The Parthian Shot

Issue 4, July 2011

Welcome to the Parthian Shot, occasional newsletter of the BHAA. This is the fourth issue so far; and yes it has taken a while to get out as the Winter/Spring period has seen limited activity ... however that hasnt stopped some members taking advantage of the Mongolian-esque Winter and our Chairman has been off spreading the word around the globe. For all this and more - read on!

Newsletter of the British Horseback Archery Association

The Avars

by Dan Sawyer
It is pointless to ask who exactly the forefathers of the European Avars were. Walter Pohl. The Avars are one of the least well-known groups of nomadic horse archers to erupt from the Steppe into Europe. Their origins are obscure, as is their culture and even their military exploits are relatively difficult to recount in any detail. Histories of the Avars generally begin in the 6th Century AD, when they began their westward migration, probably fleeing the vengeance of the Gokturks, another tribe against whom the Avars had fought when the Gokturks rose in rebellion against their common rulers (yet another tribe). There are disputed references to the Avars from many centuries before this migration. Herodotus, the great Greek historian, mentions a tribe whom some have identified as the Avars. Other references to Aparnis and Aparnoi dating back as far as the 6th century BC are sometimes said to refer to the Avars but there is no real consensus and for our purposes the point is probably a moot one. It may well be the case that a succession of peoples used the name, which was seen as prestigious. This would not be a new phenomenon. To take the best known example, the citizens of the Byzantine Empire continued to refer to themselves as Romans for more than a thousand years after the fall of Rome. The Holy Roman Empire, which was famously described by Voltaire as being neither holy, nor Roman, nor an empire, continued to use the name until 1806.

An Avar Mounted Warrior complete with long cavalry lance. Note the slung bow, archers hip-quiver and of course the most notable Avar innovation to reach the West - the stirrup.

It seems probable that by the fourth century AD the Avars were one of many Hunnic and Turkic tribes raiding the troubled northern border of China, which nation was in the process of disintegrating into many local states. They were known to the Chinese as the Juan-Juan. At around this time the Huns, another of the tribes ravaging northern China, began moving West. This slow movement would ultimately lead to their entry into Europe and the events dealt with in the last issue of The Parthian Shot, as well as the driving before them of various other tribes, including the Vandals, Visigoths and Ostrogoths. Long before they reached Europe, however, the movement of the Huns allowed the rise to power of the Rourans and then later by the Gokturks, who rebelled against the Rourans and conquered them, despite the Avars going to the aid of the Rourans.

Following their defeat, some or all of the Avars seem to have been enslaved by the Gokturks while others fled the prospect of Gokturk vengeance and moved through what is now northern Iran to the Steppe. There, as happened throughout the history of the Steppe, they merged with various other tribes, forming a large confederacy of tribes, collectively known as the Avars. This merging with other tribes may have been partly a result of that famous name, since the indications are that the others sent gifts to the Avars on their arrival. Interestingly, the Gokturks refused to acknowledge that the fugitives were in fact Avars, sending word to the Byzantines, who had struck up diplomatic relations with the migrant people, that they were fugitive Scythians (Scythian being a term often used to describe the various tribes from the Steppe and surrounding area) who were simply calling themselves Avars.

Bows of the Avars

Avar riders were feared for their swift horses, long range bows and arrows which could pierce armour. Stirrups made speedy riding, sudden manoeuvres, and accurate aiming with their fearsome bow possible. The early period Avars seemed to continue using the Hunnic tradition of an asymmetric bow. However during the middle-late period (approx 670 - 800AD) symmetrical bows became re-established and the succession of Turkic, Tatar, Magyar and Mongol bows would continue in this tradition with only the Chinese and Japanese continuing to develop the asymmetric bows.

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This grouping together with other tribes illustrates another problem with tracing the origins of the Avars: only some of the peoples who would later spend three centuries troubling Europe came from the northern border of China. Archaeological finds from Avar graves reveal a wide ethnic range, with some Mongolic skulls but many nonMongolic. The origin of the Avars therefore becomes a fairly meaningless concept. By AD 557 the Avars (whether they were the real Avars or not) had reached the borders of Europe. The struck up diplomatic relations with the Byzantine Empire, who followed a course that for centuries had been and would continue to be a common way of dealing with barbarian tribes: they paid them to go away. A large payment of Byzantine gold persuaded the Avars to attack other tribes, nominally on behalf of the Empire. This was a convenient fiction and the Avars continued to incorporate their conquered peoples and took their lands. By the early 560s they ruled the area of Ukraine and the lower Danube. By the end of that decade they had allied with the Lombards, destroyed the Gepid Kingdom (the Gepids had been first the allies and later the conquerors of the Huns) and then driven their erstwhile allies the Lombards into northern Italy (the area still called Lombardy). A further intervention by the Byzantines led the Avars to invade the region of Scythia Minor (between the Danube and the Black Sea). By AD 600 the Avar Khagans (the name given to their rulers today the term is used by the Kassai Lajos school to refer to senior teachers of horseback archery) ruled a region from the Black Sea to the Alps. The Byzantine Wars Relations with the Byzantine Empire were not always as simple as the pseudo-mercenary arrangements outlined above. During the Avar expedition to Scythia Minor a great many of the nomads defected and joined the Byzantines. The Avars also continued to demand tribute (basically protection money) and when this was not paid, in AD 568, the Khagan took 10,000 Kutrigur warriors into the Balkans and ravaged the area. It is interesting to note that these were not true Avars (even if we accept that those who went to the Steppe all those years before were Avars): they were Kutrigurs, a completely different people but one who had been accepted into what was effectively an Avar state. The Kutrigurs had served under Attila and following his death most had returned to the Steppe but many had settled in the northern reaches of the Eastern Roman Empire (which was to become the Byzantine Empire) as a sort of buffer between Constantinople and other barbarians another example of using one set of tribesmen against the rest. The use of the Kutrigurs is an early example of a practice that would be standard when the Avar kingdom was more fully established: those who lived within their territories were Avars, even if they were from quite distinct tribes. Again we can look to the Romans for the precedent: in the later Roman Empire all those who were born within its territory were Roman citizens, from Britain to Africa and from Portugal to the Levant. The Byzantines and Avars continued to fight for several more decades, on and off. In the 590s the Emperor Maurice took the fight to the Avars new homeland in the Balkans, defeating them in open battle in AD 599. Only a mutiny among his troops and a subsequent civil war saved the Avars from potential destruction, but even so many of them joined the Byzantine armies. The Avars were not the only ones who assimilated their enemies The Byzantine mutiny spread and Maurice was deposed and replaced by Phocas, who proved an incompetent ruler. He brought the Empire to a state of nearruin, at which point the Sassanid Persians invaded, reducing the once-mighty Empire to a fraction of its former territory. Phocas was overthrown in his turn and the new Emperor, Heraclius, took charge of the war. The Avars had neither forgotten nor forgiven their defeat by Maurice. As the Byzantines fought to repel the Persians in the East, the Avars once more harried the Balkans. They also attacked northern Italy and the tribute flowed into their coffers. Then came the decision, in AD 626, to join the Persians and besiege Constantinople. Constantinople had some of the greatest defenses ever seen. It was also defended by a formidable (and religiously well-motivated) army, including excellent cavalry, and a fine navy. When this last defeated the combined navies of the Persians and Avars, the besiegers fled. This marked a turning point in the war, and ultimately the Empire was restored to its former glories. Constantinople would not fall to siege for another eight centuries. The failure of the siege of Constantinople also marked the turning point for the Avars.

