light cavalry

military force

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Last updated

June 30, 2026

Quick Summary

Light cavalry refers to military forces mounted on horseback, originally distinguished by their lighter armor and reliance on missile weapons like bows. These horsemen employed mobile tactics, such as swarming, feigned retreats, and luring enemies into traps, to shower opponents with arrows from a distance.1

In contrast, heavy cavalry, like the Assyrian cataphracts, were more heavily armored and armed with spears or lances, designed for shock action rather than ranged combat. While cavalry was once a crucial element in armies, advancements like repeating rifles and machine guns significantly reduced its value by World War I, making horse-mounted charges against entrenched positions suicidal. Consequently, cavalry units transitioned to armored fighting vehicles, becoming mechanized or armored cavalry. French chasseurs à cheval were an example of light cavalry, with regiments instituted in 1779.123

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tactics
Light and heavy cavalry
The next development following chariots was cavalry, which took two forms. From Mongolia to Persia and Anatolia—and, later, on the North American plains as well—nomadic peoples fought principally with missile weapons, especially the bow in its short, composite variety. Equipped with…
Read More
The next development following chariots was cavalry, which took two forms. From Mongolia to Persia and Anatolia—and, later, on the North American plains as well—nomadic peoples fought principally with missile weapons, especially the bow in its short, composite variety. Equipped with…
Read More