IMPROVED MOUNT COVER [Combat, Cavalry]

     In combat, sometimes a horse must give its life for its rider, providing a shield of flesh and blood against foes upon the battlefield.  With this feat, you learn to fight while hanging at an awkward position from your horse.

Prerequisites: Mounted Combat, Ride 10 ranks.

Benefit: As a free action, you may drop low on one side of your mount's body in order to use the trusty mount as a shield against attacks.  This requires a successful Ride check (DC 15) -- if this check is failed you gain no cover from your horse.

     If you succeed at the Ride check, however, you receive 1/2 cover from any enemy attacks for the remainder of this round.  You may make melee attacks requiring only one hand while using your mount as a cover in this way, though all such attacks suffer a -4 circumstance penalty.

     At the end of the round in which this feat is used, you may automatically return to the saddle or make another Ride check to maintain your position and continue to use your mount as a shield.

Normal: Riders are normally not allowed to not allowed to make any attacks while using their mount as cover.