March is underway which means that the Vancouver International Swordplay Symposium is almost upon us. We have a star-studded list of HEMA instructors and lecturers coming in from around the world. One of the guests is particularly near and dear to my heart and that would be Bob Charrette. Not only will Bob be offering…
Riding Level 3: Circles and Turns The fifth item on the Riding Level 3 checklist is: 5. Circles and turns at trot with correct diagonal changes. You have already demonstrated circles and half-circles at walk and trot for Level 2, and before you test Level 3 you should review that material, making sure you know…
The final week of Warrior Fundamentals. It was all coming to an end. While I was sad that the course was drawing to a close, we finished on a high note -- first, because we had the opportunity to play with polearms, and second, because we finally had the chance to spar, an experience that confirmed all of…
You’re injured, you’re sick, you’re exhausted. Does this mean that practicing the art you are passionate about is out for today? Not necessarily. There are many ways to explore a physical skill without twitching a muscle… well, perhaps a little muscle twitching. 1. Read Reading a book on swordplay can expand your theoretical knowledge, challenge…
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We had our first Cavaliere assessment day of the year at Red Colt on Sunday. Congratulations to the following students who all passed the assessments they chose to take, and who are one or more steps closer to their next ranks! Horsemanship 1: Eugene Horsemanship 2: Allie & Natalie Horsemanship 3: Maria Riding 2: Allie…
Week number three had me intrigued. Longsword was finally starting to make sense to me but now we were moving on to a new weapon? This could go either way. Longsword had been difficult at first, but the more time I spent on it, the more sense it made to me. Learning something new at…
When you choose to dedicate a significant portion of your life to acquiring an art, there are two primary types of martial learning environment in which you must spend time. One would be a symmetrical environment, where your training and sparring partners are doing (or trying to do) the same thing as you. The other is an asymmetrical environment, where…
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Riding Level 3: Effective Transitions As a beginning rider you drove with an automatic transmission. You knew 'go' and 'whoa', and, if you were lucky, somewhere in there was 'slow'. As your riding has improved you have gained the ability to use at least three different gaits and make accurate transitions between them. At level…
Last night, a student of mine approached me before class to inform me that his shoulder was bothering him and he might not want to participate. I’m a fan of trying things out, even if you’re not sure if you’re up to them. I often encourage students to try class out for 5 minutes and then make…
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Mounted Combat Classes We're excited to announce our newly formatted Mounted Combat course at Red Colt, starting up in less than a month. This four-week course takes the skills developed in the Mounted Combat Skills classes and moves them to horseback with sword, spear and grappling plays as well mounted games and drill team work. The…
In the Western martial traditions the master of a school was an employee of the student. In an art where a successful instructor was teaching many above his social station, the bowing and scraping went the other way than we may see in other cultures. Having come from an Eastern martial arts background, this is…
Riding Level 3: Riding without Stirrups At all levels of riding we ask you to drop your stirrups periodically. There are two main reasons for this: You never know when you might lose your stirrups when riding. It's good to be able to keep your seat without them, and regain them on the fly. Riding…
I was talking with a student of mine the other night, encouraging them to start pushing themselves toward their next rank at my school. They commented to me that they felt like they were getting worse in their skills, not better. They felt that they were flailing, imprecise, and out of control. I personally had…
Riding Level 3: Position It's one of the first things we teach you when you start riding, and something your instructors will continue to adjust throughout your riding career. Your position in the saddle is far more than just a matter of aesthetics. Good position is the foundation of effective riding. At level three we…
Riding Level 3: Tack Check The first item in the Riding 3 assessment is: 1. Mount independently. Adjust girth while mounted. We assume you learned to mount in Riding 1, and improved on it for Riding 2. At this level we expect you to be smoother and more organized. It doesn't matter whether you use…
In November, I started classes at Academie Duello. It was a long time coming as most of my friends have either attended in the past or are currently attending, and I had recently begun working there. I decided, for the sake of the full experience, that I'd have to see the school as a student…
Being able to mechanically conduct a technique is important for establishing a combative base. However, being successful with a given technique requires a much greater level of understanding of its application. Every combative technique must be placed into its proper context with an awareness of time, space, and feeling (not intuitive but physical). To successfully strike…
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Over the next few months this blog will cover the Riding Level 3 curriculum. A Level 3 rider is one who rides safely and with confidence, is comfortable at walk, trot and canter with good position in all three, is beginning to jump cross rails and small vertical jumps, and can ride with precision in…