Heavy Lance is only the "best lance" when going up against other cavalry, and even then, my lance still has a good chance of hitting if I time it right.
Heavy Lance is equal to a stick from tree aka wooden staff. In a Horse fight Lance can overplay HL due to speed at once, more than in 50% Lance hit early than HL and deal much more damage.
Against Infantry it is useless as it is needed about 4-5 hit to kill an archer in a body and 2-3 in a head, and I don't mention vs infantry.
And light horses (till Destrier) are suitable only for HA and HX as dedicated anti-cav. Thus never regreted when I changed to MW Large Warhorse but still even this mammoth dies from 2-3 arrows and from 1 swing.
Cav is nerfed as hell. Fukc this and all your QQing. I hate you!
P.S. about bump: MW Rouncey, riding 7 - halted and pranced by archer in peasant clothes. Yes, he fell down but its ridiculous.
And yeah, stakes are fine now. No need to ride on it.