Can some please explain to me how this all works. The description of expert rider makes it sound as if riders on horses do not get a def bonus from shields. The only rule I've seen about mounts and shields is that you cant use the shielding rule. Help please.

Warrior holding a shield and a bow do not get the defense bonus. Expert rider says, that the rider gets the defense bonus even if he has a bow as long as he is mounted.

As Frerin has said, If you carry a bow and shield, you normally do not get the +1 Defence bonus from the shield, though you can still use it to shield and use the bow as normal.

Expert riders with shield and bow still gain the +1 Defence as long as they are mounted. If they dismount for any reason, they lose the defence bonus (page 82 EFGT mini rulebook). I normally just replace them with an archer model to keep things simple.

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