Blue Spur: Throwing a Spear from the Saddle The final Mounted Games item in the Blue Spear checklist is: Safely throw a javelin from the halt and walk without emphasis on accuracy. Since we don't even ask you to hit a target, this is, (in a sense) even easier than the earlier requirement of hitting…
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Blue Spur Mounted Games: couching and releasing the lance At the Blue Spur you are not expected to do actual combat with the spear, or even joust against the quintain. However, we do want you to be able to: Demonstrate couching and releasing of the lance. Couching 'Couching' refers to holding the spear in one…
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Blue Spur: The Thrown Spear The spear is not only a useful weapon for mounted and ground encounters, it is also beautifully aerodynamic and easily balanced for throwing. Even stone-age spears were designed to be thrown, and this function of the shorter spear lasted all the way through most of history, to the modern sport…
Blue Spur: Disengages and Slips of the Spear Once you have learned to find, gain, and strike with the spear, we increase the complexity of drills by asking you to: Demonstrate manoeuvres of the spear: disengages, counter-disengages, and slips. Disengage A disengage, or cavazione, is often performed in response to having been found. In its…
Blue Spur: Finding & Gaining the Spear Last week we looked at the three advantages of True Edge, Leverage, and Crossing as they apply to the spear or polearm. This week we are examining the mechanics of finding and gaining. Finding the Spear To find your opponent's spear, cross your spear tip over top of…
In the last two posts on spear fundamentals we looked at attacks and defenses of the spear. For your Blue Spur you will also need to Demonstrate finding and gaining against another spear. Those of you who fight with rapier will be very used to the ideas of finding and gaining. If you spar with…
Riding, Horsemanship, Swordplay and Spear -- it all starts up again this Sunday, October 18th! Beginner Riding & Horsemanship New or relatively new to riding? This class is for you! Learn everything you need to know to get your journey in the saddle started, from handling, grooming and tacking up, to confidently riding at a…
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Blue Spur Spear Fundamentals: Basic Defences from the Ground Last week we looked at attacks with the spear as demonstrated in the Blue Spur curriculum; this week we'll focus on defences. There are six defences to practise: three from the high ward and three from the low ward. Defences from the High Ward Forehand (against…
Blue Spur Spear Fundamentals: Basic Attacks from the Ground The second checklist item in Spear section of your Blue Spur guide is Demonstrate the basic attacks and defences of the spear in the extended position. This week we'll look at attacks, and cover defences next week. There are five types of attacks of the spear…
Blue Spur Spear Fundamentals: High and Low Wards A bevy of English longbowmen aside, nothing could make a mounted knight as nervous as a line of infantry with long spears. A spear from the ground can equal a sword from horseback in reach, and presents much more of a challenge to a knight than does…
A new year is coming so get into our next round of Beginner's Courses! Prepare for swinging swords and pulling punches. We offer three different courses which cover different avenues of Western Martial Arts: Fight Like Sherlock Holmes Bartitsu is a complex martial art with many interlocking skills. Our four-week Fight Like Sherlock Holmes course gives students…