionally presented and done.
I love your relationship with your horse companions.
On a well trained horse. I am always so impressed on how he trains his horses--and how well trained they are.
Thank you so much, your excellent videos have been no end of help to me describing and formulating my fight scenes in my books.
Glad I could help!
@@ModernKnight Your arming video on how to put on armour was brilliant.
It's good to see how actually could work from someone who clearly knows how to ride, how to fight with medieval weapons and how to put together these two things.
I have just one question: you said that it would be easier to ride straight without touching the reins (while using a two handed weapon) if one is put among other riders knees to knees. But swinging the axe wouldn't result in hitting your friends? It's not like just putting your lance under the armpit as in joust, is it?
Knee to knee seems to be awfully close together to perform those swings.
@@AggelosKyriou same I Thought!
When in close formation, perhaps it just limits the rider to overhand, downward strikes with the weapon held above his head. When they hit the enemy, the formation will start to break up and there will be room for his follow-through.
@MichaelKingsfordGray you can have the best horse in the world and the highest level of training but there will never be space to swing such blows without hitting your allies
A few things. One, trained riders had a lot of core strength so that they could extend their body as much as possible while still staying on the horse and swing. Two, the equipment back then (for some armies at least) was different. Instead of using the reins to steer, they trained the horses to move based on which direction the foot put pressure in. That means they had both hands free to grip the weapon
That horse deserves a mighty nice carrot, a good scritching and a round of applause what a fine horse! Thanks for sharing your training and the trust you two have with each other!
These videos are fantastic. I love how he manages to breathe life into history. And the subject matter is always so interesting! Not just names, blah, blah, dates blah, blah...
but things you've always wondered about; daydreamed about.
I hit the like button just as a Modern History video begins because I already know it's going to be great. ❤
And you get to see beautiful horses and a handsome mule! 😄😉
Amazing how quickly Kingsley and Warlord can adapt... shows a lot of skill and training on bother their parts to be so flexible!
i had never thought about this before
i always just assumed lances and shorter one handed weapons (like hand axes, swords and maces) where used
i think that polarms are highly underrated and it was great to see a potential new use for them
The amount of control you have over that horse is amazing.
When horses are a BIG part of everyday life and work, you begin to grow a bond with a horse that let's you use minor legs movements to control a horse without a big need for reigns. This has been demonstrated by professional horse trainers like Buck Brannaman, and Mongol horse bowman and women...I think alot of people from that time period would have so much horse experience that they could release the reigns and still have alot of control over the horse
Great work! Reminds me what I read about cataphracts of ancient Parthia, that reportedly used two handed lance..
Great Video, as always. The effect when the helmet flew away from the SFK looked amazing, the surely would have hurt a LOT.
You often mention the effect of riding in a close formation has on the way to fight. Ithink it would be amazing if you could do a video about this topic, if you have two friends or so who can ride a horse, so you could have one on each side, just to look how this affects things.
Also, all of your viewers love your horses, so there is no harm in having more of them.
2:18 The Battle Donkey Sounds his Warcry!!
sorry I'm lost.
is he a good boi or not?
also wow, that last hit would have been absolutely lethal
Franz Bauer definitely a good boi. I have no evidence to support my claim though.
"I'm going to rearrange his head a bit." Indeed!
"I'm going to rearrange his head a bit".... Next strike beheads poor Sir Franken Knight!
Love it.
Love those slow motion takes. Thank you Jason!
our pleasure
Great video love to see RUclipss history community work together. But could you link the videos you mention in the description in the future?
Done!
With all your videos I really like how you treat your animals and what a connection you have with them
"I'm just going to rearrange his head a little." Well, that is what a pollaxe is for....
Warlord gets top billing in the credits - well deserved, and quite touching!
Wow, that last blow! You spun the breastplate around even though your blade alignment was off (which is not a surprise, considering you hadn't used a swinging polearm from horseback before). I certainly wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of a blow like that! Thank you for the video, great job.
By the way, your best video is the one concerning the use of rush lights. Great job!
Regardless of effectiveness, two handed weapons on horseback are insanely cool looking :o
Shout outs among historians - helping one another gain views and giving we the people more content and greater knowledge
Of course, reigns in the teeth, pistol in each hand, full gallop, a la True Grit.😎
As Henry V said to Charles I d'Albret, Constable of France: "Fill youre hands, ye sonne of a bitch!"
You swine,
You made me splutter my coffee all over my shirt 😂😂
I got such a cracking image of Jason riding full gallop with his reins in his teeth
That's bold talk for a fat one eyed old man !
Whew, that second-to-last strike. That was an "off with his head" moment for sure. A psychologically damaging sight if that had been a friend you were fighting alongside.
My first thought when you said SFK was Short Fat Knight. The weight of rifles such as the Lee Enfield .303 used during WW2 and the L1A1 SLR used from the 50s - 80s by the British Army were both around 9lb. The centre of balance at around 2/3 is about optimum and practical with a long haft.
thats what i like the most of this channel... medieval warfare seeing through the perspective of a seasoned horsemen. Not just weapon, armor or tactics... the horse is a fundamental piece of the combat.
also, any update on the battle donkey?! haha
Didnt search for this but thoroughly entertained nonetheless
When this glorious channel teaches you more than the actual history channel. It certainly makes my day
thanks for watching
How about Alexander's companion cavalry? Very long spear and no stirrups. It'd be interesting to know how difficult it was to be cavalry in the ancient times.
It always felt like an advantage position
WoW! The last to the nek was a perfect death blow!
I really love your channel! Thanks
Good to know empire Griffin knights with halberd are possible.
This is a really great video. The horse factors with disciplined/trained, control, & speed really give a bigger effects even more than lance/spear.