Newsletter of the British Horseback Archery Association

In the years that followed the wheel of tribal fortune turned again and they were assailed by a succession of other tribes, including the Bulgars (from whom we get the name Bulgaria). The Avar kingdom halved in size and within a decade they were ruled by the fledgling kingdom of Bulgaria. Collapse of the Avars In the 670s the Avars resumed a great deal of their former power, albeit they had largely joined with the Bulgars. This conglomeration would persist for over a century but then, in the 790s, came Charlemagne. Charles the Great, better known by the Frankish version of his name and title, Charlemagne, invaded Avar lands and destroyed their great fortification, known as the Avar Ring. He left them a shattered remnant on the borders of Frankia. A few years later the resurgent Bulgars finally wiped out the Avar state and the name vanishes from history as the remaining people, who had in any event been interbreeding with other local tribes for many generations (as was their habit), ceased to call themselves Avars. In conclusion, the Avars were in many ways the archetypal Steppe tribe: they began as nomads, driven West by other tribes until they encountered the sedentary and city-based peoples of Europe. The nomadic way of war, highly mobile and with a combination of light cavalry and mounted archers, allowed the Avars to ravage and terrorise the lands they encountered,and as often happened they were bought off by the local superpowers -

Avar (Left) and Bulgar Mounted Warriors

Rise of the Bulgars

Early Bulgars had the typical steppe culture of Central Asia and migrated seasonally in pursuit of pastures. From the 7th century, however they became a settled culture, planting crops, and mastering the crafts of blacksmithing, masonry, carpentry and established a bureaucracy & taxation systems. A united confederacy of Utigur, Kutrigur, and Bulgar Onogurs formed the independent state sometimes know as Old Great Bulgaria under Khan Kubrat. Although this disintegrated fairly rapidly after his death and was followed by many incursions, alliances and general in-fighting amongst the sons of Kubrat, his youngest son, Asparukh, eventually established a khanate that would become the foundation of what is modern Bulgaria.

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until they became too big, too powerful and too greedy, at which point war became the only option. In that war the Avars ceased to use the classic Steppe tactics, laying siege to cities and employing a navy. In this departure from their traditional ways they lost the main advantage that they had, and they were defeated. The Avars never properly recovered from their defeat before the walls of Constantinople. They became a shadow of their former selves and even when their power resumed they had ceased to be the nomadic raiders of old. They built fortifications and tried to hold them, making themselves vulnerable to one of the greatest kings of the period, Charlemagne. The fate of the Avars when the Franks invaded can be contrasted with that of the Scythians when invaded by Darius the Persian a millennium before: the Scythians withdrew, harrying the Persian army the whole way, drawing them further from safety and never committing to battle or trying to hold a given piece of land. Darius recognised his danger and retreated before he could be destroyed. Charlemagne faced no such decision. He advanced against the stronghold of a people who had ceased to be Steppe warriors and become just another tribe. The Avars of the 8th and 9th centuries remained typical of Steppe tribes in one respect only: a major defeat was followed by total collapse and ultimate assimilation into other tribes. It had happened before and it would happen again. But the Avars would not resurface.

Newsletter of the British Horseback Archery Association

LEGACY OF THE AVARS
by Rick Lippiett
Like the Huns before them, once the Avar political unity failed there was no way to re-create it as they never fully established the mechanisms of state (such as bureaucracy & taxes) and therefore unlike the Bulgars, Magyars and Golden Horde that came after them they have been largely forgotten by history. However in the West they did leave one very important legacy. They brought with them and introduced into widespread usage amongst horse-riding cultures, the stirrup. This slowly spread to all nations in Europe where the horse remained the primary mode of both transport and mobile military forces. The stirrup is a ring with a flat bottom, usually hung from each side of a saddle to create a footrest for the rider on a horse (or indeed any another ridable animal). It greatly increases the riders ability to control the horse, making the animal a useful tool in communication, transportation and of course, warfare. As a result it is considered one of the basic tools used to create and spread modern civilization. Some even argue it is as important as the wheel or printing press. However the stirrup was invented surprisingly late in history, considering that horses were used for bareback riding and to pull carts or war chariots since at least 10,000 B.C. The stirrup was thought to have originated in China in the first few centuries AD, but there is some evidence that stirrups may have been used in Assyria as early as 850 B.C. and was spread throughout Eurasia by the great horsemen of the central Asia steppes. In 580 AD a military manual of the Byzantine emperor mentions the need for stirrups which highlight the fact that they had come into contact with cavalry units employing such hardware. This is largely because in the late 6th Century the Avars had been pushed west from the Steppes by the Turks and thus ended up introducing the stirrup to Europe. Documentation for the first stirrups in Western Europe is vague, but they may have been used as early as the 8th century by Charles Martel (Charles the Hammer). Many have argued for the use of the stirrup by the German Carolingians, but it was not likely in general use in Europe before the 8th or 9th century.

