Talk:Quiz Stand/@comment-71.252.243.16-20160729133852

I love the quiz stand, I am learning a lot. I know destrier horses are for war, but recently it said the palfry horses were too. I see several websites where their primary purpose, due to their easy gaits, was for riding...just my observation. Thank you!

Types of Horses

Elegant-looking, warm-blooded, (mild-mannered) horses with a smooth gait were bred with other similarly tempered horses to create "amblers" also known as "Palfrey horses." These were highly prized by the upper classes because they were very comfortable to ride on long journeys. These light-weight, riding horses were also used in battle because they could move quickly and were sure-footed on uneven ground. The prettiest palfreys were reserved for parades and special care was given to their grooming.

Destriers or great horses were larger, hot-blooded horses bred to be fearless in warfare. Though they were larger than Palfreys, contrary to some common belief, they were not as large as modern Clydesdales. Based on existing horse armor, the size of destriers is estimated at no more than 15.2 hands high with a weight of 1200 to 1300 pounds, about the size of a modern show horse. A horse this size could easily carry the weight of a knight in full armor including saddle, barding, tack, and weapons. Larger horses were used to pull cannons and wagons and rarely saw combat. Destriers were also used in tournaments where speed and agility were important. Destriers were hot-blooded, meaning they were spirited, fearless in battle, and would even attack other horses by biting and kicking.