Riding Level 4: Transitions Before you read this post, review the Level 3 post on the Half Halt. You will want all this information to be second nature by now, as we look at the next Level 4 checklist item: 5. Effectiveness and use of Aids. Transitions. Halt. Salute At this level, we will not…
Read More... from Forward to Halt: Effective Use of the Aids
Plants grow because the environment is right. Often a seed will sit waiting inert in the ground until the conditions are perfect to give it the best chance of success before it starts to grow. The only difference between you and that seed is that you can change your environment to create the best possible…
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I began my practice of Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA) without any personal connection to its original historical sources. My real connection was to movies and stories of swordsmanship. I had musketeers and knights running through my mind when I first connected with a group training in rapier fencing. Yet, what I really connected with…
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Riding Level 4: Rhythm and Independent Work Cast your mind back to many years ago on this blog when I first discussed the training pyramid and its base layer, rhythm. In your Level 4 exam we are looking for 4. All paces, feel of rhythm. Independent work. In Level 3 we wanted you to demonstrate…
When it comes to healthy living, what’s better: 100% or 80%? You probably immediately went with 100%. We all want to stick to the plan 100%, we want to hit the gym 100% of the time we are meant to, and we want to see 100% of the results. In fact, we tend to see…
When we read ‘press’, (yes, the ‘real news’ press), we must remember that any item offered by a newspaper is often restricted by column length … the journalist is only allowed so much space to present their story. And sometimes, these restrictions result in a quotation being taken out of context; misplaced in context; or…
Read More... from Selectively Quotable Sword Press: News for January 2017
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…