Horsemanship and riding

[Sir Griff]

So, since this site is about knights and forms of modern chivalry, I was surprised not to see a thread about horses and riding. Granted, you may have armour and weapons, and the knowledge to safely use them without being an unintentional threat to yourself and those around you, but can you ride?

This thread is about the horse, and its relation to our modern-day knights (I don't mean those arm-chair knights with a "Sir" before their name that dot the country-clubs of Great Britain). Discussion of jousting, tent-pegging and other martial activities you can practice from atop a horse is also open to discussion.

I myself am beginning to learn how to ride (been to 4 sessions thus far) and it's quite interesting. So far, I've "officially" been practising the walk and the trot but I've also experienced the gallop twice during the last sessions when the horse unfortunately broke off into a gallop with me on its back. Myself, barely a beginner, managed to stay on the first time the horse charged at full speed, holding on to the saddle for dear life and releasing the reins. With the reins released, though, I also disabled my only option of stopping the horse.

The second time the horse broke off into a gallop, I held on to the reins (surprisingly, I defeated my fear of simply letting go and actually held on) and managed to stop the horse after a short while. And remember, each time the horse broke off into a gallop, I was supposed to be speeding her up for a proper trot! Of course, the fact that the instructor had whirled the whip through the air a bit when I was trying to speed up had some effect.

However, all's well when it ends well and I managed to ride through my first two gallops without falling off. The instructor also complimented me and told me that I probably wouldn't have handled my first gallop so well if she had told me about it before-hand.

So, what are your experiences with horses?

[Sir Edward]

That's a good idea, you're right, we haven't discusses horsemanship here as yet.

Obviously there are many areas of martial arts and knightly activities, and riding is one of them. For many, it's probably not practical to pursue due to location (living in an urban area), cost, etc.

Personally, I really like it, but haven't done much in a long, long time. I took riding lessons when I was a teen-ager, and used to "rent" a horse for an hour here and there at a horse farm near where I was growing up. I'd just go riding in the woods and fields that they owned.

My favorite horse there was named "Nosey" because of the way she'd bob her nose at people she recognized. She was a spirited runner. It took effort to keep her at a slow walk... and I loved it. One day I decided to see just how fast she'd go, and I took her to a full gallop from the bottom of the hill... she ran up the hill so fast, I couldn't keep my glasses straight on my face, until suddenly all was smooth, and we were sailing through the air over a fallen tree. I was pretty fearless back then... lol!

More recently, my girlfriend and I have taken a few guided horseback rides, which isn't the same thing of course since the horses have the trip memorized and you don't even have to do anything. However I found that it's been so long that I've forgotten the basic feel of how hard to tug the reins, etc.

If I were rich, I'd buy some land and keep a couple of horses, and teach myself some martial activities from horseback. But right now it's not practical.

[Sir Wolf]

http://www.amazon.com/Medieval-Equipment-c-1150-1450-Excavations-London/dp/1843830973/ref=wl_it_dp?ie=UTF8&coliid=I1C8JHXWQDM0M&colid=36U9T1LGBMZL9

The Medieval Horse and its Equipment, c.1150-1450 (Medieval Finds from Excavations in London) (Hardcover)
by John Clark (Editor)

Editorial Reviews
Review
A fascinating book. This is a basic work of reference for archaeologists and those studying medieval artefacts. TREASURE HUNTING,Provides a thorough insight into the horse, its work and the people who depended on it in the city of London. THE RICARDIANThis volume provides many paths into the intricate history of the medieval world. Such a book, focused on the object, reminds us of the evocative power of certain otherwise-humble finds. (...) A worthy reference book, one which in its presentation of both commonplace and unusual objects increases our knowledge of the physical reality in which the medieval individual lived. THE MEDIEVAL REVIEWA very highly recommended book that should be a required reading for living history or equestrian followers everywhere. WWW.RANDLESREVIEWS.CO.UK

Product Description
Whether knight's charger or beast of burden, horses played a vital role in medieval life. The wealth of medieval finds excavated in London in recent years has, not surprisingly, included many objects associated with horses. This catalogue illustrates and discusses over four hundred such objects, among them harness, horseshoes, spurs and curry combs, from the utilitarian to highly decorative pieces. London served by horse traffic comes vividly in view. The introductory chapter draws on historical as well as archaeological sources to consider the role of the horse in medieval London. It looks at the price of horses and the costs of maintaining them, the hiring of 'hackneys' for riding, the use of carts in and around London, and the work of the 'marshal' or farrier. It discusses the evidence for the size of medieval horses and includes a survey of finds of medieval horse skeletons from London. It answers the key questions, how large a 'Great Horse' was, and why it took three horses to pull a cart. A new introduction to this edition provides an update on research and a supplementary bibliography. This is a basic work of reference for archaeologists and those studying medieval artefacts, and absorbing reading for everyone interested in the history of the horse and its use by humankind. JOHN CLARK is Curator (Medieval) at the Museum of London.
Product Details

    * Hardcover: 202 pages
    * Publisher: Boydell Press; New Ed edition (June 2004)
    * Language: English
    * ISBN-10: 1843830973
    * ISBN-13: 978-1843830979
    * Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 7.2 x 0.4 inches
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[Das Bill]

I agree that horses are quite overlooked by people who are interested in these types of things. For myself, there's just no way I could justify the expense of a horse, not to mention the lessons and accoutrement that go along with it!

