Martial Equestrian

06/02/2026

Sometimes you just have to go for it.

06/01/2026

Our very own indefatigable Liz put Oberon through his first formal mounted archery competition. There’s so much more to it than just having a horse that will run down a track for you. It is fundamental stuff, but this is the hard part of horses, getting them to reliably and safely do all the little things that make events possible without incident.

Great job to Liz for showing up. Great job to Oberon for being so well-behaved at a new place. Very smooth experience all around.

04/30/2026

“A good cavalry unit has to travel light. No, if I were to do it again, I’d still leave the Gatling guns behind.” —George Armstrong Custer

Weighing down your horses in a fight defeats the purpose of horses in a fight. It’s worth mentioning that Custer’s light cavalry was defeated by _lighter_ cavalry.

04/27/2026

"Riding is a skill, and skill can't be bought."

For those of you new to horses and unfamiliar with horse vernacular, there is a term for a horse that doesn’t spook: a “bombproof horse.” “Bombproof Riding,” and the resultant “Bombproof Rider,” ar…

04/26/2026

If the horse does not constantly humble you, you aren’t paying attention.

04/21/2026

We’d like to welcome a new member to the Martial Equestrian program. He has a mustache. More to follow.

02/14/2026

I just noticed this. Students of the Bombproof Riding System will recognize this as the “active slouch,” performed by one of the stars of mounted archery—rib cage behind the pelvis, belt buckle lifted.

12/10/2025

Equestrian Fall School. Realistic footing—no bouncy castles.

11/19/2025

Specialty Cavalry Weapons Technique: Katar

One of the most basic concepts of weaponized single combat is to get between your adversary and his weapon. For the cavalryman, that effectively means between his weapon and his horse. This play is…

11/18/2025

Cavalry weapons fighting technique: counter to the lance disarm with the katar.

One of the most basic concepts of weaponized single combat is to get between your adversary and his weapon. For the cavalryman, that effectively means between his weapon and his horse.

Once the tip of the lance is past its target, it can do no damage on that pass. Here, we demonstrate

1) the infantryman taking the lance and getting on the inside.

2) The infantryman cuts at the cavalryman with his sword.

3) The cavalryman responds by surrendering the now useless lance and pulling his katar (push dagger) to catch the sword, continuing forward to crowd the infantryman’s sword and drive the katar into him.

This is a native fighting technique. If you’re wondering what manual this comes from, you’re looking at it.

Thanks to our mounted Martial artist who came up from south to practice with us and demonstrate the technique.