I've been reading the A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R. R. Martin and getting curious about war horses. A thousand pound animal that can run around all day carrying a 200 pound knight and 300 pounds of steel or more is pretty impressive. Here's a group of people called New Riders of the Golden Age who claim to be the only realistic full-contact jousters in the world.
The New Riders of the Golden Age from War Horse Farm in Sarasota, Florida, have been jousting professionally since 1982 and have appeared at Renaissance Festivals, state and county fairs and other events all over the USA and Canada. Knight on Percheron steedThe use of Belgian, Percheron, Shire, and Clydesdale horses and full suits of period-designed 16th century tilting armor differentiates the New Riders of the Golden Age from groups and organizations presenting staged theatrical medieval jousts. The use of period equipment allows the New Riders to engage in an authentic full contact joust, and the great horses add an unmatchable sense of power and presence to the joust. Over twenty years of developing equipment, refining technique, and performing live at large outdoor venues have polished a unique presentation and confirmed repeatedly that audiences do appreciate the real thing.
The whole concept is fascinating to me. Horses were an integral part of human civilization for thousands years, but we've pretty much moved past them now, both in war and peace.
While I'm no expert on war horses, I read through the first three books of A Song of Ice and Fire a while ago, and I have to ask: Where are you in the series?
I don't know about elsewhere, but out in the Mountain West the horse culture has pretty much been transferred wholesale to cars. So in a way we still haven't moved past the horse; we've just replaced it with a car.
AL: I'm almost finished with the third book... there's no sign yet of the fourth.
WH: Yeah, that makes sense. Plus, it's easier to modify cars than horses.
Yeah, he's been working on the fourth for a few years now. At his site (George RR Martin.com), he's got an update saying he's almost finished... and that it's 1300 pages already.
I finished the third book about two years ago, so I've been waiting since. I like the twisted political intrigue and how realistic some aspects are (very little magic, mainly. That's a change for someone who's been reading the Sword of Truth series and other magic-filled books for years).
AL: I like how the magic in the world is reawakening with the dragons, and I like how much all the characters are changing.