I'm currently reading a book on the 50 greatest battles that shaped the world and, being very interested in military hostory, a thought struck me the other day that might have been a game changer in many ancient battles.
Cavalry have been used for millennia but, as warfare evolved, it became a rule that cavalry should never be used without supporting infantry, as it is infantry that takes ground. Many a battle has been lost because the cavalry set off and were incapable of regrouping after the initial charge and invariably ended behind the enemy lines to plunder the baggage train. This left them stranded and ineffective and they were hence considered a once-only tactic and not reusable.
Cavalry have been used for millennia but, as warfare evolved, it became a rule that cavalry should never be used without supporting infantry, as it is infantry that takes ground. Many a battle has been lost because the cavalry set off and were incapable of regrouping after the initial charge and invariably ended behind the enemy lines to plunder the baggage train. This left them stranded and ineffective and they were hence considered a once-only tactic and not reusable.
Cromwell realised this and instilled greater discipline in his cavalry, ensuring they could regroup and be used again and again, leading to him becoming the best cavalry commander of the English Civil Wars.
Cavalry have also been used as mounted infantry, with the horse merely being a delivery mechanism to get infantry where they're needed quickly, whereupon they dismount and fight on foot - rather like the Saxon housecarls in the Battle of Hastings. Dragoons were originally mounted infantry who fought in the same manner.
Cavalry's primary use is to roll up enemy infantry in a flanking attack, which is why they were always put on the wings of an army. However, the tactic of the infantry forming squares bristling with spears or bayonets when cavalry attack was a very good foil to a cavalry charge, as horses aren't suicidal and will not jump a hedge of bayonets, leaving the enemy infantry to puck off the cavalry with rifle volleys. This was used very effectively at Waterloo by Wellington, where not a single infantry square was breached by repeated French cavalry charges (see the image below from the film, Waterloo).
Cavalry's primary use is to roll up enemy infantry in a flanking attack, which is why they were always put on the wings of an army. However, the tactic of the infantry forming squares bristling with spears or bayonets when cavalry attack was a very good foil to a cavalry charge, as horses aren't suicidal and will not jump a hedge of bayonets, leaving the enemy infantry to puck off the cavalry with rifle volleys. This was used very effectively at Waterloo by Wellington, where not a single infantry square was breached by repeated French cavalry charges (see the image below from the film, Waterloo).
Now, if cavalry should be used with infantry support (as they weren't at Waterloo), having a dual saddle would facilitate the cavalry with the ability to quickly bring supporting infantry with them, with the infantry dismounting just prior to the cavalry proceeding with a charge.
I wondered whether there was indeed a double saddle, and there is, but its use is mainly for allowing kids to ride with their parents.
Granted, the horse might be a tad tired on arriving at the infantry dismount area, and the number of infantry would be limited to the number of cavalry (infantry normally far outweigh cavalry numbers), but the tactic could have been a game changer in some historic battles and, to my knowledge, has never been used. There's probably a good reason for this, but I'm not aware of it.
It's interesting to note that mounted artillery, in the form of mounted archers, were a game-changer when they were introduced by the Mongols.
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