Groups that anticipated to be on horseback for weeks, such as the cavalry, often went 20-30 miles each day. Horses meant for one day of travel may go 50–60 miles easily, but the animal may not be able to ride for a second day without resting for a day or two. Thus, the maximum distance that cavalry could ride in a month was about 150 miles. Cavalrymen usually made camp after nightfall, so they would have time to prepare their food before eating it. They also had time to clean their equipment and themselves before sleeping. A night's sleep was important because horses were often used as transport rather than racehorses, so they needed time to rest between trips. In battle, cavalry performed best when used in flanking maneuvers or delayed attacks. They would circle around the enemy line and then charge in from the side or behind the lines of soldiers. This forced the enemy troops to defend themselves against both attack fronts, which reduced the risk of being overrun by more numerous foes. In general, a cavalryman could ride 20-30 miles each day for several days in succession before needing to rest his horse. He would need to take care to give his steed frequent breaks so it did not get tired out too quickly. If the weather was dry, with no mud or dirt to slow them down, horses could keep going for much longer periods without stopping to eat or drink.