Cavalry charge

[PMBardunias]

not quite the same as a full charge but here is a handful of horse charging a very large crowd in real time

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qhUTF4hOp8

This is a good example of how I think such charges actually occurred. If the people make room the horses continue on, if they stand, then the horses do not charge in hard, but stop and wade into the crowd- you can see this on many riot videos. My problem with the hard charge of cavalry is the same I have with the hard running charge of hoplites directly into othismos- your men get tangled with the fallen foes and go down, horses would break legs. I have seen the former for myself and been told that horsemen fear even fake charges due to the possibilty of horses tripping.

I have been charged by just 3 horses at the gallop, and definitely wanted to run!

[PMBardunias]

The whole thing looks to be a very silly film, and makes me despair once again for the depiction of Ancient/Medieval warfare on film. Still it has its moments. I note the shooting on command by the archers.

There is one bright light in this flick. The combat in harness is fairly realistic in that they almost always end up on the ground engaged in armizare and stabbing each other in the joints with rondels.

[Jim Webster]

not quite the same as a full charge but here is a handful of horse charging a very large crowd in real time

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qhUTF4hOp8

Only a reporter would describe that as 'a full on charge'

[Erpingham]

Provided you treat the film The King as fantasy, it's OK.  It does make Shakespeare's version seem the height of historical accuracy. In fact, it is more a new story told with Shakespeare's characters than anything else.  Some nice Tod Todeleschi weaponry in use though as hero pieces - that is historically accurate.

Hugh Doherty is a real Early Medieval historian (not to be confused with paul Doherty, the historical novelist).

[Erpingham]

I have been charged by just 3 horses at the gallop, and definitely wanted to run!

I was charged once in the SK, at the "round trot" they favoured.  Although surprised (they were our cavalry) we rapidly formed "hedgehog" and they veered off, sadly straight through our camp followers, who were knocked flat and needed attention from the St John's ambulance.  I think the lesson really is the behaviour of amateur riders on untrained horses is probably not a good guide to how the professionals would perform  Would we have reacted the same if we didn't know that, short of the blundering incompetence of SK cavalry of the time, we were in no real danger?  Don't know.

I think by this stage the film footage has been well chewed over (sorry I missed that live) but the point on what the other extras other than George and the rider do is probably also what they are supposed to do rather than some instinctive reaction by men and animals. 

[Imperial Dave]

I have been charged by just 3 horses at the gallop, and definitely wanted to run!

I was charged once in the SK, at the "round trot" they favoured.  Although surprised (they were our cavalry) we rapidly formed "hedgehog" and they veered off, sadly straight through our camp followers, who were knocked flat

ouch

[Erpingham]

I have been charged by just 3 horses at the gallop, and definitely wanted to run!

I was charged once in the SK, at the "round trot" they favoured.  Although surprised (they were our cavalry) we rapidly formed "hedgehog" and they veered off, sadly straight through our camp followers, who were knocked flat and needed attention from the St John's ambulance.  I think the lesson really is the behaviour of amateur riders on untrained horses is probably not a good guide to how the professionals would perform  Would we have reacted the same if we didn't know that, short of the blundering incompetence of SK cavalry of the time, we were in no real danger?  Don't know.

I think by this stage the film footage has been well chewed over (sorry I missed that live) but the point on what the other extras other than George and the rider do is probably also what they are supposed to do rather than some instinctive reaction by men and animals. 

I have been charged by just 3 horses at the gallop, and definitely wanted to run!

I was charged once in the SK, at the "round trot" they favoured.  Although surprised (they were our cavalry) we rapidly formed "hedgehog" and they veered off, sadly straight through our camp followers, who were knocked flat

ouch

Yes, when Justin was collecting his videos to prove horses would collide with humans, I just had to recall the spectacle of poor women being flattened by a charging Brigadier Peter Young (for it was he who led the charge).  Fortunately, the two women were well enough to return to the ranks that evening.