Horseback Riding (sage study)

Includes the disciplines of riding, driving and vaulting with horses, enabling the character to train and manage horses, administer to their health, and participatge in their breeding. This also allows the employment of horses in combat, particularly larger and more aggressive horses as knowledge is accumulated.

Characters without this training are able to "ride" upon horses, but they are not able to manage the animals by themselves. Lacking knowledge, they must rely upon a trained rider or a servant to lead the horse. This is called assisted riding.

Breeds & Size

Domestic horses are classified as those intended for work (draught horses), travelling (riding horses and ponies) and combat (warhorses). These are further distinguished by size, physical ability and training. Ponies may be either young horses or certain breeds that are naturally small as adults. Warhorses are larger, so as to support a rider in armor and carrying weapons. Draught horses, while heavy, are bred to be docile and usually move at a walk (a trotting gait could not be long sustained, while the animal would actively resist a canter or a gallop).

The height of horses are often stated as "hands" — one hand is equal to 4 in. The table on the left shows the approximate size of horses; this size is obtained through breeding and diet, and does not correspond to the size and weight of wild horses.

Sage Abilities

Skills associated with the study of horseback riding include:

Amateur Domesticate Horses: gives the basic training to young or feral horses, enabling them to perform as ordinary working animals. Feeding & Diet: gives judgement regarding the physical size and needs of horses. Horse Handling I: enables the character to direct the horse or ride at various gaits with minimal skill. Horse-mounted Combat I: the character possesses enough skill to fight from a warhorse with minimal skill.

Authority Horse Handling II: provides the character with greater control in managing the horse's movement and gait. Horse Jumping I: permits jumping over low obstacles with a probable chance of success. Horse-mounted Combat II: expands the character's effectiveness as a mounted rider. Horse Physiology: maintenance and restoration of health in horses. Horseshoeing: care of the equine's hoof, including trimming, balancing and the placement of shoes. Warhorse Training: gives the basic training to young horses, enabling them to perform as horses effective in combat.

Expert Horse Breeding: selecting sires and fouls in order to produce a stock of horse suitable for a specific type of work. Horseracing: having the skill for pushing a horse past its ordinary endurance in order to win races.

See Also, Assassin's Sage Abilities Fighter Sage Abilities Paladin Sage Abilities Player Characters Ranger Sage Abilities