Art Of Jousting

Jousting is a competitive sport that is performed when on a horse. It is between two knights who will use lances, axes, swords, or daggers. It was one of the more popular tournaments that was performed during the Middle Ages. According to the history books the first jousting tournament was back in 1066.

However, the game was not yet popular at this time and would not make a great impact on the world until the 13th century. Its popularity lasted (in Europe) early into the 17th century before slowly fading out.

While jousting was dangerous if won the knight would gain large sums of money. Knights would use this sport as a way to gain their wealth though many of them ended up by losing their fortune and some even died in the process.

Knights would climb onto their horses and charge at their enemies to knock them off their horse and to disable or kill them. Horses were trained to follow the directions of the knights and to not get spooked during the tournament. Many knights used their personal horses that they also used in battle. This helped them to take all the skills they used during battle to win.

Horses are still trained for jousting though the rules have greatly changed a bit. The jousting that the horses are used for in this day and age is usually put on for shows at Renaissance fairs and other attractions.