Sabres seem to have been in limted use in the 'West' well before the 18th Century, I have a document from 1565 in which the Swedish cavalry is expressly forbidden by the king to arm themselves with sabres and rapiers instead of the proper swords demanded by the regulations.

a flail/morning star/grain separator-one, two three ball, doesnt matter-its all momentum. Practice on a real horse with a foam ball, so as not to decapitate him before you win. The horse, if well trained, is a weapon too.