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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Korak" data-source="post: 679211" data-attributes="member: 9781">clarification1.  Yes2.  Yes, you must make the horses attack(s) first if you want the horse to attack.  Then you attempt a DC10 ride check, if you fail, you cannot attack.  If you succeed, then you may attack.  If you wanted to use both hands, you also need to have made a DC5 ride check before your actions.3.  I also read the "react instantly" part to mean you can take this check out of initiative order.  If you are successful, you get cover but may not take any other actions... from that point the rules are silent.  How long do you get cover?  Do you get cover from other attackers?  Is an action required to end the effect?  I think a fair ruling would be to allow cover from one half the battlefield until the character spends a move equivalent action to right himself in the saddle or fails a ride check(which I would require each round to maintain the position... failure indicating a full round action used to right the character).Tactically speaking, it is usually not smart to do this as the character usually has much better AC than the mount... not to mention many more hp.4.  The warhorse threatens all 10 squares around it.  As to what squares the rider threatens, I look to the descriptions of lances in the PHB and SRD combined with the size of warhorses(5x10) vs warponies(5x5).From the SRD:Since the rider of a warhorse is assumed to be in the back square of the mount, he can't attack the front 3 squares of the 10 threatened by the mount, unless he has a reach weapon (such as a heavy lance).  Small characters riding on warponies(5x5) need to use light lances if they want their mounts to attack their foes as well.5.  The back square must be flanked to get a flank bonus against the rider.  That square is the riders position.6.  If not for your mention of the S&F appendix I would say "no" to a double move without hesitation.  However, I will look at that.  Even so, I seriously doubt that a double move is allowed.  The letter of the rules governing total defense seem pretty clear to me in indicating only a move of up to your speed.  Total defense is a standard action, not a partial action.  Remember that standard actions are assumed to included a move (which can sometimes be substituted for a MEA).Other comments:Regardless of how many hands you want to use to guide the mount, if it isn't trained for war, you need to make a DC20 check at the beginning of each round to keep the mount under control.  This is a move equivalent action.  If you fail, it takes the full round to gain control of the mount and you may do nothing.  If for some reason you are riding a non-war trained mount, I would suggest dismounting at the beginning of combat even if you have a ridiculous ride skill, or you will waste many actions controlling your mount.</blockquote>

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