Cavalry was a stupid idea

Riding a horse into battle is not a technique easy to adopt. The first man to suggest it may have been laughed at.

A long ramble by me. Possibly I should have done one video about Celtic/Roman four-pommelled saddles, and a separate one about how cavalry took a long time to develop.

I wasn't quite at my peak while making this one. I came back from abroad with a virus, and had spent the previous day coughing.

Lindybeige: a channel of archaeology, ancient and medieval warfare, rants, swing dance, travelogues, evolution, and whatever else occurs to me to make.

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[kevincrady]

Hannibal: "Yeah, you're right. Riding horses into battle is silly."
Equip: Elephants

[henrybuchanan]

Those are brave words for someone in lancing distance

[redenabao]

cavalry is a stupid name i prefer stallion battalion

[jimmymac]

“Let’s invent something to get my old and frail mother-in-law on this unpredictable horse” said the optimistic Chinese man from 400A.D.

[unjogratis]

*This Video is Sponsored by the Great Horses Plus*

[cyberinfotech]

To summarise:
Calvary was stupid when it began.
Then it became effective.
Then cars and tanks came along and it went back to useless.

[feartheghus]

I can tell you why the first horses were ridden, it was quite probably not done for any advantage like using them for work or travel or combat, I bet it was just some idiots having a hold my beer moment.

[zacharymohammadi]

“Cavalry is stupid”

This video was sponsored by Crassus INC.

[tyguy]

i think MOST military tech was at one time considered pretty stupid.

guns? ''here... hold this. it will explode, but if it holds together it should shoot this tiny bit out the end''

planes? ''its made of canvas, wood, and paper... hop in and fly it! safe?? oh heavens no... the opposite in fact''

everything is stupid until someone figures out how to make it ''not stupid'' and it gives them a massive advantage. then it's a game changer and they are brilliant

[itsnotatoober]

Mongols: "Hold my fermented horse milk."

[yorkshire_tea_innit]

Horses naturally run in groups, they form stampedes. That would make it much easier to convince a horse to do a cav charge. Peer pressure.

[JamieDionne]

Lindybeige: “Cavalry is a stupid idea”
Mongol Empire: “Am I a joke to you?”

[noahhoward]

To clarify: this video isn't saying that cavalry was ineffective throughout history; it obviously wasn't. It's about the numerous problems that needed to be solved by ancient cultures in order for cavalry to become effective.

[Bikeadelic]

If a dog is mans best friend then horses must be his greatest ally. The amount of work the horse has done for mankind over the millennia is phenomenal.

[Weykpotis]

"I have once been bareback riding, and so I can tell you that it's-- it's... _boy_ you have to grip with your thighs."

-- Lindybeige, 2016.

[kevinstachovak]

At first I thought you'd lost it- cavalry was extremely useful for commanders, both tactically and as scouts. But then I decided to hear you out, and you are spot-on. It really is kind of amazing that horses were ever domesticated in the first place. The initial domestication must have taken nerves stronger than steel cable!

[tomtom]

if horses where a terrible idea i cant wait for the elephant video

[mokopa]

I heard "this video was sponsored by Great Horses Plus"

[DomingoDeSantaClara]

When the troops run short of food it's very easy to convert cavalry to carvery.

[Storming]

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