Thread: Any Archers out there??

Originally Posted by heelerau

We seem to have some people here in Perth Western Austalia, learning to shoot recurve bows from horseback, reckon I will try it myself, not sure what my roping horse will make of it though !!

Cheers

That sounds like fun. If your horse is trained to chase a cow [or a Roo] with a rope swinging around I wouldn't think that the twang of a bow would be hard to get use to.

Last weekend went to the annual Coon shoot at the Coon Rapids Archery Club. What a fun time! It starts at dusk so flashlights are a must. I rigged up a book reading light with a flexible neck to light my sight pin. It was an old one that my wife had laying around. It worked as good as I hoped but was starting to get dim after a few hours. It was 29'F and about 4" of snow so my hands were starting to get cold towards the end but I hate shooting with gloves. I should have taped the metal riser to keep my hands away from the metal.

There are so many disciplines and games to keep archery fun!

Tim

Originally Posted by 32t

That sounds like fun. If your horse is trained to chase a cow [or a Roo] with a rope swinging around I wouldn't think that the twang of a bow would be hard to get use to.

The issue is not the twang.
In Yabusame, Japanese formal mounted archery, the horse runs along a fenced track & is trained in the process. A horse trained to spin on a dime like a roping horse will interpret leg & hip movements more intensely.

Originally Posted by onimaru55

The issue is not the twang.
In Yabusame, Japanese formal mounted archery, the horse runs along a fenced track & is trained in the process. A horse trained to spin on a dime like a roping horse will interpret leg & hip movements more intensely.

Now you made me look up Yabusame! The fenced track would take controlling the horse out of the equation. If the horse ran the same speed and rhythm without input from the rider it would make things much easier. With that being said I read that only 30 or so people can accomplish the 3 arrows at less than 10 meters distance 70 or so meters apart with what I consider a large target. I think this is more of a shock and awe type of fighting. I find it hard to believe that an archer on foot, able to be accurate at longer ranges with a target of not only the man but including his horse wouldn't prevail.

My point & maybe also heelerau's, is that the horse's training is crucial. Fences can mean very little to an 800 lb animal that turns when you just think about it let alone any body signals. Horses trained for cattle work aren't all about going in a straight line as in Yabusame.

Originally Posted by onimaru55

My point & maybe also heelerau's, is that the horse's training is crucial. Fences can mean very little to an 800 lb animal that turns when you just think about it let alone any body signals. Horses trained for cattle work aren't all about going in a straight line as in Yabusame.

I do know from having competed as the sport of tent pegging with both sword and lance, the faster a horse gallops, it gets a little lower, and is a very smooth platform , also most horse sports involving ropiing, or pegging , it is 95% horse, 3% liuck and 2% skill !! if you have to concentrate on riding, it reduces hugely your ablility to hit what ever your target is. I am reading about the Genghis Kahn, those old boys trained with bows and horses from birth.

Originally Posted by heelerau

I am reading about the Genghis Kahn, those old boys trained with bows and horses from birth.

"It is easy to conquer the world from the back of a horse"

Originally Posted by heelerau

I do know from having competed as the sport of tent pegging with both sword and lance, the faster a horse gallops, it gets a little lower, and is a very smooth platform , also most horse sports involving ropiing, or pegging , it is 95% horse, 3% liuck and 2% skill !! if you have to concentrate on riding, it reduces hugely your ablility to hit what ever your target is. I am reading about the Genghis Kahn, those old boys trained with bows and horses from birth.

Now I had to look up Tent Pegging!

I would think that it is about 10% Horse, 85% Horse Trainer, 3% Luck, and 2% Rider Skill. It has been many years since I have ridden a horse and I have never been good at showing the horse who is in charge and they know it.

It is interesting that you bring up the faster/smoother platform. I have never shot from a horse moving or not but it brings to mind a game of shooting at a ping pong ball floating on air from a blower such as a vacuum cleaner motor. The trick there is to shoot at the apex or the bottom. The slight pause and change of direction is the moment to act. Would this relate to the movement of the rider on a horse???

Originally Posted by 32t

Now I had to look up Tent Pegging!

I would think that it is about 10% Horse, 85% Horse Trainer, 3% Luck, and 2% Rider Skill. It has been many years since I have ridden a horse and I have never been good at showing the horse who is in charge and they know it.

It is interesting that you bring up the faster/smoother platform. I have never shot from a horse moving or not but it brings to mind a game of shooting at a ping pong ball floating on air from a blower such as a vacuum cleaner motor. The trick there is to shoot at the apex or the bottom. The slight pause and change of direction is the moment to act. Would this relate to the movement of the rider on a horse???

The 95% horse should have included the 85% trainer !!!, with pegging the horse is moving so fast there is no up and down movement, I imaginge a similar speed is required when loosing arrows from a bow, I have shot pistol and rifle from horseback many years ago, when hunting, but have not done enough to really comment from experience, the western action boys and girls would be able to say.

Here is what Archery is....Gerald Welsh English Selfbow..Yew Wood with Port Orford Cedar Arrows

It's not a real barebow if it has an arrow rest .