The quintain (Court Games)

Each rider attempts to strike the quintain with his lance, seeking to send it spinning without getting touched by its whip. The Court Games served to evaluate the teaching and submission of the horses as well as the dexterity of their riders. The games served as training and preparation for war, enabling the practice of specific exercises without running the risks of the former medieval tournaments. Practiced for the purposes of entertainment, they followed rules with the riders having to complete a defined series of games. Whoever lost in the least number of games would win the challenge.