On the other hand, I do study the historical german arts of mounted combat (known as rossfechten). I don't put them into practice the way I do with the unmounted techniques (because I obviously can't fully do so without a horse), but by studying them they do give me a better understanding of the use of the sword in one hand, as well as a more rounded understanding of the Liechtenauer fighting arts. But for the time being, and for the foreseeable future, my rossfechten studies will remain more theoritical.

[Sir Griff]

Well, I live in an urban environment (in my country's capital) but still have access to riding lessons. If only WMA were at hand like riding.

Still, I've been practising jousting whenever I went to my cabin in the mountains, but I've been practising it from atop an ATV and not a horse. It's really an exhilarating experience, especially when you manage to hit something while holding your lance (in my case a long tree branch) in the tilting position (holding it diagonally over your mount, not straight forward).

In my case, I set up an obstacle course of sorts, with logs piled upon each other set at varying intervals along the course. Thus, I can practice both lancing a target with my branch held straight and hitting a log in a tilt-like manner. Tilt hits are hard to achieve, however, since the branch usually hits the log with its side, and not with the point. In a joust, I would figure that such a hit would barely affect your opponent.

When I eventually reach a pleasing skill level with ATV jousting, and a level of skill in riding that assures safety for both me and the horse, I will rent a horse from a nearby hotel and ride it on my obstacle course.

Acquiring some form of armour afterwards would also be great, since I can't think of anything cooler than riding in armour and lancing some logs.

[Sir Edward]

I believe there are several styles of tilting, but the most common one is crossing the lance over the horse as you said (held in the right arm, crossing over the left side of the horse), simply because it's regarded as being more safe. But I think some people also do it straight on the right side.

I'd love to take up some jousting, if only my time and finances would permit it. I know of a couple of different groups in the US that have jousting classes and the like, taking you from basic riding skills through full tilting. But it takes a certain amount of dedication, not just in time, but also equipment.

Some of the various RenFaires have jousting groups, some of which are full-contact jousts, and others that do the "lighter" stuff, like javelins, sword strikes on pells or watermelons, etc. It looks like great fun.

[Sir Wolf]

always try ring jousting, thats HARD!

[Sir Brian]

I chatted with Roy @ the GLRF last year about his training course...
http://freelancers.faire.net/training.html

Man I would love to do this...If I could only get away and had the $$$.

IIRC he said it was about $1400.00 a week for the training. 

Well maybe after I retire! 

[Sir Edward]

Ah yes, the Free Lancers are the same folks who joust at the MD faire. Sir Barchan tried to recruit me a couple of seasons ago. Just to get a foot in the door for joining their jousting troupe requires potentially years of unpaid volunteer work as a squire, tending to the horses and equipment during the faire seasons.

But I'd be more interested, I think, to just learn how to do it, and do it for fun, than to do it on the renfaire circuit.

[Sir Brian]

Same here. 

I seriously doubt my middle-aged body would hold up very long under the rigors of jousting
as often as they do! - It's not so much the years as it is the mileage! 
Roy Cox is beyond a doubt a man of exceptional endurance and phenomenal physical condition
to still be doing it at his age...and he and his wife have a toddler to raise as well!
- They must simply border on the superhuman! 

[Sir Griff]

I looked over that site and over some of the results for a jousting tournament they held.  Lo and behold, Roy Cox won all three jousting categories and his wife came second in all categories as well. What a couple!

I don't really see the point of jousting in the first place if those two are around, since they're bound to win all categories.

Really impressive, but the requirements to join such a competition are...intimidating to say the least. Not to mention the costs of simply learning how to joust.

I think I'll stay with my branches and log piles.

[Sir William]

I've gone riding on a few occasions with an old roommate of mine who was more avid about horses than I was at the time.  She gave me crash course on riding in the car; I was nervous at first but I had a calm mount.  Hers, unfortunately, was a good deal more spirited...even walked under a few low-lying branches to slap my roomie in her face...I laughed (silently).  But when she took off at a gallop, I had no idea mine would do the same so I got my first taste of a full-on gallop over an open plain quite by surprise- it was scary, exhilirating, and super cool (only because I managed to stay on and whole at the same time); consequently, it reignited my interest into all things sword- and knight-related.  We used to ride at this lil horse ranch in Chantilly, Va...I don't even know if they're there anymore, this is 10 years ago at least.

Its funny how the mundane stuff in life can get to be so much that your regular interests take a backseat to the dross.  Never again, I told myself...and never again it has been.  I came across a listing of an Equine Therapy place not far from my job...might start getting into that (if/when I can afford it) in lieu of one of my workout days.  Riding a horse is a workout in and of itself anyways.