The destrier was the most prized mount of the high medieval period, essential to the heavy cavalry charge that defined European warfare between the 12th and 14th centuries. Contrary to Victorian misconceptions of giant draught animals, the destrier was a highly agile and powerful stallion, bred not for speed or endurance over distance, but for explosive power and the ability to bear the weight of a knight in full harness within the lists or on the field of Agincourt and Crecy. It was a primary indicator of noble status, often costing many times the annual income of a lesser manor.
In the context of heraldry and courtly life, the destrier was frequently depicted in 'caparison'—adorned with the armorial bearings of its master. This served both a practical purpose in identifying the combatant in the chaos of the melee and a symbolic one, extending the knight’s genealogical identity to his mount. Within the feudal hierarchy, the possession of multiple destriers was a requisite for the elite 'equestrian' class, as these animals were specifically reserved for the 'joute' (tournament) and the 'estor' (battle), rather than mundane travel.