Not everyone has the luxury of being able to regularly attend classes at a school like Academie Duello or get together with regular training partners. So, how do you train on your own in a way that is effective? In this last week's DTV Livestream we discussed just that. Here's a round-up of some of…
Riding Level 4: Position & Balance At Riding Level 1 we are only looking for basic control of the horse and don't mark you on your position. At Level 2 we want to see an adequate basic seat position at walk and trot, but don't mark your canter position, and at Level 3 we are…
We are just past the halfway point in the 30-for-30 Swordplay Challenge! If you have no idea what I'm talking about, you can learn more about this 30-day swordplay training challenge in this DTV blog post. Halfway points are both exciting and challenging. On one front, you've made it half way! However, you also have…
To acquire the Green Spur, the first rank of the Mounted Combat program, in addition to Horsemanship and Riding Level 1, you will need to be assessed on the Green Spur Mounted Combat skills. These include Swordplay from the Ground, Swordplay Knowledge, and Mounted Combat Knowledge. The knowledge sections are covered in past sections of…
“Around the same time another invention increased the popularity of swordplay even further—what Marshall McLuhan has called "the making of typographical man." A cluster of innovations, including movable metal type, oil-based ink, and the wooden handpress, revolutionized learning. For the first time those who taught fencing could have their ideas printed and disseminated. The age…
Read More... from Book Review: “16th C. Single Sword Combat” by Wilson
"What have you failed at today?" This question is one that a friend's father used to ask her and her brother every day at dinner. I found the story inspiring. This question, as well as her father's warm approach in how he asked it, contained so many positive questions and affirmations: What did you try today?…
Due to the un-Vancouverish weather we've been having lately, we have decided to delay the start of the next cycle of courses in the Mounted Combat Program. The riding arena is currently in a semi-frozen state that makes it slippery on top and rock-hard underneath, leaving it unsafe for both horses and riders. This change…
I hate New Year's resolutions. They don't stick, and they end up making you feel guilty before you even flip the calendar to February. But I do like goals. Especially goals that are useful and achievable all year round. And whether you like New Year's resolutions or not, January is a great time to peer…
“Italians especially Neapolitans loved dueling, and Italy clung to the duello more ferociously than any country besides France and Germany. In the ten years between 1879 and 1889, 2,759 duels were recorded there … In summer, the number of duels was five times greater than in winter, ...” [1] Earlier this month, Devon Boorman wrote…
Greetings members, students, and friends of Academie Duello! This time of year is always a time of reflection on the year past and the year to come. As with most years, 2016 has been a year of growth, struggle, triumph, and celebration. We have lost some good friends and also been enriched by many new…
The weather outside is frightful, but that doesn't stop hardy Canadian mares (and girls)! If you have a Mounted Combat Membership and a few days off this week don't let the weather stop you -- come on down and get cuddly with one of our furry beasts. They'll be happy to see you, especially if…
We just finished our last curriculum week for the year at Academie Duello. It will be two weeks before we're back on to our regular program and, depending on where you practice, you might be stepping into a similar break yourself. So what to do with the time off? If you don't stop, you don't have…
Read More... from Swordplay On Your Break, or a Break from Swordplay?
Who doesn’t want a pony for Christmas? Give the next best thing with a six-week course of Riding & Horsemanship at Red Colt Farm, where students learn to care for and ride Academie Duello’s gentle school horses. If the thought of knighthood lights up your loved-one’s eyes, include the Mounted Combat Fundamentals course for only…
Read More... from The Next Best Thing to a Pony Under the Tree