- Rouncey
The term rouncey (also spelt rouncy or rounsey) was used during the
Middle Ages to refer to an ordinary, all-purpose horse. They were used for riding, but could also be trained for war. It was not unknown for them to be used aspack horse s.Use in warfare
While the
destrier is the most well-known warhorse of the Medieval era, it was the least common, and coursers were often preferred for hard battles. They were both expensive, highly trained horses prized byknight s and nobles, and the poorer knight,squire or man-at-arms would use a rouncey for fighting. A wealthy knight would provide rounceys for hisretinue .Oakeshott, Ewart. "A Knight and his Horse", Rev. 2nd Ed. USA:Dufour Editions, 1998] Gravett, Christopher. "English Medieval Knight 1300-1400", Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2002, p 59]Sometimes the expected nature of warfare dictated the choice of horse; when a summons to war was sent out in England, in 1327, it expressly requested rounceys, for swift pursuit, rather than destriers.Prestwich, Michael. "Armies and Warfare in the Middle Ages: The English Experience", New Haven: Yale University Press, 1996, p 318]
ee also
*
Horses in the Middle Ages
*Destrier
*Courser (horse)
*Palfrey References
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