Horses of master Martin

Salvete Omnes,

 Surviving works of master Martin Schongauer (circa 1450-1491) present the wide panorama of the artistic skills of one of the most skilled artists of the Northern Renaissance.

Master Martin was famous for the renderings of the Virgin Mary and numerous saints.

But we will just concentrate on his horse iconography -

from the print- Christ bearing the Cross -

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2nd print -
battle of Clavijo circa 844 Ad, during the Reconquista - exceptional combination of master Martin artistic skills and his knowledge of horse and its body (considering the time period, i.e., XV century.

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Santiago or Saint James of Spain 

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Adarga shields and lances of the Moorish warriors

enjoy 

Valete  

The Magi from XIII century

Salvete Omnes,
let imagination take us to the XIII century German lands in order to see some fine horses, their tack and riders from the early part of that century, as portrayed in the medieval manuscript illumination showing Adoration of Magi.
The images comes from the Berthold Sacramentary that has been named after  Berthold of Heimburg who was the abbot of the Benedictine Weingarten monastery( in the Holy Roman Empire) between 120 and 1230 AD, and it is currently held at the The Pierpont Morgan Library, NYC.
The name of the monk who painted them is unknown and he has been named the master of the Berthold Sacramentary.

Adoration of Magi

Below, on the gold chestnut palfrey, that is  stepping horse, do note high pommel and cantle saddle, double cinches and curb-bit, extended legs of the rider

note the horseshoes

 A stepping steel grey palfrey and his rider in full foreshortening

Fine portrayal of the foreshortened horse and rider - both rear and front, note his long, extended leg position in the saddle.

elaborate bridle on the stepping gold chestnut palfrey

Valete!

Medieval Spurs and Horseshoes - Szczecin NM

Salve,
returning to the Old Town Hall Museum in Szczecin, I would like to show you some spurs, stirrups, currycombs, horseshoes, and bits on display at the 1st floor of the museum.
Spurs

Currycombs

Horseshoes - last horseshoe is not a medieval one, but an early modern example.

Stirrups

Bits

Unfortunately there was no detailed depiction of these artefacts and therefore they shall remain  silent ones, unless one day I will be able to dig out some literature on them.
Enjoy