When not on active military duty, a knight could keep their weapons and horse riding skills sharp by practising in tournaments. For the really devout Christian knight, there was also the option of joining a military order such as the Knights Hospitaller or Knights Templar, where one lived much like a monk but at least had the opportunity of the best training and weapons of all medieval knights. Some knights operated as independent mercenaries and, for the more adventurous and pious, there was always the opportunity presented by the crusades which punctuated the frequent European secular wars of the Middle Ages. All of these skills helped the knight fulfil their primary functions as bodyguards to nobles, as members of a garrison guarding a castle, or on the battlefield as the elite element of a medieval army. Riding a horse at full gallop and cutting at a pell or wooden post with one's sword was another common training technique. Another device was a suspended ring which had to be removed using the tip of the lance. A rider had to hit the shield and keep riding on to avoid being hit in the back by the weight as it swung around. There were specific devices for training such as the quintain - a rotating arm with a shield at one end and a weight at the other. To use these weapons effectively and get used to wearing a load of metal armour, it was a good idea for a knight to put in a bit of practice before meeting the challenge of actual warfare. Some knights operated as independent mercenaries &, for the more adventurous & pious, there was always the opportunity presented by the Crusades. Better protection was offered by a two-piece coat of chain mail (one for the front and the other hung behind the saddle), a padded helmet, a plate head covering, or an armour plate of metal or boiled leather to protect the chest. The simplest option was a cloth caparison which might also enclose the animal's head and ears and which was another handy canvas for armorial display. The all-important horses that made knights the equivalent of modern tanks on the medieval battlefield also had particular protection. There was even a fashion for three-dimensional figures mounted on the crest which represented anything from stag horns to dragons. Punched ventilation holes could provide decorative patterns, many were painted, and plumes of exotic birds could be added to the top. Hiding the face, a helmet could be personalised to identify who was inside. First simple conical helmets were worn, then a nose guard or mask was added, and, by the 13th century, the fully enclosed helmet was used with further design tweaks such as a protruding snout for better ventilation or conical top to deflect blows better. The head was protected by a helmet or helm as they were often called. In any case, knights often mixed mail and plate armour, selecting their own protection according to preference, with chest plates and greaves for the legs being the most common pieces worn. A full suit of armour weighed from 20 to 25 kilograms (45-55 lbs) - less than a modern infantryman would carry in equipment - and so a knight who fell off his horse was not totally helpless and immobile. The plates could protect all parts of the body, and they came in various shapes and designs, the pieces held together using laces (points), straps, hinges, buckles, or semicircular rivets. Plate armour became more common from the 14th century and offered better protection against arrows and sword blows.
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