Would a warhorse allow its rider to approach a Dragon at all?
Would a horse (trained or otherwise) not be wholly spooked by a Dragon merely flying overhead, even more so trying to enter combat with it or just trying to approach it under any circumstances?
What I understand of predator and prey creatures suggests that something that massive and formidable would radiate major predator vibes which would cause most creatures to cower or flee. Yet, I have only seen knights and other heroic character types depicted as approaching and even fighting Dragons without regard for or consequence from their mount's will.
Most particularly, I am wondering about after such a beast is slain. Wouldn't a horse, even a trained warhorse, refuse to approach something that huge/dangerous even after it's dead?
I am trying to troubleshoot a scene where a unit of mounted characters need to approach a felled Dragon (one they did not battle) under a time constraint and I need to know if they would be forced to dismount and approach on foot (slowing them down) to get where they need to go. Of note: these horses, though battle capable, have not encountered Dragons before - they do not have either genetic or actual memory with which to comprehend this with. 160
I have considered that even if they had blinders on, this would not help keep them calm because during approach that giant form would be directly ahead of them and not to either side covered by blinders.
Is it even possible to train a horse to keep its wits around a massive apex predator under any circumstances?
Since Dragons imply magic exists in a setting they exist in, I can concede magic being one possible solution to maintain calm utilizable in a well-arranged military scenario. Magic-capable units could cast some sort of calming spell to keep mounts from panicking, but, that requires some of the best defensive/offensive resources to be rerouted when likely needed for offensive/defensive tasks. I also cannot reliably expect a magic-enabled individual specifically capable of casting such a calming spell to always be around. What happens to the horses of the local town guard during an unexpected Dragon attack? 358