"Horses in the Middle Ages" Topic

"As much as cars and the internal combustion engine defines our age, the horse defined the middle ages in Europe. Horses, along with mules and donkeys were relied on for transportation, agriculture, war, and recreation. A large segment of the population was dedicated to occupations that used or cared for horses. The language used to describe the animals and their handlers can be confusing to the modern reader. Many of the terms are used differently now, so if you want to read historical fiction or do research on the middle ages it is important to understand what they were talking about.

Horses were not referred to by their breed but by their purpose. Therefore, many of the modern breed names had broader, less specific meanings in the middle ages. Horses were measured in hands, not in inches--with each hand being 4 inches high (three hands to the foot). The average horse in the middle ages was 13 to 14 hands high at the withers (shoulders) and would look like a pony or small horse to us today. But then, the men and women of the middle ages would look small to us as well…."
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Amicalement
Armand

People in the Middle Ages were not that significantly shorter than we are today, in England people were around 5'8" back then versus 5'9" today.

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Thanks!.

Amicalement
Armand

Well, 5'9" looks short to me, and even shorter to my 6'4" brother…

(smile)

Amicalement
Armand

Why do some always have to make themselves look knowledgeable by inserting falsehoods they learned off television or from others (ie their high school history teachers who had/have no education in history but only taught the class because some administrator did not understand the concept of "content specialization") who also "learned" from television.

Because… they are a little fool…? (smile)

Amicalement
Armand