With a stirrup, a knight could sit back in the saddle with feet in the stirrup, put a lance under his arm and drive a spear into the enemy.At that point, the weight, the speed and the power of the horse becomes part of the cavalry armament - used as an element of shock. Others argue that calvary on saddles with high pommel and cantle (back support aiding the rider to stay in the saddle) would have allowed lancers sufficient control without the necessity of stirrups and as seen in the accompanying Commitatus article there is some modern research into the effectiveness of cavalry without the use of the stirrup. One indisputable fact is that the stirrup allows for more out-of-balance manoeuvres. The stirrup thus allows a greater degree of flexibility for the mounted warrior in training exercises such as tent-pegging with a lance and shooting Qabak with a bow (where the rider in traditional style should be well forward and almost below the wither on the near-side of his mount). Without a stirrup these exercises become dangerous if not impossible. Finally from a horse archers perspective, the stirrup allows the mounted archer to rise at the point of release. There are many schools of thought on this (and well be exploring some in the next issue of The Parthain Shot) but it is no coincidence that some of the most successful masters of horse archery (from Lajos Kassai through to the Korean masters and the EOCHA champions) have developed this standing technique and a general forward seat; actively using a combination of stirrup and saddle to improve their targeting.

Below: An illustration of an early Avar period iron stirrup

Avar Heavily Armoured Mounted Archers

The importance of standing in the stirrups in Horseback Archery

In the words of EOCHA founder Christian Schrade: Standing in the saddle is an important skill in horse archery as otherwise it is more difficult to have your arms balanced and straight it is also important when shooting Hungarian style (which is from a greater distance) to move your legs towards the targets accordingly so that you shoot always to the side! There is much less twisting energy in you upper body when you stand and you can also synchronise your shooting to the rhythm of the horse - and thus your marks will improve

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Recreating 4th Century Roman Cavalry
by John Conyard
Comitatus is a group committed to researching and reproducing the equipment, drill and skills of the Late Roman Army in Britain. They are the premier group recreating 4th century Roman life in Europe today, recreating not only the physical appearance of their forebears, but also the crafts and skills of the period, a form of experimental reconstruction archaeology. Comitatus is unique in that it reconstructs the equipment and skills of the Roman cavalry, including regular displays of horse archery. The riders use Romano-Celtic four-horned saddles, based on the evidence from surviving leather saddle covers and copper alloy plates that protected the horns. The design is based on a solid wooden frame, sculptural evidence helping to establish the angle of the horns, and how surviving pieces of harness were attached to the saddle. In the 4th century the steppe saddle was introduced into the west by the Huns and their allies. It is a simple and strong design, reconstructions being made of no more than four pieces of wood joined and shaped to transfer the weight of the rider to the horses sides. Many people believe a solid wooden frame is inflexible and potentially painful for a horses back. They suggest that each saddletree would only be able to be used on one shape of horse, and even a saddle made to fit a specific horse would cease to fit if the horse lost condition on campaign. However a solid Roman saddle with a wooden frame can be made to fit most horses with the addition of good padding in the form of a saddlecloth or furs. The same was true of the solid wooden framed military saddles of the 19th century. Romans do not use stirrups and cavalrymen ride with a straight leg, using their legs to grip the front horns when riding over rough terrain or when jumping. The horse is directed by weight distribution, leg pressure, verbal commands and primarily the bit in the horses mouth held by the reins and bridle.

Newsletter of the British Horseback Archery Association

Above Top & bottom: The Comitatus Roman Horse archer - Note the small shield, or buckler attached to the forearm of the bow hand, the over-sized quiver, the scale mail armour on the archers body (this would sometimes also have covered his mount), the heavy recurved Hunnic-style bow and the lack of stirrups. Photos courtesy Comitatus Group

A Late Roman Cavalry Squadron

Comitatuss Roman Cavalry squadron is the largest in Britain, pushing authenticity and experimental research to new heights for the period. Comitatus reconstruct Roman cavalrymen from the Republican period through to the fall of Constantinople. However Comitatus specialise in recreating the late Roman cavalry unit, the Equites Taifali. This cavalry formation was formed largely of prisoners from the Gothic wars and were incorporated into a cavalry squadron, the Equites Taifali, under the Emperor Honorius in 395AD. The Notitia Dignitatum lists this unit under the command of the comes Britanniarum, as part of the British field army.

