At this, he perks up further. He looks clearly glad to explain something he knows well.
"There are several skills and strategies needed. Good horsemanship is a necessary skill, and further, the skill of riding for war. That is the foundation," Lancelot says. "One must have the ability and the skill to ride well, to direct one's horse such that it does not slow or flinch. War horses are well trained for such things, but if the rider is uncomfortable, much can go awry. To be successful, one cannot slow before the impact, so any flinch or hesitation on the rider's part can translate to the mount. There is also the matter of steadiness with the lance, which is quite heavy. In sport, they are made mostly of wood and somewhat blunted, but they are quite long and it can be a challenge to keep it properly balanced and pointed straight, on target. If it glances, it's no good. If it hits squarely, and your opponent isn't fully prepared or lacks the skill or strength to bear up, or to deflect, they may be unhorsed. If they are skilled, they may deflect the lance -- which... good for them. If you are skilled enough, and your lance steady and well-aimed, it should shatter on their shield. In this case, even if they keep their seat, you will earn a point. Typically, there is a set number of tilts to run. In the event that neither rider is unhorsed, the rider with the most points is the victor."
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"There are several skills and strategies needed. Good horsemanship is a necessary skill, and further, the skill of riding for war. That is the foundation," Lancelot says. "One must have the ability and the skill to ride well, to direct one's horse such that it does not slow or flinch. War horses are well trained for such things, but if the rider is uncomfortable, much can go awry. To be successful, one cannot slow before the impact, so any flinch or hesitation on the rider's part can translate to the mount. There is also the matter of steadiness with the lance, which is quite heavy. In sport, they are made mostly of wood and somewhat blunted, but they are quite long and it can be a challenge to keep it properly balanced and pointed straight, on target. If it glances, it's no good. If it hits squarely, and your opponent isn't fully prepared or lacks the skill or strength to bear up, or to deflect, they may be unhorsed. If they are skilled, they may deflect the lance -- which... good for them. If you are skilled enough, and your lance steady and well-aimed, it should shatter on their shield. In this case, even if they keep their seat, you will earn a point. Typically, there is a set number of tilts to run. In the event that neither rider is unhorsed, the rider with the most points is the victor."