A Templar knight was only half the equation on the battlefield — the other half was his horse, and outfitting that horse was nearly as involved as outfitting the rider.
What Barding Actually Was
Barding is the general term for horse armor. For a 12th- or 13th-century Templar knight, that typically meant a padded or quilted caparison covering the horse’s body, sometimes reinforced with mail or layered fabric over the chest and flanks — the areas most exposed in a cavalry charge. Full plate barding came later and further north in Europe; in the heat of the Crusader states, lighter protection was the practical norm.
The Templar Warhorse Itself
Templar knights typically kept more than one horse: a sturdy destrier for combat, and lighter palfreys or pack horses for travel and baggage. The Rule set specific limits on how many mounts a knight could keep, tying directly back to the Order’s vow of poverty — excess was not permitted even in something as practically necessary as horses.
Why Barding Mattered Tactically
A charging knight’s biggest vulnerability wasn’t his own armor — it was his horse. An unarmored mount brought down mid-charge could unhorse and strand a knight in the middle of a battle line. Even partial barding meaningfully reduced that risk, which is part of why the Templars, among the best-equipped forces in the Crusader states, invested in it.
Markings and Identification
Horse caparisons sometimes carried the same red cross used on a knight’s surcoat and shield, turning the animal itself into a recognizable part of the Order’s battlefield presence — useful both for rallying allies and for signaling to the enemy exactly who they were facing.
Cost and Upkeep
Between the horse itself, its barding, feed, and a dedicated squire or sergeant often assigned to its care, a single knight’s mount represented one of the Order’s largest per-capita expenses — a major reason knighthood was restricted to brothers whose noble families could help offset the cost.
FAQ
Did every Templar knight’s horse wear armor? Not always fully — barding varied by resources and campaign; partial protection on the chest and neck was more common than full-body covering.
How many horses did a knight typically have? The Rule generally allowed a knight three mounts plus a squire’s horse, reflecting both combat need and the Order’s limits on personal excess.
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