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Every horse needs different degrees of direction. Romans used either the snaffle bit of Celtic origin not unlike a modern bit, or the potentially severe curb bit. The Romans could also use the hackamore to increase leverage on the horses jaw. The rider has to learn to neck rein, using one hand to control the horse by exerting pressure on the horses neck with the reins, or even at times his shield. The group tries to use horses that conform to the size and shape of Roman horses. To generalise, there is a consensus that Roman horses in the west were around 13 - 14 hands. Roman monuments certainly show us a small stocky animal. Certainly it is safe to assume that strong animals were needed to carry armoured riders over considerable distances, and speed would have been a secondary consideration. The horse has to become used to the Roman saddle, as well as the riders armour and equipment. Riders have to find a way of carrying their shield, recurved Hunnic bow, arrows, lance and sometimes javelins, either hanging from the saddle or themselves. As one Roman drill books states, the rider must be able to hang their lance from their shoulder while drawing the bow and placing an arrow on the string. They must then be able to replace the bow and ready the lance. Put simply riders must learn to look like Roman soldiers, comfortable with their kit and weaponry. In the late antique period two cavalry weapons stand out. The perfect horseman must master both the kontos and the bow. The kontos is a 3-4m long lance, designed to outreach cavalry opponents. It can also pick out infantrymen from static formations, keeping the rider beyond reach of spears and swords. The horseman holds the weapon with both hands, giving great power to the thrust, controlling the horse with his legs. Horse archery is the hardest skill to learn, and it is possible that many second lineunits never used bows, or perhaps used them stationary. The right-handed rider should be able to loose the arrow forwards to the right or left of the horses head. Evidence shows that Roman archers used the western release, shooting to the left of the bow.

Newsletter of the British Horseback Archery Association

A Roman Horse Archer attcking a Testudo formation ( a formation used commonly by the Roman Legions during battles. It literally means Tortoise in Latin and was made up by infantyr troops interlocking shields). The testudo was not invincible and the Parthians in particular exploited this at the Battle of Carrhae (see Parthian Shot Issue 2). As Cassius recounts: For if the legionaries decided to lock shields for the purpose of avoiding the arrows by the closeness of their array, the cataphracts were upon them with a rush, striking down some, and at least scattering the others; and if they extended their ranks to avoid this, they would be struck with the arrows. Perhaps for this reason Romans started to develop their own horse-archer light cavalry (Sagitarri Clibanarri ) formations, backed up by heavier cataphracts so they could engage the enemy in a similar way.

Comitatus riders carry the long sword or spatha from a waist belt, with the bow case tied to the same belt. The bow case is secured with two ties, just in case one breaks. When carrying the bow in the case it is liable to bounce around hitting the leg - carrying the spatha over the case helps secure it. The case can be pulled out from behind the spatha, and twisted around so the bow points forward to ease its withdrawal. When replacing the bow, the case is twisted so the top laths point towards the rear, and the case is secured once more behind the spatha. Shooting without stirrups, they wait for the horse to be in balance before releasing the arrow. Comitatus riders carry a small shield strapped to the left forearm offering protection, while

allowing the riders to carry out horse archery and to use the kontos. Every year Comitatus brings the Late Roman period alive for thousands of visitors to historic sites and museums. They try and increase the publics knowledge of the period by using as many of the sights, sounds, smells, tastes and textures of the time as the law permits! At the same time their members are able to stay in some of the most beautiful places in the country. By their endeavours to bring the 4th century Roman world to life they have won the respect of the public and academic world alike. If you would like to learn more about horse archery in late antiquity, take a look at their website, www.comitatus.net

Equites Sagittarii Clibanarii

By the 5th century the Notitia Dignitatum - a unique document of the Roman imperial chanceries detailing the administrative organisation of the eastern and western empires - lists a specialist unit of clibanarii in the Roman army known as the Equites Sagittarii Clibanarii. Evidently this unit was made up of armored horse-archers based on the heavy cavalry of contemporary Sassanid armies and influenced by the Sarmatian and Parthian mounted archers that had been such a thorn in the side to Roman units in Asia Minor. These units of clibinarii would continue being deployed throughout the Byzantine Empire.

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Arcus Horsebows
I tested three new Arcus bows at Quicks in Waterlooville. This is a brand new range of horse bows, ranging from a little over 200 to somewhere over 500 and they look and feel much nicer than any of the budget bows available on eBay. Arcus may well corner the market in this range, above the 100-odd bows but below the very expensive biocomposites and the like. Arcus bows divide into two classes: fibreglass and laminate, the former being considerably cheaper than the latter. Both fibreglass bows I tested (the Hungarian & Kazarian) are beautiful to look at, the fibreglass cores being entirely concealed, either by a cloth wrap or an embossed leather covering. The ears of the bows are made of attractive dark wood and there are long, solid-looking horn or bone arrow passes on each side of the bow, allowing thumb or Mediterranean draw with either hand. The Hungarian The Hungarian is a relatively flat, low-reflex bow. I tested a 30lb model. The bow is relatively heavy in the hand, without being unmanageable, and the grip is perfectly comfortable. The draw is smooth and there is no noticeable stack (i.e. the bow does not suddenly get hard to draw at the end). Release is also smooth, with no handshock. The result was a very stable bow to shoot, and I was able to shoot tight groups without any difficulty - unlike shorter, lighter bows, which tend to exacerbate any slight inconsistencies in release. The one complaint I had about the Hungarian was that the arrows did not ping off the string as they do off some faster bows. Having only shot the one weight, I am not able to say whether a heavier draw Hungarian would have more zip. My suspicion is that while a heavier draw weight would help, the relatively flat profile of the Hungarian will leave it short on power at any weight. This would not be a problem at the shorter ranged events, but for a Hungarian event, rather ironically, I would probably be looking for more power than the Hungarian. This bow retails at Quicks for 239. The Kazarian The answer to the Hungarians slight lack of power is the Kazarian. Now, admittedly I was shooting a 40lb version, but one look at the bows more heavily reflexed profile, with its backset handle, makes me confident that even. testing like for like draw weights, the Kazarian would outshoot the Hungarian. Like the Hungarian, the Kazarian drew smoothly and shot with admirable consistency and there was no noticeable stack or handshock. Unlike the Hungarian, the arrows darted off the string with no feeling of limpness at all. I am not generally a fan of static recurves but I would happily shoot this bow all day. The Kazarian retails at Quicks for 255. The Assyrian The Assyrian (pictured right) is a wood laminate bow and as such there is no fibreglass in it. Its design is a modern take on the old bow, and a very well thought out design it is too. The thing that grabs the eye, apart from the lovely laminate pattern and exotic wood ears, is the limb cross section. These limbs are wide and thin and also very light. The Assyrian is not solid and chunky like the fibreglass bows. It is light and sleek. Like the others it feels well made and has two long horn/bone arrow passes. The Assyrian has a very high early draw weight. This is a sure sign of an efficient bow, but even so I was surprised at just how quickly the arrow shot away. This is a fast bow. It is also a forgiving one on release, despite being lighter than the fibreglass bows. The bow is not without complaints, however. The grip is a slightly odd shape, there ius an odd bouncy feeling at the beginning of the draw and there was also a fairly heavy twanging noise on release. That being said the rest of the draw is smooth and stacklesss. Nonetheless, I found that sensation little disconcerting. Of course, on a cantering horse I doubt you would notice it much. In short, the Assyrian is a very nice bow with a couple of minor, eminently fixable niggles. It is a good-looking bow in its own right and it is tremendously fast and powerful. The Assyrian retails at Quicks for 319. All three of these bows were pleasant to shoot and I would recommend anyone looking for a new bow to try the Arcus range. I personally prefer working recurves to statics but if I were looking for a new bow I would certainly consider the Assyrian, which to me felt to some extent like a working recurve, despite the rigid ears. The Kazarian outperformed any similar static recurve that I have tried, including the Kassai and Grozer ones at similar draw weights. Quite apart from being better looking, the lighter tips also make the Arcus faster and more powerful. For my money, the Arcus is the better bow.

