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How did Allied infantry squares defend against French cavalry at Waterloo?

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Historical battle map showing troop positions at the Battle of Waterloo on June 18, 1815, near Brussels, Belgium. Red lines represent Anglo-Dutch infantry and cavalry under Wellington, positioned north of French forces. Blue lines show French infantry and cavalry under Napoleon, with both armies facing each other across a central road. Key locations like Chateau de Goumont (Hougoumont) and Plancenoit are labeled, and an inset map highlights the location within present-day Belgium and Europe. — Battle of Waterloo Battle of Waterloo, June 18, 1815.

At the Battle of Waterloo, Allied infantry successfully defended against French cavalry charges by forming infantry squares. These were hollow, defensive formations arranged several ranks deep that proved highly effective at neutralizing mounted attacks.1

The squares were particularly successful because the French cavalry assaults were delivered without adequate infantry or close artillery support. When the French horsemen charged, they were unable to break these unbroken, disciplined formations. Additionally, English gunners inflicted heavy casualties on the approaching French cuirassiers as they attempted to navigate the slopes between the key defensive outposts of Hougoumont and La Haye Sainte. Because the cavalry lacked the necessary combined-arms support to disrupt the infantry's cohesion, the squares remained a formidable obstacle that the French could not overcome.1