Directing this question mostly to antiquity but not only: Why was cavalry units so effective during battles? Dont get me wrong, I'm a huge fan of history and I know that it WAS effective but I can't really imagine why.

這個問題主要是針對古代,但也不完全是針對古代,為什么騎兵部隊在戰(zhàn)斗中這么有用?別誤會,我是歷史愛好者,我當(dāng)然知道騎兵很有用,但我真的想不出原因。

Horses are (in my eyes) quite easily startled/scared. It's harder to fight on a horseback, you are a bigger target and it was hard and expensive to armour up a horse. Shields are not easy to carry on a horse. Most armies was composed of spears and in my eyes that is a good anti-horse weapon. Elephants were quite easily countered with whistles and lines by Scipios armies during second punic war, why was it tougher to face the Numidian cavalry? Horses are not smarter nor braver than elephants.

在我看來,馬匹很容易受到驚嚇,騎在馬背上更難以作戰(zhàn),容易成為目標(biāo),給馬裝上防具又非常貴,在馬上也不好帶盾牌。大多數(shù)軍隊都是由長矛組成的,在我看來,長矛這種武器能很好的防御馬匹。在第二次布匿戰(zhàn)爭中,大象很容易就被大西庇阿的軍隊用哨子和隊列弄得反戈了,為什么騎兵就更困難呢?馬匹并不比大象聰明勇敢。

But even after this, we know for a fact that cavalry was one of the most important factors and many times the reason why you won/lost. Please try to explain detailed but simple to me so I can picture it in my head.

但即使有如此疑問,我們也知道騎兵是戰(zhàn)爭中最重要的因素之一,很多時候也是導(dǎo)致你勝敗的原因。請大家簡潔明了的解釋一下,以便我能在腦海里想象出來。