Salvete Omnes,
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| Cantigas del rey Alfonso X el Sabio manuscript- B.R. Florence Library |
three weeks ago Trivent Publishing hosted Dr Emma Herbert-Davies who lectured, for about 40 min, on the dominant types of the Medieval horses in England.
Dr Herbert-Davies published an edited translation of Jordanus Rufus - On Medicine of Horses.
During the presentation, with slides, dr Herbert-Davies presented the challenges the research into the Medieval horse, explained the absence of breeds vs abundance of types in the sources.
She then presented the working definition where type of horse had a variety of characteristics like its role or utility, status, value & quality.
She provides the following list -
1.Destrier - dextrarius
2.Equus
3.Rouncey
4.Great Hore - equus mangus
5.Courser
6.Palfrey - Palfridus
7.Sumpter
8.Hackney
9.Hobby
In the military context, three types of horses appear in sources - Destrier, equus, and rouncey, later equus magnus, courses
No sources describe the characteristics of destrier, nor equus neither rouncey. And dr Herbert-Davies concludes that in the late 13th early 14th centuries destrier was the most desired combat horse for the nobility (and heroes of the medieval romances), but most knights rode equi (war horses), while sergeants & valleti -retainers - rode rounceys.
From her studies of Jordanus and Practica equorum(Anonymous English text from the period) she presented the characteristics of the good or perfect horse:
Long:
head, neck, belly
Short:
ears, fetlocks, back
Wide:
mouth, nostrils, eyes, chest, buttocks(rump), joints(shins)
And so on, I enjoyed this presentation and strongly recommend watching & studying this lecture.
valete
