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Several cultures in East Asia made extensive use of cavalry and chariots.

Horses were well suited to the warfare tactics of the nomadic cultures from the steppes of Central Asia. Throughout history, mules and donkeys as well as horses played a crucial role in providing support to armies in the field. The type used varied with whether the horse was being ridden or driven, and whether they were being used for reconnaissance, cavalry charges, raiding, communication, or supply. Many different types and sizes of horses were used in war, depending on the form of warfare. The effectiveness of horses in battle was also revolutionized by improvements in technology, such as the invention of the saddle, the stirrup, and the horse collar. As formal cavalry tactics replaced the chariot, so did new training methods, and by 360 BC, the Greek cavalry officer Xenophon had written an extensive treatise on horsemanship. By 1600 BC, improved harness and chariot designs made chariot warfare common throughout the Ancient Near East, and the earliest written training manual for war horses was a guide for training chariot horses written about 1350 BC. A Sumerian illustration of warfare from 2500 BC depicts some type of equine pulling wagons. The first evidence of horses in warfare dates from Eurasia between 40 BC. Scotland Forever! depicting the cavalry charge of the Royal Scots Greys at the Battle of Waterloo. For other uses, see War Horse (disambiguation).