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Light cavalry
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Light cavalry refers to lightly armed and armoured troops mounted on horses, as opposed to heavy cavalry, in which the riders are heavily-armoured. Its chief purpose is scouting, reconnaissance, screening, skirmishing, and raiding. They often carried spears or small swords. The origins of light cavalry go back to the very origins of cavalry itself, for before the saddle and stirrup, heavy cavalry was nearly impossible for the cavalryman because they had no support and could easily fall off their horse. Light cavalry was used sparingly by the Greeks and Romans (though Roman auxiliaries were often mounted), but has always been popular among the armies (and hordes) of Central Asia. The Huns, Turks, and Mongols were all adept light cavalrymen and archers. The chief advantage of such forces was their swiftness, the horses being light (often mares) and the riders lightly armored. With the decline of feudalism and knighthood in Europe, light cavalry became a more prominent force in the armies of the continent. Many were armed with guns, as their predecessors had been with bows. European examples of light cavalry include the hussars and the dragoons, mounted infantrymen who rode between battles.
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