Cavalry

Skills

For the purposes of this article, I'm assuming that most cavalrymen are warriors, fighters or paladins. Each of these classes starts with (2 + Int modifier) × 4 skill points, allowing them to max out two skills, or three if they are human. This doesn't allow for much scope, so choose carefully!

Bluff

Not the most important skill for a horseman, perhaps, but if you want to secure a quick rout (see the entry for the Intimidate skill) you could do worse than take five ranks in Bluff. The skill's also useful for dummy manoeuvres: feints, feigning retreats, and all those other showy tricks that the cavalry do so well.

Craft

Again, not the most obvious choice, but horses need shoes and a rank or two in Craft (blacksmithing) could be a wise choice. For want of a nail, the shoe was lost and all that.

Heal

Useful for a bit of vetinary care. Spike growth and spike stones spells, caltrops and other such measures can really make a mess of your horse. Try to make sure you've got somewhere reasonably safe to do it, though: it takes a DC 15 Heal check and ten minutes' work to patch your steed up, but a volley of arrows every round would probably give you a pretty hefty penalty to your skill check.

Intimidate

The staple skill of pretty much every warrior and fighter out there, and not without good reason! The skill's especially handy for cavalrymen, though: horses forced to carry barding and heavily armed and armoured riders have limited endurance, so the first attack really counts. If you can rout your enemy as quickly as possible, consider the battle yours. Also, bear in mind that the effects of fear are cumulative. Shaken characters become frightened, and frightened characters become panicked. Concentrate your checks on a nice, prominent NPC -- an officer or general and see how everyone's morale drops when he flees the battle like a big sissy.

Ride

Duh.
Seriously, though, neglect this skill at your peril. Make sure that you earmark enough skill points to max Ride out before you pick any other skills.

Survival

Not a bad peripheral choice of skill; knights often hunt, while soldiers often have to live off the land. Also, if someone scares your horse off and none of the other tight bastards in your knightly order will lend you a steed, it's up to you to track your horse down.

Tumble

Handy, but hardly necessary; of limited usefulness, in all honesty. Still, if you wear light or no armour, a rank or two in Tumble can prove helpful if you fall off your horse. Of course, call me Mr. Boring, but when riding it's generally best to stay in your saddle anyway. With a high enough Ride skill bonus, chances are you won't often be forcibly dismounted anyway.

Feats

The number of feats an officer starts with is going to be low. When assigning their feats, consider the following:

Animal Affinity

Not a vitally important choice of feat, but if you want your Ride and Handle Animal checks to be as high as humanly possible, you may as well take this.

Improved Critical (lance)

Normally, lances only score a threat 5% of the time. Get as much as you can out of that weapon. Since you need to be at least level 8 to take this feat, you have plenty of time to hone your spearcraft with Weapon Focus first, and so on

Mounted Archery

Handy if your unit of knights relies on skirminshing tactics rather than charging with lances down. Note that it applies to all ranged attacks -- javelins, thrown daggers, crossbows -- rather than just bows.

Mounted Combat

Essential. All mounted soldiers, whether they be skirmishers, knights, or just horseback dragoons, should take this feat as it can save the steed's life. As I said last time, Richard III didn't have this feat and look what happened to him!

Power Attack

If you favour charging tactics, Power Attack lets you convert the bonus to your attack roll into extra damage. Every extra point of damage makes a difference, and in the event of a critical hit that means big punctures.

Quick Draw

You might not immediately think that this was a necessary feat for a cavalryman; after all, what do they do? Charge, wheel round, charge again, and so on. But what if the battle (as it so often does) turns ugly and you have no choice but to get stuck right in? Can you drop your lance and get your sword ready in time? Don't be caught with your pants down!

Ride-By Attack

Sometimes harassing the footsoldiers is the only way to go: gallop towards one soldier, hack him, and get the hell out! If your troops skirmishers, all about using hit and run tactics against large amounts of infantry, take this feat as quickly as you can.

Skill Focus

If you want to ensure that you're rarely dismounted by force, take Skill Focus (Ride). Alternatively, take Skill Focus (Handle Animal) for a more obedient steed.

Spirited Charge

If your character uses a lance, taking this feat's a good idea. You may not get many opportunities to charge, so make the most of each of your chances. Combine with Improved Critical (lance) and skewer away!

Trample

Subtlety? Speed? Who needs it? If you and your horse are weighed down by hundreds of pounds of armour don't bother trying to be manoeuvrable. If an enemy soldier's in your way, just stomp him into the dirt.

Weapon Focus

You'd think this goes without saying! Normally you only get one chance at charging, so make sure you hit.