Newsletter of the British Horseback Archery Association

Arcus Bow pics from top: - Assyrian Laminated Traditional Bow - Close up of Laminated Limbs - Hungarian Fibreglass bow - Kazarian Fibreglass Bow Review by Dan Sawyer

Like for Like Price Comparison

Fibreglass Bows: Tth Magyar 139, Grozer Base Hungarian 195, Lajos Kassai Hungarian Greyhound 179, Attila Bows Arcus Hungarian 239 (NB. prices approximate and dont include shipping) Laminates and Biocomposite Bows: Kassai Falcon Hunnic Bow 249, Groszer Biocomposite Assyrian (or Crimean Tartar) 350, Attila Bows Arcus Assyrian 319 , Saluki Hybrid Crimean-Tartar $850

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Two-Fletched Arrows
Recently a few BHAA members have experimented with two fletch arrows largely prompted by the Korean team at EOCHA who had success with this style of arrow. So why would you want to do that? Well primarily the bane of the horse-archer ... actually ONE of the banes ... is blindknocking on the hoof as it were. In other words knocking an arrow without looking while being jostled by the movement of the horse. In Korean style you are pulling the arrow from a quiver (back, hip or boot usually) or from your belt. This means the alignment of the arrow usually takes some adjusting to sit on the string before it is pulled back. So how does having 2-fletches help? Providing the two fletches are large oversized feathers and aligned to the same line as your nock then the answer is quite a lot! Not only do you double the number of available orientations on the string, you can actually feel the orientation with your fingers as you slide your hand back down the shaft to the nock, and can align the arrow at that point, so by the time you get to the nock theres no need to twiddle the arrow before nocking (this is assuming thumb release technique.) Time is saved & also because there is no potential for the cock feather to be the wrong side (and therefore hit the handle of the bow) thus the release is generally smoother. So whats the disadvantage? A two-fletch arrow is not as stable as a 3,4,or 6 fletch arrow. This means that the arrow is more prone to wobbling or fish-tailing. Over short distances such as under 10m (within which most Korean targets are usually placed) this isnt a problem. On a Hungarian or Qabak shoot this could be a factor - however if youre doing Hungarian properly & taking the arrows from the hand you probably would find the oversized fletches hard work anyway! For Korean competitions they certainly seem very efficient and viable and is recommended for anyone whose problem is nocking speed, especially if they have a relatively clean release. For anyone whose problem is the accuracy and who can nock quickly enough already, then a traditional 3 (or 4) fletch set up will be more suitable). How to fletch If youre into your Korean style and youre making your own arrows then you probably should have thought about bamboo shafts ... as natures carbon fibre its durability & flex are very well suited to mounted archery. However 2-fletch arrows can also be made out of more readily available POC, ash, fir or pine shafts. Once the shaft (either bamboo or more standard woods) have had the points glued as per usual, the 2 fletch process basically boils down to the cutting and attachment of the feathers in the same alignment as the knock. The feathers should be as big as possible & at least 5-6 in length (they also need to be as deep as possible and not dissimilar to flu-flu fletches). The easiest way to attach the feathers is to put the nock on without glue (blu-tack if necessary) and then attach the first feather as a cock feather in a normal 3-feather jig. Remove the arrow from the jig and reinsert it the other way up. Add the the second feather, which will be exactly opposite the first. Then just remove the nock and glue it on at right angles to the way it was... and youre done! (see opposite) Tie-ing them off abit further up the shaft helps induce a slight curl of the leading edge of the fletchings which aids the arrow in flight and seems to fly nicely on anything but a botched or bad release. Traditionally fletched Korean arrows & horseback archery back- quiver

Newsletter of the British Horseback Archery Association

A bamboo-shafted two-fletched modern arrow - optimised for Korean horse archery Article by Dan Sawyer & Rick Lippiett Photos courtesy of Dan Sawyer

Bamboo Arrows

As of yet in the UK, most of the major archery equipment suppliers - such as Merlin and Quicks - dont supply Bamboo shafts to order. And so they take a little more dedication to hunt down. Probably the best source of good quality, pre-straightened, Chinese Tonkin Bamboo is on eBay. You can expect to pay anything from a little over 1 per shaft up to almost 3 so pick your lots carefully (dont forget to add shipping costs!). Once you have chosen your shafts with any luck spine-matched to a specific draw-weight, they are a bit different to regular woods when it comes to nocking and adding points. If using plastic nocks and steel/brass points you can pretty much fletch as normal (see pics above, right) but for self-nocking youll need to insert a bamboo skewer as dowelling into the hollow before cutting the self-nock. For more info either contact Dan (littledan@another.com) or Rick (rick@ingozi.com).

