Horse Cavalry
 

My Lady and I went to see the Lippizzaner Stallions perform last night, both of our first times.

I was amazed to learn of their use as weapons in battle (had not known about that prior).

Watching the horses do their airs above ground whereby using their feet and bodies in certain dramatic ways they could defend or attack with man aboard was astounding to witness... imagining what it would have been like as infantry on the field bearing sword or spear on the receiving end of that power.

Also, to see them in formation maneuvering in unison of various kinds... quite remarkable.

I had read a little about Patton coming to the aid of the Austrian Lippizzaners during his last war, so now I can understand how he might have taken an interest in them,.

There was a Disney movie about them which I saw a long, long time ago. I wish I could remember how Disney portrayed Patton. :D

I recall Diseny did not do much with Patton. It was based on Robert Taylor as a German attempting to keep the horses from being killed.

Des,

In the movie, George C. Scott as "Patton" rode a Lippinzaner while speaking to the press. You must be thinking of that scene.

I enjoyed the repartee between Gene Hackman and Denzel Washington in that submarine movie ( sorry senior moment ) about these magnificent steeds.....it was cool.

Larry

The Lippizan Horse was indeed saved from the brink of extinction during WWII. This is the only breed of horse that is born black or "grulla" and turns a beautiful white by age 3. For the first 3 years of life they are turned out to pasture and are allowed to run wild, but contained. Their training does not begin until after they are fully developed. Then they are trained in the traditional art of Dressage.

Dressage is the foundation. It is a series of precise steps and control, total respect and communication between rider and horse. This is most certainly NOT any easy sport. Trust me on that one! Once the Lipps have mastered the basics then they move on to the more complex maneuvers, developed by accentuating a horses natural movements in defense and turning it into offense. Rider and horse work as a team whether in battle or in the arena. They relied on one another to survive.
The Lippizans amazing dance although graceful is VERY powerful and Very deadly. You've seen this light (apprx 800lbs) horse jump and kick out in mid air. Now think about a horse that often pulled a plow or wagon (Percheron, 1500lbs or more) in full battle regalia, carrying a knight in full steel armor performing these same movements. Now that is amazing to see. Gives new meaning to "Horse Power".

There are some great books out there on both the art of the cavalry and on the amazing story of the Lippizan. The Excaliber in Las Vegas used to hold daily shows, don't know if they still do or not. I could sit and watch them over and over again and never be bored. But then my mother used to claim I was a centaur!

DL

The story is, that Patton sent a Batalllion to secure the Lippizan breeding farm because he was afrait the Russians would eat them, wiping out the breed.

A knight on the ground with a sword wouldnt have much of a chance against those or any other horse mounted knight. That is why pikes and pikemen came into being in the middle ages. With pikemen to protect your archers an army could stop a charge of the heavest horsemen though. The English stopped the French heavy calvalry at Pointiers with archers protected by wooden stakes in the ground and the English knightes dismounted to protect there barrier from the French infantry. A wise general never attacked pikemen with horsemen the horses were sent to flank an enemy and attack from the rear. After an army was broken and running there was not much hope as no man can outrun those magnificent horses in a retreat.