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Gone Medieval

How Horses Ran the Medieval World

Gone Medieval

History Hit

History

4.52.7K Ratings

🗓️ 6 February 2026

⏱️ 49 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

How integral were horses to warfare, agriculture and travel in the Middle Ages? What did your horse say about your status? How can knowing more about horses unlock a deeper understanding of medieval society itself?

Matt Lewis is joined by equestrian historian Dr. Anastasija Ropa to understand the way horses powered the Middle Ages.


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Gone Medieval is presented by Matt Lewis. Audio editor is Amy Haddow, the producers are Rob Weinberg and Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

All music used is courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.

Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.


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Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

From long-lost Viking ships and kings buried in unexpected places to tales of murder,

0:07.7

power, faith, and the lives of ordinary people across medieval Europe and beyond.

0:13.3

Join me, Matt Lewis, Dr. Eleanor Jarniger, and some of the world's leading historians,

0:18.0

as we bring history's most fascinating stories to life only on

0:22.3

History Hit. With your subscription, you'll unlock hundreds of hours of exclusive documentaries

0:27.2

with a brand new release every week exploring everything from the ancient world to World War II.

0:33.6

Just visit historyhit.com forward slash subscribe.

0:40.2

Hello, I'm Matt Lewis. Welcome to Gone Medieval from History Hit, the podcast that delves into the greatest millennium in human history.

0:48.7

We've got the most intriguing mysteries, the gobsmacking details and latest groundbreaking research from the Vikings to the printing press,

0:57.5

from kings to popes to the crusades. We cross centuries and continents to delve into rebellions,

1:04.2

plots and murders, to find the stories big and small that tell us how we got here. Find out who we really were. We've gone medieval.

1:17.7

You're standing at a medieval crossroads on a bustling spring morning. Here comes a monk bouncing uncomfortably atop a

1:29.7

a threadbare mule whose ears flick back and forth with each determined step. The monk's robes

1:35.8

flap in the breeze as he clutches his saddle with white knuckles. Just behind him, a more impressive

1:42.2

procession approaches. A night in gleaming armour rides proudly upon a spirited courser,

1:49.2

while his young squire struggles to control both his own rauncy

1:52.3

and the imposing warhorse he leads by the reins.

1:56.4

Bread for strength rather than towering height,

1:59.1

the warhorse snorts impatiently, armour clanking with each

2:03.1

powerful step. Meanwhile, a lady of noble birth passes by on her elegant pulfry, sitting sideways

2:10.4

in her specialised saddle. Her ambler provides a comfortable ride that doesn't disturb her elaborate

2:17.4

headdress or trailing sleeves.

...

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