same time be able to use his weapons with effect on horseback, nothing
could be better, where the country suits and there are wild animals,
than to practise horsemanship in combination with the chase. But when
these resources fail, a good exercise may be supplied in the combined
efforts of two horsemen.[9] One of them will play the part of
fugitive, retreating helter-skelter over every sort of ground, with
lance reversed and plying the butt end. The other pursues, with
buttons on his javelins and his lance similarly handled.[10] Whenever
he comes within javelin range he lets fly at the retreating foeman
with his blunted missiles; or whenever within spear thrust he deals
the overtaken combatant a blow. In coming to close quarters, it is a
good plan first to drag the foeman towards oneself, and then on a
sudden to thrust him off; that is a device to bring him to the
ground.[11] The correct plan for the man so dragged is to press his
horse forward: by which action the man who is being dragged is more
likely to unhorse his assailant than to be brought to the ground
himself.

[9] {ippota}. A poetic word; "cavaliers."

[10] Or, "manipulated."

[11] Or, "that may be spoken off as the 'purl trick'"; "it will
unhorse him if anything."

If it ever happens that you have an enemy's camp in front, and cavalry
skirmishing is the order of the day (at one time charging the enemy
right up to the hostile battle-line, and again beating a retreat),
under these circumstances it is well to bear in mind that so long as
the skirmisher is close to his own party,[12] valour and discretion