Destrier

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A destrier is an historical term for a knight's war horse. The term destrier is derived from the Vulgar Latin 'dextrarius,' meaning right-hand.

There are many theories as to what "type" and size destriers attained, though it now seems clear they were not enormous draft types. Equestrian statues in Italy suggest a "Spanish" style of horse that today would be referred to as Baroque. Modern attempts to reproduce destriers usually involve crossing a lighter, more athletic horse with something heavier. One example is the "Spanish Norman," bred by crossing a Percheron with an Andalusian. Modern estimates put the heights at no more than 16 hands, though with a strong and heavy physique.

Northern European depictions seem to suggest a heavy version of the modern quarter horse (actual quarter horses were not bred in the middle ages). The Friesian horse, 14.2 to 17 hands high, is said to have been used as destrier in medieval times in Northern Europe. Due to its heavy, muscular physique today's Friesian is not suited to aerobic sports like all-out racing, but it is an excellent dressage and student horse famous for its imposing presence and spectacular trot. When harnesses (plate armor) fell out of use, Andalusian blood was added to the Friesian lighten its weight.

A good destrier was expensive. 7th century Salic law gives a price of 12 solidi as weregild, or reparational payment, for a war horse, compared to 3 solidi for a sound mare or 1 solidus for a cow. In later centuries destriers became even more expensive: the average value of the horses of a company of 22 knights and squires in the county of Flanders in 1297 compares to the price of seven normal coursers (J. de St. Genois, Inventoire analytique des chartes de comtes de Flandres, Ghent, 1843-1846). The price of these destriers varied between 20 and 300 livres parisis (parisian pounds), compared to 5 to 12 livres for a normal courser. Horses of kings and important nobles could be even more expensive. Mounted knights would take a number of horses campainging, different horses and breeds for separate tasks. A destrier fit for battle would be properly trained as well as of a breed physically capable of carrying a mounted soldier in battle kit.

The destrier was bred to not only hold an armored knight along with it's own armor, it was bred for shock combat. Shock combat was the idea during the Middle Ages to literally mow down the enemy. When used with the couched lance, the destrier-mounted knight could inflict extreme damage.