It's been just over a year since we launched our Mounted Combat Membership program. Here's what some of those fees have paid for: Keeping Jack's tender toes happy with giant shoes Chiropractor visits for Tilly Making horse use and stall rental free of charge at Carosella 2017 Orange-bin rental for our renolition party this summer…
The Mounted Combat Skills curriculum for the Red Spur comprises six sections: Swordplay from the ground Swordplay from horseback Sword and shield Spear versus sword Mounted Games Knowledge In the next few months of this blog we'll be looking at the first section, swordplay from the ground. Red Spur: Swordplay from the Ground For this…
In September, I posted on the importance of team riding to develop mounted combat skills and delved into how to make successful hand-offs. Today I'm focussing on precision over speed as we look at drill team riding. Riding Level 4: Team Riding, pt II For Riding Level 4 you will need to demonstrate: 15. Simple…
Thank you to everyone who hung out and helped tarp the hay barn roof on Sunday. Even if you were just passing hammers and nails up from the ground, we couldn't have done it without you. Happy Horsey Hallowe'en! Autumn Riding, Horsemanship, and Mounted Combat There are still one or two spaces available in…
With the evenings getting shorter, its time to switch the hours of our Riding & Horsemanship classes back to Sunday mornings. This is your last chance to get a series of classes in before our winter break! Autumn Riding, Horsemanship, and Mounted Combat Youth Riding & Horsemanship This course for kids aged 6-13 will introduce…
Before I put swords in the hands of participants on horseback during our Intro to Mounted Combat workshop, I have people high-five each other. I tell them it's the friendly way to start hitting one another. The comment is light-hearted, but the principle and the practice is important. Co-operative riding is a key part of mounted…
Another amazingly fun and exciting Carosella has passed us by. Congratulations to our high-point tournament winner Robert Borsos, and all the other riders who took home prizes! Here are a few photos from Sunday courtesy of Double Exposure Photography. Enjoy! A huge thank you to all the instructors, assistants, and volunteers who worked to make…
The last day of Carosella is always special, as the competition is the culmination of the weekend's -- and the year's -- work in the Mounted Combat Program. This Sunday was even more special as we had our first cohort of apprentices challenge the scholar level of our program, the Blue Spur. For the Blue…
Read More... from Congratulations to Our Blue Spur Pioneers!
Although the primary focus of Carosella is mounted combat, there are many opportunities to increase your martial skills or equine knowledge while keeping your feet on the ground. And because you aren't using a horse, the cost is only $75 for a full day. Here are some of the great offerings available on Friday and…
Carosella will be here in less than a fortnight! If you haven't registered yet, don't delay — there are only 20 spaces each day for mounted activities. (That said, if you are on the wait list for Mounted, there is plenty to keep you busy from the ground all weekend). You can sign up here.…
Carosella 2017 Registration is now open for Carosella 2017, our three day symposium of mounted combat, archery, and games! This exciting event, now in its fifth year, consists of two days of workshops on ground and on horseback for all levels of riding, swordplay, and archery. New for 2017 Interested in learning mounted combat techniques…
Horseback Archery is Back! The ever-popular Beginner and Intermediate Horseback Archery workshops with Robert Borsos are back this Sunday, August 6th. People have been asking which course they can and should take and whether their existing skills are up to par. So let's deconstruct it for you. Frequently Asked Questions Shouldn't I learn how to…
Summer is here at last! Don't let the beautiful days slip through your fingers ... get out and on a horse this month! In addition to our regular classes we have added jumping and cross country clinics this month. Look for more clinics next month as well ... Summer Courses at Red Colt Jumping Clinic…
Riding Level 4: Stadium Jumping At level 3 we asked you to jump a couple of cross-rails and navigate some poles on the ground. Four level 4 you will have to ride a 13. Stadium Course 3-4 fences. Verticals, spreads, combinations. 2’ maximum. A regular course usually has at least eight jumps, so this is…
Riding Level 4: Jumping single-handed One of the skills we ask you to show in the Mounted Combat program that you won't find in most riding curricula is the ability to 12. Jump a small x-rail with single-hand reining This, of course, is a prequel to being able to jump with a weapon in hand.…
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…
Summer may be three weeks away officially, but summer riding starts this weekend, with new courses of Riding and Horsemanship. Stay tuned for the return of Friday clinics on Mounted Games, Prix Fiore, Cross Country and more later on this month. June is also the time to renew your Mounted Combat membership if you are…
Riding Level 4: Gymnastics In the equine world, gymnastics have nothing to do with leotards, balance bars, or vaulting horses. Rather, a gymnastic exercise, sometimes called a grid, is a line of jumps or poles set with one, two, or no strides (a bounce) between them. Gymnastic lines are wonderful exercises that help improve jumping style for…