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Jordan
by Neil Payne
(As representative of the BHAA - and thus the UK - Neil was invited to take part in the inaugural festival of horse-archery in Jordan this summer). Horseback archery returned to the Middle East in June 2011 with the hosting of the regions first ever competition. Held in Amman (Jordan), previous stomping ground to Ayyubids, Mamluks, Mongolians and Ottomans, the event was run by the Public Security Directorate under the patronage of the Royal Court. Guests were treated to a 5 star experience all the way from the hotel to food to transport. Horses, equipment and manpower were provided by the Mounted Police Division who also had four of their best horse-archers competing. The competition began with a formal parade of flags; the mid-afternoon heat welcomed the presence of King Abdullah II, who watched competitors in the Hungarian discipline. Everyone was also put to the test in Qabaq and the Korean style. The Jordanians also held a small competition amongst themselves which combined horseback archery and tentpegging. Definitely an interesting addition to the sport which is sure to see many people wanting to learn. A great success, it is hoped this could be the spark that creates more interest in the Arab world. Plans are already in place for a bigger and better competition in 2012!

Newsletter of the British Horseback Archery Association

All Jordan Photos Meg McWhinney

Tent Pegging

Tent pegging is a cavalry sport of ancient origin, it invovles a mounted horseman riding at a gallop and using a sword or a lance to pierce, pick up, and carry away a small ground target (usually a symbolic tent peg). Mounted warriors have practised the specific game of tent pegging since at least the 4th century BC, and Asian and later European empires spread the game around the world. Today, tent pegging is practised around the world, but is especially popular in Australia, India, Israel, Oman, Pakistan, South Africa, and the United Kingdom. While members of cavalry regiments and mounted police forces still dominate world-class tent pegging, the sport is being increasingly embraced by civilian riders.

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South Africa
by Neil Payne & Jehad Shamis
Although the BHAAs primary focus is on developing the discipline within the UK, it also seeks to encourage and assist other countries wanting to take up horseback archery. After some 18 months in the making, Neil Payne and Jehad Shamis were invited to the Blue Moon Riding Stables (Walkerville, South Africa) in April 2011 to coach people from across the country. This was first course of its kind in South Africa and the excitement was palpable. The country has a rich equestrian history and keen riders from across the territory; horseback archery was the new cool kid on the block. Three 2-day courses were put on at the stables which saw approximately 45 people attend including a visitor all the way from Singapore! Visionary host, Aisha Hartmann, had invested a great deal of time and effort in training her horses, preparing her land and accommodating the many trainees. Equipment was found via Johnny Snyman (Heartwood Bows) and targets created using bits and bobs from around the stables. As well as the track, 4 ranges were set up to give people a taste of shooting in different ways. These included targets for speed shooting, barrels (simulating the need to centralise balance), tyres (accuracy) and roped pathways (to maintain straight lines in form). Games aplenty, including exploding balloons, also added to the fun and tested peoples concentration under pressure. Each session followed the same process of establishing good form, consistent technique, speed nocking and then trying to apply them on horseback. Each group brought with it its own challenges as there was a real mix of riders, non-riders, experienced archers and complete novices. Bringing about changes in technique and style was at times demanding as it is well known that bad habits are hard to break! However, everyone who attended developed and grew in confidence. The results were extremely pleasing.

Newsletter of the British Horseback Archery Association

Groundwork - Nina Joubert learning the basics of horseback archery techniques from the ground up. S.A. Photos Courtesy Neil Payne

Ninas sister, Ankia Joubert, putting it all together at canter on her pony. Screw Skydiving ... indeed!

People who had never ridden or held a bow before in their lives were hitting moving balloon targets on horseback (being led). A few star students were galloping down the track, nocking and hitting three targets by the end of the two days. Without doubt, this was way above expectations and is testament to what can be achieved if advice and guidance is taken in the spirit intended. The future of horseback archery is now in the hands of the South Africans. Plans were being made to establish an Association to help spread the word. If this should materialise, then the BHAA looks forward to working in cooperation with it to assist in any way possible. The country has lots of potential; the wide open spaces of the land itself and the horse rich culture, mean people can get stuck in and make the best of it through all four seasons - making it a fantastic place to hold a competition in (our) Winter.

Highlight of the trip one of our star pupils finishing a gallop, smashing a few targets then cantering back to the coaches declaring, Screw skydiving, Im doing this! Neil and Jehad would like to thank: Aishah Hartmann (Blue Moon Riding & Livery Stables on Facebook) Jolene Whitfield & Alison Self Johnny Snyman www.heartwoodbows.co.za Penny Whyte www.walkervillesa.co.za/outpost.html Charlie and the rest of the grooms

What has BHAA Membership ever done for us?

Why join the BHAA as a full member? Well, firstly youll be in line to know about BHAA events, tuition courses and competitions. Well also provide assistance and advice for those wishing to attend international competitions, and through our organisation youll have access to cheaper personal insurance for horseback archery. Theres the occasional horseback archery newsletter and you get to vote at Annual meetings. But the perhaps the real benefit is being a part of an emerging sport in the UK, and helping support and promote this ancient martial art. And its not just in the UK - as the above article shows, from the nascent beginnings in South Africa, the sport is beginning to gain some momentum internationally as well.

