The High Cost of Horsing Around

We are fortunate at Academie Duello. We are one of the few HEMA schools in the world that own horses. Between our three horses and the horses that other owners at Red Colt Co-op make available to us, we are able to run classes, workshops, clinics, and our annual three-day symposium, Carosella for participants who don't have their own mounts. It's an incredible opportunity for our students, who have the chance to learn riding and mounted combat without the expense and responsibility of horse ownership.

But horses aren't cheap. Even a gift horse costs an average of $7000 - $10,000 per year for feed, veterinary care, farriery, and stabling in the Lower Mainland. On top of the cost of keeping our own horses, we pay horse owners $10 every time we use one of their borrowed horses for a lesson. These amounts are generally factored into the costs of our courses and workshops.

However, because Mounted Combat Mastery classes are charged based on tuition, we can't factor those costs in. And since these classes can be taken from the ground, we don't want to charge people who aren't using horses any extra. We've been bouncing ideas back and forth for several months to find the simplest, fairest, and most affordable solution.

Horse Use Punch Card

Effective July 1st 2017, students wishing to use a borrowed horse for Mounted Combat Mastery Classes will need to purchase a pre-paid electronic 'punch card'. The cost is $150 for 15 uses. When you sign into Mounted Combat Mastery you will also need to sign-in to 'Horse-Use'. This will charge your punch card and reserve a horse for you for the class.

We realize this is an extra step, and apologize for the inconvenience. However, it ensures you only pay when you use a horse, and can opt not to ride on days you'd rather work from the ground.

Summer Courses

Note that even though the current series of Riding and Horsemanship courses started last weekend, it's not too late to sign up. There a couple of spaces in Beginner and Level 2, as well as Horsemanship 4. Riding 3+ is full, but we often have a drop-in space come available. Contact me on Wednesday or Thursday of any given week to see if a spot has come up.

Beginner Riding & Horsemanship

If you’ve never been on a horse, or if it’s been a long time, here’s the place to start. When you arrive at the barn at 11am, you’ll begin with a horsemanship lesson, familiarizing yourself with the horses and their tack, as well as how to groom, handle and tack them up. Then you will have a riding lesson, working through the requirements of Riding Level 1 — the prerequisite to most of the fun stuff we do on horseback!

Saturdays, 4pm – 6pm
3 Jun – 8 Jul
15 Jul - 19 Aug
cost: $300 + gst for 6 classes
instructor: Stephanie Laversin

Riding & Horsemanship Level 2

This course is intended for riders who have taken classes through the program and are comfortable tacking up their own horses. Riders should arrive at 9:30am, to tack up and warm up their horses before starting their riding lessons at 10am, followed by Horsemanship Level 2 or 3 lessons at 11am.

Saturdays, 5pm – 7pm
3 Jun – 8 Jul
15 Jul - 19 Aug
cost: $300 + gst for 6 classes
instructor: Stephanie Laversin

Riding Level 3+

This class is intended for independent riders who have achieved Level 2 or higher. Riders are expected to be tacked up and warmed up prior to class. Your own helmets, boots, and half chaps are recommended, as are safety vests for the occasional cross-country class, weather permitting.

Saturdays, 4pm – 5pm
3 Jun – 8 Jul
15 Jul - 19 Aug
cost: $200 + gst for 6 classes
instructor: Stephanie Laversin

Horsemanship Level 4

These classes cover the material for Horsemanship Level 4, including grooming, tack-fitting, nutrition, farriery, vet & first aid, conditioning, and shipping. A level 4 assessment is included at the end of the series. These series are only offered around twice a year, so don’t miss it!

Saturdays, 5pm – 6pm
3 Jun – 8 Jul
cost: $100 + gst for 6 classes
instructor: Kate Landels

Mounted Combat Playday

Sunday 2pm – 5pm
13 Aug
cost: $15 + $15 for use of school horse

Come out and practise your mounted games, sparring, and archery in a fun and friendly environment. Prerequisites are Riding Level 1 for mounted games, Riding 1 + Beginner Horseback Archery for archery, and Green Spur for mounted sparring.

Beginner Horseback Archery

Whether you are an expert rider or archer, or a complete beginner at both, this is your starting point. You will spend about an hour and a half on the ground learning the techniques of Hungarian archery from the Kassai school. After that, you will begin shooting from horseback while our handlers lead your mounts past the targets at the walk. Experienced riders may have the option to try shooting at faster paces without handlers if they are competent and comfortable at the walk.

Sunday 6 Aug, 10am – 1pm
cost: $149 + gst
prerequisites: none

Intermediate Horseback Archery

If you have taken our Beginner course previously and have a minimum of Riding Level 1 or the equivalent this course is for you. Riders with Level 1 will walk and trot, Level 2 Riders will be able to shoot at the canter. Last time we practised multiple targets on canter circles — what will we get up to this time?

Sunday 6 Aug, 2pm – 5pm
cost: $75 + gst
prerequisites: Riding Level 1, Beginner Horseback Archery

Mounted Combat Fundamentals

This 6-week series of classes is intended to give you the basics of swordplay from the ground to prepare you for fighting from horseback. Participants at this level will practise from the ground and the falsemount to achieve the combat skills needed to attain the rank of Green Spur. Students who have their Riding and Horsemanship Level 1 and who attend all five classes can reasonably expect to attain their Green Spur by the end of the series. Once you have your Green Spur, you can sign up for Intermediate Mounted Combat, and can spar in our regular Playday event, as well as competing in our annual Carosella tournament.

Sundays 1pm – 3pm
16 Jul – 20 Aug
cost: $135 + gst for 6 classes
instructor: Aaron Lamontagne

Ongoing Mounted Combat Mastery classes

These 2-hour sessions focus on the weapons skills needed to progress from Green to Blue Spur. Regular tuition includes classes taken entirely from the ground (no riding skills necessary).
Sundays noon – 2pm
cost: 2 hours tuition
instructors: Jennifer Landels

You can register for classes in person at the front desk, by calling 604 568 9907, or online here.

Jennifer Landels heads up Academie Duello's Cavaliere Program. She has been swordfighting since 2008, and riding since before she could walk. She started the program as an excuse to combine those passions.
Read more from Jennifer Landels.