History Horses for every job
Medieval people named horses by their work. The destrier was the knight's great war horse, strong enough to carry a rider in armor, and very expensive. The palfrey had a smooth walking gait, comfortable for long journeys. Sturdy packhorses carried loads.
History Stirrups and shoes
Stirrups, which reached Europe in the early Middle Ages, gave riders a steady seat, so a knight could charge with a lance. Iron horseshoes, nailed on by a blacksmith, protected hooves on hard and stony roads.
Art In this artwork
The illustration shows a brown horse in a red cloth with gold lilies, ridden by a young man in a blue tunic and red cape. The lily, or fleur-de-lis, was a common design in medieval heraldry.
Look closer
- Find the stirrups.
- Find the lily shapes on the horse's cloth.
Think about it
- Why would a knight need a different horse from a traveler?
- How did stirrups help riders?
- Who looks after animals in your community?
Key words
- Destrier
- A strong war horse ridden by a knight.
- Palfrey
- A riding horse with a smooth, easy gait.
- Stirrup
- A loop hanging from a saddle to hold the rider's foot.
Sources
The history on this page is a short summary based on these sources:
- Encyclopaedia Britannica, "Knight" and "Chivalry"
- Encyclopaedia Britannica, "Wagon" and the history of land transportation
