One thing I forgot to mention in the first two posts but wanted to note, just for the sake of interest. Tent pegging is an actual equestrian sport that some scholars think originated in India as practice for fighting elephants. Cavalrymen who kept their heads around the elephants would ride their horses as close as they could and try to stab the elephants just above their toenails. If they hit, the elephants would usually rear, throw their riders, and careen back through their own armies in pain and fear.

Another interesting thing to note is that, as ridiculous as they sound, tusk flails are actually real things. Apparently elephants in Sri Lanka used to be trained to whirl long chains from the end of their tusks and could actually wield them with significant skill.

Who knew?