What were mass cavalry charges really like? Were the horses clumped up together like you see in modern media and games and in old paintings?

http://cdn.history.com/sites/2/2015/06/hith-charge-of-the-light-brigade-british-attack-E.jpeg

Would they be spread out? How would they deal with spears and pikes? Would a horse really charge straight into a spear? Do we have any archival photos of actual cavalry charges or formations?