Itt: Just weird historical things When the Old Summer Palace

A ninth century document outlining the costs of various types of military equipment evaluated against the cost of a cow, shows just how expensive horses could be. A spear and shield were worth two cows; greaves would be valued at six cows; a helmet was also valued at six cows, and a sword and scabbard were worth seven. A horse for war, however, would cost 12 cows – twice as much as the cost of a helmet. And as any equestrian knows all too well, the initial purchase of the horse is the cheapest part of horse ownership; the mount’s keep over many years proving much more expensive.