Take a lesson at almost any riding school and you will hear a stream of letters flowing past: "twenty metre circle at C", "between K and A develop working canter", "change rein FXH" and so on. These letters are not acronyms or arcane code, but simply markers on the dressage arena. No one seems to…
Devon's asked me to put together some videos and posts for drills and exercises that we can all use as references and inspiration. I've got an idea of where I'm going to start (see my WIP wmawiki glossary, or the post on my Terminal City Duellist blog), but I'm interested in where you want it…
No, this is not about blogging, or fenceposts (that was last week), but on rising or 'posting' to the trot. The trot is a 2-beat gait in which the horse's legs move in diagonal pairs. It is the roughest gait to sit, which is why the technique of posting, or rising in the stirrups on…
A collection of shots from the longsword tournaments that took place this past Saturday as part of our Multi-Format tournament day. Thanks to photographer Kevin Ricks for taking these and passing them along to us.
See the full gallery on Posterous Yesterday saw the long-anticipated arrival of 30 new synthetic sparring swords. We're bringing them in to replace the foam-and-wood simulators we've been using in the youth program, both Knight Camp and the ongoing youth classes. The pommels can be swapped, making either longswords or arming swords, so we can…
The second item on the Riding 1 checklist is: 2. Mount safely and correctly from block or ground, picking up reins correctly Mounting your horse may seem like the simplest of skills, but it's one that takes a lot of practice to make smooth, effortless and kind to your horse. As you can see from…
When it comes to head protection, most of us use fencing masks, whether we're fighting with rapiers, knives, longswords, or anything else. Anyone who's done this for a while, however, will be well acquainted with the idea of mask failure. All masks have a limited lifespan: over time, and with repeated blows, the mesh loses…
Summer is just around the corner, and boy is it busy! So rather than start the series on Riding 1 this week, I thought I'd give an overview of what's happening in the coming months. June 2 June: This Saturday during the rank exams at Academie Duello we'll be presenting a number of Green Spurs…
The bows are being shaped from the yew staves with hatchets and files. It sounds like a workshop in here.
The final item on Horsemanship 1 checklist is: 11. Demonstrate safety and common sense when working around horses This is something our examiners make note of during the whole of the horsemanship assessment. We want to see that you are calm, confident, and sensible while handling your horse. Most candidates are very good at staying…
Aside from food, which was covered in last week's post, a horse needs shelter and security. These topics were both covered in previous posts (see links). For the Horsemanship 1 test we ask about 10. Stabling: needs and habits of the horse Along with reference to food, secure fencing, and shelter, we want to see…
Read More... from A Stable Situation: needs and habits of the horse
Our Archery program formally launched in February of this year and has been cruising steadily along with high popularity (for those wondering we're aiming - Hah! - to add a second class in September). Today's post is brought to you courtesy of the Head of the Archery Program, Patricia Gonsalves. She recently returned from…
As with points of the horse, the nomenclature of the saddle and bridle varies from the obscure to the obvious. Item #6 on the Horsemanship 1 test is: Identify simple parts of saddle & bridle While it may seem a nuisance to memorize these terms, it is fairly important to know your billet strap from…
Needs of the Horse part III: Security In the first part of this series I stated that horses need food, shelter, and security. At first glace creating a secure environment for a horse seems fairly straightforward. After all, there aren't that many large predators left in most places where we keep horses (though losing a…
So yesterday we embarked on the adventure of shooting our first instructional rapier DVD. And I can proudly report that we're at least 60% through principal photography and only about 8 hours behind schedule! 🙂 It was actually a fun and successful day, though as with many things you often find yourself at the end…
Like all mammals, equines have three core needs: food, shelter, and security. In the grasslands of Eurasia, where the modern horse evolved, these needs were met quite differently than they are for most domesticated horses today. A wild horse lives in a herd, travels many miles each day, grazes constantly, and seeks shelter from whatever…
Last week we looked at the relative merits English and Western saddles. This week we're looking at the much thornier issue of reining style. It's one of the hardest adjustments to make when switching from one type of riding to the other, and proponents of each will often argue fiercely against the other. In dressage,…