Imagine doing it. Stabbing a weapon into the panicking animal while trying to not get kicked. The blood from the wound makes the weapon slippery and hard to hold...

Could you really? You make it sound so easy, like the people who have not taken a life tend to.

[–] luciferofastora@lemmy.zip 1 points 20 hours ago

I don't think a horse would choose melee if it can run, and if you prepare for range (multiple javelins), you have an advantage. A gokd hit on the more sensitive parts of the legs can knock it down, and while it keeps running you could collect your projectiles and keep trying. Persistence hunting can wear it out, even if it's faster. Once it's on the ground, finishing it wouldn't be as dangerous any more if you stick it from outside kicking range.

If it does fight up close, yeah, that'd be terrifying, but the range advantage of the spear would give you an edge still. Physically, I think I could pull it off.

Emotionally, I'm pretty sure I couldn't handle it. I'd go down, paralysed at the thought of hurting it.

[–] Korhaka@sopuli.xyz 2 points 1 day ago

I mean a horse is certainly bigger than anything I have had to kill, I will give you that.

But I went with spear because it's typically the weapon of choice against cavalry, it gives you distance reducing the chance you get kicked. You can also place multiple spears around you to protect your location, or make traps and scare it into running into them.