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Training Your Horse For Horse Archery - Part 2
by Damian Stenton Introduction
Welcome to the second article looking at the training of the horse for horseback archery. The first article looked at introducing the horse to acceptance of the bow, quiver, arrows and shooting. The aim of this article is to consider: 1. Maintenance of pace. 2. Maintenance of direction. To train these things we must first consider that when we have a bow and arrow in our hands we have no influence over the horse with traditional rein aids and as such must encourage the horse to take some responsibility without micro management from us. However we can support this responsibility with our physical seat and leg aids, and to our verbal voice commands also. This relaxing also encourages the horse to take responsibility without the need for the riders continual nagging. If the horse slows or breaks the aid can be repeated and released once again. If we repeatedly apply the legs and then release, only correcting when the horse attempts to change pace they will over time learn to stay at the same pace to avoid our interventions. If we continually nag or niggle with the leg we dull its effect and as we are continually telling the horse to go faster we do not allow the horse to take responsibility for their own pace and thus learn to control it. Go with the flow? The influence of the seat can either encourage or discourage a pace. By correctly absorbing the natural movement of the pace through our seat we allow or encourage; and by bracing against the movement we can discourage it. We can use this to our advantage by either increasing the life or movement of the seat to speed or change up or by ceasing movement to slow or stop the pace.

Newsletter of the British Horseback Archery Association

Maintenance of Pace
Get up and go We should aspire to teach the horse to follow our own intention for movement. This is a tricky thing to quantify so I hope you will allow me to use the terms energy and / or life. In much the same way that you must pick up energy before you get up out of an armchair, so must you internalise forward movement in the horse before asking for it with physical aids. If they think you cant be bothered, why should they? Again the flip side of this means that by lowering our energy we can influence a horse to slow or stop. Off the leg A well trained horse needs to move forward either within a pace or up a pace with an aid from your leg. The leg aid should be applied by squeezing your calves together and holding for a couple of beats of the pace. Once the horse responds to this aid you should relax the asking so as to let the horse know it has responded correctly and it will therefore be more motivated to repeat the action again.

Test your Brakes Whilst the reins must be treated with absolute respect they are one of the aids to encourage the horse to slow and / or stop. To teach responsibility of pace to the horse we must apply the rein aid and then release it once complied to. Only this way does the horse receive the reward for compliance and the motivation to repeat the slowing behaviour. If we continually hold the rein taught, hanging on to the horses mouth we dull its effect and assume pace responsibility as we are continually telling the horse not to go faster. The release of the rein pressure can be as subtle as relaxing the fingers on the rein or as obvious as dropping them to the horses neck. If we repeatedly apply the reins and then release, only correcting when the horse attempts to change pace they will over time learn to stay at the same pace to avoid our interventions.

Contact & Next Article

If you have any questions or would like any points explaining further or expanding you are welcome to contact Damian ossrider@horseback-archers.co.uk To Stand or Not to Stand That is the Question the pros and cons of shooting from a sitting or standing position will be Damians next article and we hope also to have input on this subject from EOCHA & Die Steppenreiter founder Christian Shrade.

Top: Neil Payne training on Anabel at walking pace during Horseback Archery Course in South Petherton, May 2010. Middle: Rick Lippiett training on Splash, at walking pace during Horseback Archery Course in South Petherton, May 2010. Bottom: Damian Stenton at full tilt on Pheonix during BHAA Champs Aug 2010.

The Parthian Shot

Maintenance of Direction
Loitering without Intent? In a similar way to the use of our life to influence pace, we can consider our intention to travel from one place to another. Again if we dont have a positive and clear intention or focus to get somewhere, how can we expect the horse to? Channelling the Flow Ok, so we normally ride down a roped archery run, in effect forming a channel from one end to the other. What if there were no ropes? We can form a channel by the use of our rein and leg aids. As with the training of pace we should aim for our aids to make corrections and then release so we hand back responsibility of not changing back to the horse. If we think of the rein and leg when training as aids to tell the horse: a) Where to go b) Where not to go For example, if the horse deviates to the right of the desired direction, the left rein should come into action to say stay left, dont go right. Once applied and responded to, relax the rein and leave the horse alone again. Repetition of this through training will teach the horse to stay on track or be corrected back again with the rein, thus eventually making the rein obsolete. Similarly we need to teach the horse to yield from leg pressure, not only for the control of pace as described above but also to control direction. Our aim is to teach the horse to move away from one leg thus assisting with channelling the direction. So if as above our horse is deviating to the right our right leg should come into action to say dont move right, in fact move back left. Weight Gain? Imagine carrying someone on your shoulders, if they lean to the right you would automatically step to the right yourself to avoid over balancing. The same applies to the left. In much the same way the horse will naturally respond to changes in the riders weight either side of centre. Again this can work to our advantage and our disadvantage. On the plus side if we require the horse to move sideways in one direction we can subtly weight the seatbone of our seat on that particular side. Unfortunately the flip side of this is that if we are not sitting evenly on the horses back to start with how can we expect them to maintain a straight line? A careful note of how we sit when on board and learning how to advance one of our seatbones in the direction of desired travel without leaning should be our aim. Of course a balanced straight position in the saddle will also assist our shooting too, bonus!

Newsletter of the British Horseback Archery Association

Only use the rein to correct any deviation off track, so if the rail is on your right and the horse wanders left simply pick up your right rein to put them back on track and drop the rein again. Any corrections can be supported with a leg aid to also assist placing the horse back on the track again. However my preference is to train the rein aid initially so the horse becomes more accustomed to staying next to a rail and then introduce the leg. I only do this as some horses may initially find the use of the leg a speed stimulant rather than a direction aid. Each case can be considered separately. Point to Point The aim of this exercise is to combine the above two exercises, considering maintenance of both pace and direction from one point to another. Again a riding school area is ideal for this exercise but the principles should then be taken to larger, less enclosed areas to develop skills further. From one point in the school, perhaps one of the letters, pick another letter and proceed to ride to it with focus and a chosen speed. As described use what aids are necessary to help achieve this but without micro managing it, allow the horse to learn their responsibility in it. Variations of this can include riding from one corner of the riding school to the next, changing across diagonals or from one fence post to another. Encourage the horse to ride straight to the next point so they can actually place their nose on it. That way the horse should learn to stay straight right to the end.

