For those modelling Japanese horses

[FierceKitty]

http://www.minnano-jouba.com/mame_chishiki02_en.html

It seems native Japanese breeds don't have blazes on their faces. Heighday, there's a repainting marathon ahead.....

[Aksu]

Hullo,
Fortunately the site does mention that foreign breeds from eg korean peninsula, china and mongolia have been imported into Japan for centuries.
Cheers,
Aksu

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Phew

[steve_holmes_11]

Hullo,
Fortunately the site does mention that foreign breeds from eg korean peninsula, china and mongolia have been imported into Japan for centuries.
Cheers,
Aksu

Wonderful site, I'll certainly explore some more before painting any more of our four-legged friends.

The importation makes a lot of sense.
Almost every area which had small native horses became enthusiastic importers and cross-breeders as soon as they aspired to fielding a cavalry arm.

The Japanese breeds average out at 120cm (12 hands), which is a lot smaller than any samurai figure I own.
The rider's feet would be more than half-way to the ground.

Gamers with a European focus can compare with the Norman horseman of 1066 whose mounts are estimated to be the lower end of the 12-14 hand range.
When I learned that, it rather spoiled my image of a hard charging Irregular A knight.
It also explains one of the many apparent distortions in the Bayeux Tapestry.
Several of the axe-bearers (assumed to be Godwinson's huscarles) are taller than the horse and man that they are duelling.

[steve_holmes_11]

I watched the Kenau Reeves film 47 Samurai on Friday night.
Noticed that the horses were almost all without a nose blaze.

Somehow that greatly improved my enjoyment of the film.
The things you learn among the present learned company.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Shhh... I've 'taped' it to watch later.

[Techno]

The Japanese breeds average out at 120cm (12 hands), which is a lot smaller than any samurai figure I own.
The rider's feet would be more than half-way to the ground.

Stroll on....Von's smallest horse (OK.....It would be classified as a pony) is around 11and a half hands tall.

If I sat on that....my feet wouldn't be halfway to the ground they'd be close to scraping the ground. (Says he....exaggerating a bit.)

Am I right in assuming that the Japanese 'in this period' were particularly short ?....So it wouldn't have 'mattered' quite so much ?

Cheers - Phil.

(One day I'll dig out a photo of the smallest 'horse' I've ever met......"Boswell"....A Shetland pony with slightly deformed legs....In the respect that his 'leg bones' were somewhat curtailed.
I could easily stand astride Boswell, and barely make contact with his back. )