Cavalry Harness and Animal Armor
Explores defensive bardings, saddle interfaces, and armor systems developed for mounts on diverse global battlefields.
Inside this collection
Horse Chanfrons and Cranial Protection
Covers riveted steel, boiled leather, and brass faceplates fitted to warhorses in Europe and Asia.
European Complete Equine Barding
Details articulated flanchards, cruppers, crinets, and peytrels worn by heavy plate-armored cavalry.
Steppe and East Asian Equine Defenses
Examines lamellar and quilted fabric horse trappings used by Parthians, Sarmatians, Mongols, and Northern Wei.
Mamluk and Ottoman Horse Trappings
Surveys plated mail bards, decorative textile saddlecloths, and stirrup designs optimized for fluid horse archery.
War Elephant Armor and Castles
Investigates South Asian steel plate suits for elephants, trunk-mounted blades, and howdah combat platforms.
Camel Barding and Saddles
Covers desert cavalry equipment, horned and North African saddle seats, and mounted defensive coverings.
Spurs, Stirrups, and Saddle Physics
Traces technical transitions in saddle cantles, high pommels, and iron stirrups that enabled couch-lance warfare.
Bits, Bridles, and Harness Hardware
Examines curb bits, snaffles, and rein-cutting countermeasures designed to preserve rider control in melee.
Legendary objects deserve
a closer reading.
We study materials, makers and surviving evidence. Legends open the question; history guides the answer.
Our approach