The Numidian cavalry's horses, ancestors of the Berber horse, were small compared to other horses of the era, and were well adapted for faster movement over long distances. Numidian horsemen rode without saddles or bridles, controlling their mounts with a simple rope around their horse' neck. They had no form of bodily protection except for a round leather shield, and their main weapon were javelins in addition to a short sword. For centuries thereafter, the Roman army employed Numidian light cavalry in separate units (equites Numidarum or Maurorum).