From Alexander the Great, to the Sultan Mehmed, to Louis XIV of France, monarchs entered battle on the backs of horses. There are practical reasons for this: from a horse you can see farther, move faster, and avoid many of the dangers a foot soldier faces. In addition, the beauty and power of a horse inspires awe, and the ability to command it inspires respect. A leader on horseback becomes the visual and metaphorical rallying point for his troops ... and the loss of the horse can be disastrous, as Richard III may have discovered at Bosworth.
Take your own swordfighting to the next level by venturing into the realm of Mounted Combat. On July 3rd we are offering an Intro to Mounted Combat workshop that will get you started in our Mounted Combat Program. This three hour workshop will introduce you to horsemanship, riding, and mediaeval longsword. The class is suitable for riders and swordsmen of all levels, and content is adjusted to the abilities of the students.
Intro to Mounted Combat
Sunday 3 July, 10am - 1pm
at Red Colt Equestrian Farm Co-op
$149 + gst
This course is only offered once or twice a year, so don't miss out on your opportunity to get started in this exciting art! And if you're needing a bit more inspiration, take a look at Lucy Worsley's BBC documentary, Reins of Power, on the history of kings and horses.
Upcoming Classes
Friday Clinic: Mounted Games
Work on speed and accuracy with Prince Phillip Games Master-level rider Kate Landels. In this one and a half hour session you will learn tricks of the trade for better pickups, hand-offs, targetting, mounting and dismounting, and will also have a chance to practice the mounted games featured in our playdays and tournaments.
Instructor: Kate Landels
Prerequisite: Riding Level 1 or equivalent
Friday 24 Jun 6:30 – 8pm
cost: $60 +gst
Upcoming clinics
Cross Country: July 8th
Prix Fiore: July 15th
Riding & Horsemanship Classes
Riding & Horsemanship classes run in 6 week series. There is drop-in space in the current Monday evening series, and registration is open for the upcoming Saturday series.
Mondays 13 Jun – 18 Jul
Saturdays 16 Jul – 20 Aug
Mondays/Thursdays 22 Aug – 8 Sep
Intro to Mounted Combat
Back by popular demand, this 3-hour workshop will introduce you to grooming and handling horses, riding, and swordplay from the ground and horseback. The perfect way to start the summer!
Horseback Archery
Robert Borsos will be back on July 17th for another fabulous day of Horseback Archery. This is the last workshop before Carosella and they tend to fill up, so sign up soon!
Beginner: Sunday 17 July, 10am - 1pm
Intermediate: Sunday 17 July, 2pm - 5pm
Carosella 2016
Three fabulous days of Mounted Combat, Archery and Games! The dates have been set for September 9th – 11th. Registration isn’t yet open, but you can look at last year’s schedule to get an idea of what’s on offer, and start planning your training now.
Jennifer Landels heads up Academie Duello's Cavaliere Program. She has been swordfighting since 2008, and riding since before she could walk. She started the program as an excuse to combine those passions. Read more from Jennifer Landels.