The following account of the Maratha cavalry is given in General
Hislop's _Summary of the Maratha and Pindari Campaigns_ of 1817-1819:
"The Marathas possess extraordinary skill in horsemanship, and so
intimate an acquaintance with their horses, that they can make their
animals do anything, even in full speed, in halting, wheeling, etc.;
they likewise use the spear with remarkable dexterity, sometimes in
full gallop, grasping their spears short and quickly sticking the
point in the ground; still holding the handles, they turn their horse
suddenly round it, thus performing on the point of a spear as on a
pivot the same circle round and round again. Their horses likewise
never leave the particular class or body to which they belong; so
that if the rider should be knocked off, away gallops the animal
after its fellows, never separating itself from the main body. Every
Maratha brings his own horse and his own arms with him to the field,
and possibly in the interest they possess in this private equipment we
shall find their usual shyness to expose themselves or even to make a
bold vigorous attack. But if armies or troops could be frightened by
appearances these horses of the Marathas would dishearten the bravest,
actually darkening the plains with their numbers and clouding the
horizon with dust for miles and miles around. A little fighting,
however, goes a great way with them, as with most others of the native
powers in India."
On this account the Marathas were called _razah-bazan_ or
lance-wielders. One Muhammadan historian says: "They so use the lance
that no cavalry can cope with them. Some 20,000 or 30,000 lances are
held up against their enemy so close together as not to leave a span
between their heads. If horsemen try to ride them down the points of
the spears are levelled at the assailants and they are unhorsed. While
cavalry are charging them they strike their lances against each
other and the noise so frightens the horses of the enemy that they
turn round and bolt." [219] The battle-cries of the Marathas were,
'_Har, Har Mahadeo_,' and '_Gopal, Gopal_.' [220]