 Pitched battles were avoided if at all possible, with most offensive warfare in the early Middle Ages taking the form of sieges, or swift mounted raids called "chevauchées", with the warriors lightly armed on swift horses and their heavy war horses safely in the stable.Pitched battles were sometimes unavoidable, but were rarely fought on land suitable for heavy cavalry.While mounted riders remained effective for initial attacks, by the 14th century, it was common for knights to dismount to fight.