Example Exercises

Go & Whoa Choose an enclosed area, ideally not too big. A standard schooling area is ideal. The aim of this exercise is to teach your horse to go and slow from your body energy, leg and rein aids. Direction is not important at this stage so allow the horse to move wherever he so feels as long as he is maintaining the desired pace. You may want to just knot the reins and leave them on your horses neck. From halt, pick up your life, focus on setting off and apply your leg aids. Ensure the horse responds to this and then stop asking, allow them to be left alone. Only repeat the aids again if the horse breaks pace. Once again allow the horse to go wherever they like so as not to discourage them. To slow or stop, drop your life, pick up your reins and apply them until there is the desired change and then release again. Dont be tempted to hold on to the rein contact, trust the response and just repeat it again only if necessary. If you are consistently clear with your seat and energy aids prior to the use of the reins your horse should start to anticipate the slowing before you need to use the reins. For those horses that are more forwards than backwards you may have to start with the slowing exercise first. The aim is to get both your go and whoa a balanced 50:50. Stay on Track The aim of this exercise is to teach your horse to maintain direction by sticking by a fence line or outer rails of a school. This can be used as an extension of the go and whoa exercise. Start next to your chosen fence or rail and with the reins knotted and resting on your horses neck, set your focus down the rail and set off.

Summary

We are all looking for a partnership when it comes to riding our horses and this is particularly important when you are without reins and with bow. Only by encouraging the horse to be responsible for making mistakes and correcting them but then allowing the horse to be left alone again can we build equal share within the partnership. Of course there will always be horses that want to go more and those that want to whoa more, those that fly straight and those that wibblewobble. Each horse needs to be taken for its own merits and character. And I suppose that is a good thing after all, it wouldnt be quite the same challenge if they were all on rails, who would want that!

Smeltings Farm Riding & Horseback Archery Centre

Smeltings Farm is a licensed and insured riding centre affiliated with the British Horseback Archery Association. The facilities include: Indoor and outdoor arenas, a purpose built 90 metre grass archery track, a selection of bows including Scythian, Mongolian, Hungarian, Persian & Korean and a range of target styles. Individual and group coaching available as well as gift vouchers, an ideal present for the equestrian enthusiast! For further infromation please visit www.horseback-archers.co.uk or email ossrider@horseback-archers.co.uk

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British Horseback Archery Association 2011 Roundup
So whats been happening at the BHAA during 2011?
Well for starters we have our first club not based in the South! Damian Stenton at the Smeltings Farm Riding Centre (Sheffield) now runs regular courses and training (see Damians article on training our horse for horseback archery at the end of this Parthian-Shot for more details!) Secondly our membership is increasing as horseback archery gains momentum worldwide and its profile especially raised in martial arts, equestrian and archery circles. Since the AGM at the end of 2010, we have welcomed the following members into the BHAA fold: Mike Ashington Joanna Braley Anine Cockwell Anna Folwell James Randall Our annual BHAA competition is planned for October this year due to the logistical difficulties faced by busy summer schedules! Watch this space for more information. Members should all receive an email soon outlining dates, plans, competition styles and a whole host of other information. We hope to have a great turnout again this year. On the international stage Claire and Dan Sawyer are representing the BHAA at this years World Championships in Sokcho, Korea. We wish them a safe trip, the best of luck and ask them to go easy on the kimchi. Elsewhere around the globe there are competitions aplenty for the remainder of 2011 with EOCHA taking prominence, to be held in beautiful Poland for the first time. Japan and Turkey will also be holding their own events and some over view details are opposite. As one can see 2011 is going to be a busy year competition wise. We are keen to help our members experience competing abroad or even spectating a major horse archery event - so if anyone is interested please do get hold of us. Most of the competitions opposite are limited and have a full complement of competitors already - but that doesnt stop people going as spectators and a lot can be learnt from just attending. If you are interested simply send an email to info@bhaa.org.uk to ask for details. As soon as dates and locations are confirmed for the BHAA Open - our members will be first to know through email. This information will then also be made available on the News page at http://bhaa.org.uk and of course in the next newsletter.

Newsletter of the British Horseback Archery Association

Mongolian Winter
One bonus during the arctic conditions we all endured over the winter months, was the fact that the conditions resembled a winter in the Steppes! Karl & Zana at The Centre of Horseback Combat indulged this to the full, and complete with costumes from their wardrobe - designed for the horseback archery displays they do as part of their amazing equestrian martial arts shows - they took a few pictures for us all to see. Its a shame they were snowed in, as a few of us were quite keen to go down to East Sussex, erect a yurt, practise some horseback archery, eat some stewed goat round a camp-fire and drink some fermented yak milk. Or something like that!

Upcoming Horseback Archery Competitions

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7th World Horseback Archery Championship - Sokcho, Korea
Tuesday, August 9 - Monday August 15

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EOCHA (European Open Championship of Horseback Archery) Poznan, Poland

Friday, Sept. 16 - Sunday Sept. 18

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Biga 2011 International Horseback Archery Festival Canakkale Province, Turkey

Friday, Sept. 30 - Sunday October 2

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BHAA Open Competition Venue location TBC*, UK

Saturday, October 22 - Sunday Oct. 23 (* This is looking likely that it will be the Centre for Horseback Combat in East Sussex)

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The Centre of Horseback Combat

The Centre of Horseback Combat teaches courses in jousting and horseback archery. Full day courses include lunch and an opportunity for horseback archers to try jousting, and vice versa. Archery on foot is available for spectators to have a go as well. Children are welcome, a play area is provided although supervision is required. We have a fully equipped clubhouse with games, Wi-Fi, snacks and drinks to occupy spectators and families, and the viewing balcony provides superb views of the action. As the sun goes down, please join us for a barbeque and some drinks in the Clubhouse, a perfect end to a perfect day! For more info go to www.horsebackcombat.co.uk