So, now we've all got a Manor ('cept me, cos my trusted, High Glory Bachelor Knight got dead at Terrabil) and our little 'order' of brother knights has some cash it wants to invest, and is thinking of a horse herd from BotM. We also, from character generation, have some exceptional horses (a Courser, a 'strong' horse, and another one I've forgotten the details of) available to breed from. Any suggestions as to how to quantify the effect of better horses on a herd? One of our players is a vet, so we could probably do some pretty realistic stud and bloodline spreadsheets. Or we could arbitrarily fling together some tables. Horses have been bred for desired features by their owners since they were domesticated, so even if Anarchy period doesn't have the stud registries of the C18th and on, an individual herd's master would be trying to breed superior horses for his needs from his and neighbouring herds.

A courser is nothing special. It is an ordinary hunt-trained horse.

I think the general rule of the thumb from Greg was that you'll need a mare of similar characteristics to get a breeding program going. This is to prevent PKs from simply using their chargers and mere sumpter or rouncy mares to get several metric tons of mean chargers. Or even bring back one Andalusian and end up with a load of them and more money than they will ever need. A play balance issue, if you will. Horses are extremely expensive and something that can easily make a mockery of the economics of the campaign if you don't impose costs for a breeding program, too; all the upkeep of those mares and foals and training will take time and money, too.

Frankly, a lot of it depends on the game group. If they are just looking to have another STR +1 Charger when the old one dies, that is not problematic. If they are looking to have Andalusians for everyone in 5 years and then start selling them at £32 a pop during Anarchy, that is a problem.

A courser is nothing special. It is an ordinary hunt-trained horse.

I beg to differ: Coursers are half way between a Rouncy and a Charger in size and strength and faster, fitter and more nimble than either. They are often trained both for the Hunt and Combat and are worth 10 times what a Rouncy (what I'd call an ordinary horse) is (though half a Charger, because the extra size is more important to those with the cash to spend).

If you mean that any herd that will produce replacement Chargers will produce Coursers too, then fair enough.


I think the general rule of the thumb from Greg was that you'll need a mare of similar characteristics to get a breeding program going. This is to prevent PKs from simply using their chargers and mere sumpter or rouncy mares to get several metric tons of mean chargers. Or even bring back one Andalusian and end up with a load of them and more money than they will ever need. A play balance issue, if you will. Horses are extremely expensive and something that can easily make a mockery of the economics of the campaign if you don't impose costs for a breeding program, too; all the upkeep of those mares and foals and training will take time and money, too.
The "horse herd" investment does cost £5-£15 annually.

The "strong" horse must've come from somewhere; presumably it's the "best" horse of its generation out of a particular herd, so either someone's bred for it (something that can be, if you'll pardon the pun, reproduced), or any herd (that produces chargers) can throw a "strong" or "large" version upon occasion (a fluke that could occur to PC herds). But putting a "strong" stallion in as the stud for a herd of "normal" charger mares ought to increase the chances of those mares throwing "strong" foals.


Frankly, a lot of it depends on the game group. If they are just looking to have another STR +1 Charger when the old one dies, that is not problematic. If they are looking to have Andalusians for everyone in 5 years and then start selling them at £32 a pop during Anarchy, that is a problem.

First we want to be able to replace our ruined/aged/deceased mounts, but if there's a chance of developing a true-breeding blood line in a few horsey generations (with the occasional exceptional one as we get the book sorted out), we'd like to take it. We're all envious of the 7D6 Charger ('specially me who's on a War Pony :( ) and we'd like to have fast riding horses. We certainly don't want Andalusians and Destriers during Anarchy, just to be able to have some chance of getting the best horsemeat that's otherwise available. And we get through 'em fast enough that I don't expect we'll have any to sell, ever. Realistically, the Strong trait wouldn't be reliable for several generations (so 20 years or more), coming from one sire and breeding the best of his sons and daughters with the best locals.

Sounds like we're best to just cobble a table together with some cumulative bonuses.

I do not think that breeding horses in the Middle Ages was as easy as it is today
and it is damn near impossible today
The herds of mares were typically let loose in the wastelands with several proven stallions
that would grant enough strong colts to hope that one/some of them would be able to qualify as a charger when full grown and trained
From what I understand the horses, no matter what strength and size, would undergo training to become
a domestic
a riding horse
a war horse
with horses being eliminated for the program at the top of their ability

I would/will probably allow some real horse breeding in the last Period(s) of the campaign though

Of course, it is your campaign and if you want to have stud lines so early, then make it so!

I do not think that breeding horses in the Middle Ages was as easy as it is today
and it is damn near impossible today
The herds of mares were typically let loose in the wastelands with several proven stallions
that would grant enough strong colts to hope that one/some of them would be able to qualify as a charger when full grown and trained
From what I understand the horses, no matter what strength and size, would undergo training to become
a domestic
a riding horse
a war horse
with horses being eliminated for the program at the top of their ability

I would/will probably allow some real horse breeding in the last Period(s) of the campaign though

Of course, it is your campaign and if you want to have stud lines so early, then make it so!


Thanks for the insight into Medieval horse "breeding". I had no idea it was so chaotic, and am surprised. Sounds like the best approach might be to just have a table, and have a modifier on it for having introduced superior steeds into the general breeding pool that can accumulate if more horses are added.