There is evidence of many imports into the Han dynasty of superior cavalry mounts. Saddles started less elaborate and there is evidence of Han ceramic clay figures of horses with all their saddle and equipment (Goodrich 284).

Han Cavalry Focus

• Started with simple saddle-cloth called a shabrack. By around 200 CE, saddles better accommodated spear-wielding horesback riders, offering better balance and stability (Goodrich 295 - 298).
• Transitioned from chariot offense use to chariot defense use (Whiting).
• The use of chariots in offensive advances were too slow to keep up with horseback riders (Chang).

Why were chariots not as favored?

• Chariots did not travel well in wetlands and mountainous regions of China, and Mongolians were in the North (Lander).
• Readily available access to horses and resources to support and take care of those horses (Chang).