Warhorses
We have a small core group of horses near Upper Hutt and in Stratford that we use for all of our activities including jousting.
These horses are rather special as running against another horse in the joust is unnatural for many horses and although some horses enjoy it, it takes time to build trust and train a horse to become a Warhorse.
Below are the details of our current team of Warhorses based near Upper Hutt and at Stratford.
Nugget
Based in Upper Hutt and owned by Callum Forbes, Nugget is a 165 (16.1 hand) Stationbred mare. She was originally owned and trained by Auckland jouster John King (deceased). She was born around 2009 and appeared at the last two Harcourt Park tournaments in 2013 and 2015 and at a number of events in the Auckland/Whangarei areas after that. We were extremely fortunate to obtain Nugget who represents the first of our "second generation" of warhorses after the retirement of our original team of warhorses.
All of our warhorses joust willingly but Nugget is especially willing about it!
(Nugget at Across the Ages, Eketahuna, March 2025)
Ruby
Based in the Stratford team, Ruby is a 15hh Clydesdale–Station bred cross mare owned by Emily Perrin. With her steady temperament and versatile nature, Ruby took to warhorse training like a natural. Whether she's charging down the list for jousting, or more conventional equestrian sports like dressage and jumping, she’s the kind of horse who gives everything a go—mounted combat, horseback archery, skill at arms—you name it, she’s up for it.
Ruby and Emily have been part of the overall winning team at the NZ Adult Riding Clubs North Island Teams Event and Ruby continues to impress in all disciplines she tries. With her bold heart, strong build, and willingness to take on any challenge, Ruby truly lives up to the spirit of a medieval warhorse.
(Ruby at Across the Ages, Eketahuna, March 2025)
Paradox
Based in Upper Hutt and owned by Sasha Buchmann, Paradox is a 16.1 hand Spanish-Norman mare bred by Jotunheim Stud in Australia and she embodies the physical characteristics of the medieval warhorse. She is trained in classical dressage principles (Légèreté), and a versatile performer in historical reenactment. Her extensive repertoire includes Roman displays, Viking horseback wrestling, Ottoman mounted archery, 14th-century jousting, mounted combat on Napoleonic battlefields, bushranger black powder gunfights, military formation riding, and numerous public parades, often carrying honoured guests.
(Paradox training in Upper Hutt, February 2025)
Libby
Libby is a 12 year old 16.2 hand Percheron Cross mare owned by Callum Forbes. She originally came from Queensland, Australia, She has had prior experience as a warhorse in mounted skill-at-arms including appearing at the annual Abbey Museum Medieval Festival just north of Brisbane.
Libby's original owners were unable to keep her when they moved to New Zealand and we were very lucky to be able to get her in our team in Autumn 2024. She has settled in really well with our team so expect to see her during the 2025/2026 display season.
(Libby training in Upper Hutt, February 2025)
The Warhorse in Modern Times
Although several modern breeds of horse claim lineage with the original medieval warhorse, most of these breeds have been bred for other purposes in later centuries and are often no longer as suitable for their original purpose of jousting.
We instead use solidly built horses in the 15 to 16.2 hands range (150 cm - 165 cm). This is in line with archaeological and other historical evidence as to the actual size and look of the 14th century medieval warhorse. One of the great myths of modern times is that medieval warhorses were the equivalents of today's huge Shire and other draft breeds.
However the right physical characteristics are not enough. All of our horses have been selected because of their boldness and their reliable temperament.
It takes a great deal of work to train a horse to joust, but more importantly the horse also has to enjoy it. If a horse is not comfortable with any activity there is no way that the rider can humanely enforce his or her will over it.
All of the horses used by the Order of the Boar are owned by our Riding Members. Most of these horses are also used in other equestrian activities including Dressage, Jumping and One Day Eventing by their owners so they all have a lot of variety in their lives!