HISTORY

Horse archery is believed to have originated on the battlefield with the Scythians on chariots around the 4th or 5th century BC until they decided it was easier to manoever a horse around the battlefield than a chariot. Archery from horseback has since been used all over the world in war, probably most successfully by the Mongolians who lived on their horses and rode into battle in the tens of thousands, while conquering lands as far west as Hungary. It is thought that the Mongolians' horses stayed together in battle as they live in herds and are not kept separately in stables. Herd life creates a bond between the horses so the Mongolians were able to ride and shoot without having to guide their horses with reins. A few lead riders would lead the entire charge with all the others following behind.

MODERN HORSE ARCHERY

In the mid 1980s, horse archery was started up as sport using a straight track to shoot targets on one side. Left handed archers ride in the opposite direction, shooting the same targets. Horse archery has since become popular around the world with many different styles of competition tracks. Competition tracks are usually competed on at the canter but some competitions have walk/trot categories. There are also monthly "postal" competitions, whereby competitors submit scores online for the postal of the month and the results are posted online as well. This has been a great way for clubs to keep up their competitive skills during the pandemic.

COMPETITIONS 

STRAIGHT TRACK - 

The Raid or Korean track consists of a 90 meter track with one to five targets on one side of the track. The competitor shoots one arrow at each target and has 14 seconds to canter from start to finish with points awarded for crossing the finish line under the allowed time.

The Tower or Hungarian track consists of a 90 or 110 meter track with a tower of three targets halfway down the track. The competitor can shoot as many arrows at all three targets as possible with points awarded for crossing the finish line under 18 seconds.

The Skirmish track has one target on the start line, one front, one side, and one back shot and an offside shot at the end of the track with a  14 second time limit to canter the 90 meter track.

The Qabaq track has one or more dinner plate size targets on the top of seven meter poles alongside the track with a 14 second time limit. This is particularly challenging as the competitor has to shoot almost directly overhead while riding under the targets.

CROSS COUNTRY TRACK - 

The Hunt or Polish track consists of a cross country style track with targets at various distances on both sides. The length of the track varies as do the targets, some of which might be three dimensional animal shaped realistic targets. More advanced clubs are now adding in ambidextrous shooting, jumps and obstacles to develop more horsemanship skills within the community.

MODERN TRACK - 

The Modern track combines horsemanship, dressage and ranch riding skills such as jumping, water obstacles, dismounting and remounting, opening and closing gates, stringing the bow while riding and more.

These are the most popular tracks but there are many others and new competitions crop up all the time. Here is a link to a great resource for this information: https://www.mountedarchery.org/courses-score-sheets

WHO CAN PARTICIPATE?

Anybody who has a horse and can ride well enough can participate. Good horsemanship is the most challenging aspect of this sport. As with everything, you take it step by step, learning the basics of shooting on the ground, then apply those principles to sitting on your horse, first at a walk, then at a trot, then at a canter and eventually at a gallop. The old adage "Slow is smooth, smooth is fast" applies here too. Riding slowly and shooting accurately beats riding fast and shooting inaccurately every time. Kids can do this too, as long as they can ride well.

WHAT DO YOU NEED?

A horse, a bow, arrows, a quiver and a sense of humor.

HOW DO YOU TRAIN YOUR HORSE?

Desensitizing your horse should be relatively easy and most clubs have trainers who can help you do this. The standard process is as follows:

Stage 1 - hand walking your horse:

• Familiarize the horse with bow and arrow by walking around, gently brushing your horse with both items.

• Throw the arrow into the ground nearby.

• Throw the arrow at a target nearby.

• Twang the bow string gently near the horse.

• Shoot the arrow away from your horse at a target with a ¼ draw, then a ½ draw and eventually a full draw.

Stage 2 - Riding your horse:

• Follow the steps for Stage 1 but from your horse's back. Remember to move around the horse's head with both the bow and arrow as we often shoot  over and around the horse's head in competition.

• Be sure to introduce your horse to different types of targets. For example, the Qabaq target makes a loud noise overhead.

• Be sure to train your horse to side pass up to a wall or fence as most clubs have tall arrow stands where the arrows are placed for you to collect them after each run on the track and you should not have to dismount.

Stage 3 - Controlling your horse:

• Train your horse to keep a slow controlled steady canter down the track. First comes accuracy, then comes speed or as the saying goes: "Slow is smooth, smooth is fast."

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

• Bows: Beginner bows can be bought online for as little as $50. After a short while, you will increase ability and strength and can move up to a more expensive bow. These range from $150 to "sky is the limit" for a custom bow.

• Arrows: basic arrows from your local archery store should cost around $6-$10 with fletches, nocks and points.

• Quiver: $50 for a simple hip quiver to "sky is the limit" for custom quivers. Start out basic before you develop a taste for expensive equipment!

• Thumb ring: $25-sky is the limit! Most horse archers shoot thumb draw. If your bow has a heavier draw, you might use a thumb ring. These are available online but you will need to take specific thumb measurements for your ring to fit properly. Most people just tape their thumbs initially but a thumb ring really allows for a nice smooth release although it is more challenging to use when speed shooting.

WHAT TACK CAN YOU USE?

You can use most tack but certain tack is not allowed in competitions.

• Saddles: Western saddles do not work particularly well as shooting at a canter should be done from a standing or two-point position as it is hard to shoot accurately when sitting at a canter. Standing is harder to do on a western saddle due to the stirrups being set more forward. Endurance saddles are popular as are dressage saddles. 

• Bridles: Short loop reins or reins that are loosely tied to the saddle with a strap or small bungee cord work best. Many people are now switching to bitless bridles and this is also a popular option for horse archers. If you have to snatch up the reins quickly, a bit can really damage a horse's mouth. Going bridle-less or liberty is not yet allowed in competitions but we definitely encourage it in training in the right circumstances.

WHAT BOW SHOULD YOU USE?

Bows for horse archery are known by a few different names like composite bows, horse bows, traditional bows, or Asiatic bows. These are different from regular recurve bows, which, like compound bows are not allowed in horse archery competitions. Asiatic bows do not have a shelf and can be made from wood, fiberglass, and various other materials laminated to make a very powerful bow. These bows tend to be shorter than recurve bows to enable the archer to move the bow from one side of the horse to the other more easily. Unfortunately, most archery shops are unfamiliar with these types of bows so online or local bow company representatives tend to be the only way to buy them. Look for links on the resources page of this site for bow manufacturers and retailers.

 WHAT ARROWS SHOULD YOU USE?

Arrows vary in length and spine strength. Most are made of carbon fiber. Fletches also vary as do the points. Here are general guidelines for the arrow size you should be using according to the strength of your bow and your draw length. Most arrows can be purchased at a local archery shop or online.

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