Cavalry and no fun

Sometimes you think, and sometimes you simply don't think enough.

I have since long decided that Keen, the empire where most of the events occur in the novel I am writing currently, has a military structure based on horse power. Cavalry and dragoons mostly. So far so good.

Now, imagine a powerful state with horses in abundance. Horse drawn carriages, uniformed riders, farmers on horse -- and not a single horse race. No chariots speeding down the race way to the thunder of a cheering audience. No riders fighting for a sack stuffed with cloth which has to be thrown into a basket. Nothing.

Why? Because sports and leisure seldom furthers plot, and so the people I depict become automations who never cry themselves silly over some favourite team. And they are no longer people. Just background on two legs.

That said I am not planning to make myself three full chapters of horse racing. I just need to be aware of what people want and need. Aware enough to throw in the odd comment from time to time, or to set a conversation to the backdrop of, well, fun.