Your mount can use its reaction to impose disadvantage on any melee attack directed at you. With Warding Bond, it can increase your AC additional though absorbing half your damage. You can even use a reaction to cast Protect for an additional +5 AC if a thing looks like it’ll https://tritonpaladin61470.techionblog.com/28192812/the-5-second-trick-for-dungeons-and-dragons-character-build