no buff,simple as that, im a horsemen and i find no problem with it, at all. i own a Sumpter Horse(i use it mostly for getting around costs about 200?). At a x1 and x2 i use a Palfrey(500 gold), which after reading your statement about how much it takes to kill horses i find its reverse for me, are you EU, people 1 shot mine with throwing weapons more often than arrows. luckily they are nerfing throwing i believe? at X3 and X4 i ride a Destrier(1300), its a little harder to kill and as long as i don't run right into the enemy it can survive a whole game easy(though suicide charges are fun). At x5 or when ever i feel up to it i ride my champion charger(2800), as it is I'm glad i can only bring him out at late games or when i have a x5. because he can take a beating, thats not to say he hasn't been one shot before, he has by a throwing axe to the head, a throwing lance, or a couch by a guy on a heir-loomed courser, do i get angry, a little, if i dont pay for him i don't care, thats he best part, i dont pay for him every round, i rode him around at X1 for a whole map never broke. as for the argument that cavalry suck once they lose their horse is only true for those with out a secondary weapon, any one can fight on foot, its really hard if you have only a heavy lance(or cant block). little tired, just woke up but the main point is i play cav, and do fine, only thing bugging me is throwing at the moment fix that n im happy