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raising horses

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central Greece

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the land and resources of not particularly suited to rearing horses, which require:

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fields

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fodder

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water

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people who could spend high amounts of time tending to them

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none of these are in abundance

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lower Macedon

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broad fields

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much food

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much water

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large group of Macedonian nobles were willing to spend their resources on breeding and raising a large number of resources

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just as Philip, introduced their sons to horses and riding from a very young age

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put into one of the units of the cavalry

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two squadrons

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recruited locally

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200-250 riders in each squadron

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royal squadron

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fought around the king when he fought in battle

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a kind of an extended body guard of the king

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the best riders in all the kingdom of Macedon

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most riders were probably excellent horsemen

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horses

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smaller on average

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did not have saddles or stirrups

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had to control their mounts with used:

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harsh bridles and bits

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pressure with legs

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had to

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ride galloping at 35 miles per hour

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stay in formation

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held reins of horse with one hand

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weapon in the other hand

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all the while dodging javelins and arrows

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primary weapon

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tapered, three-meter-long lance

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blades at both ends, just in case your lance broke

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you would still have part of a weapon with a sharp edge to it

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you could throw the lance

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or thrust with it overhand or underhand

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in famous Alexander mosaic, he is thrusting with one of those lances

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also reserve weapons

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javelins

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very likely the majority wore metal helmets and breastplates

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difference between cavalry of Greek city-states and Macedon

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Greek city-states

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provided cover for

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flanks

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retreating infantry men

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Macedon

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to envelop their foes

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to punch holes through the lines of their enemies

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an offensive strike force design to open up gaps in enemy lines

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attacked enemy lines on a wedge formation that focused speed, mass, and force on a single point

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the wedge was formed in the shape of the Greek letter "Δ", or Delta

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in doing so, that distinguished their doctrine of attack from other cavalry contingents which usually attacked on a broad front

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thereby diffusing the amount of power and momentum that they brought to the battle field

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the leaders of each wedge fought at the front

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the cavalry men followed him like cranes following a lead crane in flight

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when the leader turned left or right, they simple followed him

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it was Philip apparently who introduced this wedge formation into the Macedonian cavalry playbook

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in each of the major battles that Alexander fought that ended up that ended up overturning the Persian empire, he fought at the front of one of those wedges