Horse transports in the Middle Ages

In the Middle Ages, boats were used to transport horses over long distances, both for war and for trade.

[4] Sailing transports, known as usciere in Italian (French huissiers; Latin usserii), were also built.

For example, the Scandinavians had adapted the horse-transport technology by the 12th century as part of their move away from the traditional Viking infantry.

[6] The first illustration displaying such horse-transport in western Europe can be found in the Bayeux Tapestry's depiction of the Norman conquest of England.

[12] Adapting a ship for horse transportation required the installation of stalls of wood or hurdles.

[13] Whether English vessels used canvas slings to support the horses like contemporary Mediterranean practice is uncertain.

Cogs were the main transport vessels of Northern Europe.
Side view of the Aragonese tarida Sant Pere de Roma . Used during the 14th century, she was able to carry 15 to 20 horses.
Icelandic horses were transported by Norse ships to Iceland by settlers in the 9th century.
This section from the Bayeux Tapestry shows horses being unloaded during William the Conqueror 's invasion of England in 1066. He brought over 2,000 horses with him across the Channel . [ 8 ]