Mass Cavalry a viable strategy?

Personally I think Cavalry are awful units in Total War. They require more micro manangement, hey are weak vs all units except archers, and they have some of the worst moral in the game. With that said. I find them absolutely essential for flanking and creating distractions.

What do I think about 8 Cavalry units in a medium battle? I think you need to be the most renowned expert in the game to pull it off or have super human perception.

This was my first battle in about a week and I had the first game jitters. Because having 8 Cavalry is a bad idea, I found some comfort in being able to control my army better than my opponent.

There is a pretty good Cavalry discussion at Total War Center right now. So what is your two cents?