The Parthian Shot - Comitatus · The Parthian Shot Newsletter of the British Horseback Archery Association Issue 1, November 2009 Welcome to the Parthian Shot, occasional newsletter

The Parthian ShotNewsletter of the British Horseback Archery Association

Issue 1, November 2009Welcome to the Parthian Shot, occasional newsletter of the BHAA. In this inaugural issue we hope to give you an insight into the world of horseback archery from both a historical and contemporary viewpoint. In this newsletter you can expect to find articles on the finer points of riding techniques, archery skills, and opinion pieces regarding all aspects of horseback archery; including some historical background into the life and times of mounted archers throughout history. So without further ado let us saddle up with the Scythians - the original horse archers.

The Scythiansby Rick Lippiett

Around 700 B.C., loosely allied nomad tribes conquered the steppes from the Carpathians to the Altai Mountains. The Greeks called them Scythians, the Persians named them “Saka” or “Saccae”. The related words derive from “skuza” - an ancient Indo-European word for archer (cf. English shoot). Scythians thought of themselves as the people of the bow and called themselves “Skolotoi”. Their livestock, which were their lifeblood, were fed by the grasslands; and thus the nomad tribes had to move every time their animals grazed the area clean. Horses were at the heart of this mobility and nomads spent almost their whole lives on horseback. They were also an active warrior nation and the Scythian mounted archers were much feared across Asia Minor. Scythian armies took an active part in the attack against the Assyrian city of Nineveh, and were richly rewarded by the Egyptian Pharaoh himself.

In the Bible, Jeremiah 5:15-16 says of them:

“It is an enduring nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language you do not know, nor can you understand what they say. Their quiver is like an open grave, all of them are mighty men.”

Much of the surviving information about the Scythians comes from the Greek historian Herodotus (c. 440 BC) who, in his Histories, made a study of both their culture and their belief system.

“The Scythians do not have cities, no fortified dwellings. All of them are horsemen armed with bows. No enemy can run from them, because they are people who carry their homes with them, people who do not have cities or forts, and every one of them are riding bowmen. A nation like that is invincible and unapproachable.“

Herodotus mentions a royal tribe or clan, an elite which dominated the other Scythians. Their sociopolitical structure was complex and generally followed a confederation of clans – very similar to the Celtic tribes that would later come to dominate them in the West.

Often, compacts were made, sealed with blood, when family connections didn’t exist. This was “blood-brotherhood”. A relationship sealed with blood was taken very seriously and a man would have sacrificed his own life for his blood-brother.

Footnote: What was the Parthian Shot?The Parthian shot was a military tactic made famous by the Parthians, an ancient Iranian people. The Parthian archers, mounted on light horses, would feign retreat; then, while at a full gallop, turn their bodies back to shoot at the pursuing enemy. The manoeuvre required superb equestrian skills, since the rider’s hands were occupied by his bow. This tactic was used by most Eurasian nomads, including the Scythians, Huns, Magyars, Turks and Mongols and later Byzantine & Sassanids. At the Battle of Carrhae the Parthian shot was a principal factor in the Parthian victory over the Roman general Crassus.

Scythian Nobles - From a romanticised painting


Their physical features and stature are very evident from artwork depicted on Scythian coins and Grecian pottery – in the latter there is also some evidence of their colouring; including the oft-mentioned red and blonde hair.1

Scythians had a taste for elaborate personal jewellery, weapon-ornaments and horse-trappings. They executed Central-Asian animal motifs with Greek realism. They commonly used motifs on their possessions that were the so-called “Siberian animals” - a sort of mystical combination of different animals, from gryphons, to stags, eagles and of course their beloved horses. Warrior belts were made of leather, often with gold or other metal adornments and had many attached leather thongs for fastening of the owner’s gorytos (bow case), sword, whet stone, whip and axe. Scythian horsemen rode with no stirrups or saddles – merely a saddle-cloth.

Herodutus goes on to describe them: “The Saccae, or Scyths, were clad in trousers, and had on their heads tall stiff caps rising to a point. They bore the bow of their country and the dagger; besides which they carried the battle-axe, or sagaris.”

The religious beliefs of the Scythians were a type of pre-Zoroastrian religion. Archeological evidence has confirmed the use of cannabis in funeral rituals, and the drug was also used to induce trance and divination by soothsayers. Herodotus also reported that Scythians regularly used cannabis, both to weave their clothing and to cleanse themselves in its smoke for ritual purification.

Tombs excavated in the Southern Ukraine have revealed important insights into their culture. These tombs, or “kurgans” were about 50 square meters of surface, and 4-5 meters deep underground. The burial site was covered by piling large rocks over it, and then earth over the rocks, so it looked like a hill from a distance. In the Carpathian basin, especially the middle and northeast of Hungary, several of these burial hills can be found.

The intact artefacts from these “kurgans” show the Scythians’ interaction with the developed cultures of the time and also their relative wealth in the form of exquisitely worked gold. Some of that wealth was no doubt derived from being the intermediators between west and far-east, and taxing the goods passing through on the “silk road”. Artefacts extracted from the tombs prove that Scythians were excellent herders, blacksmiths, goldsmiths, bow makers, carpenters, coopers, and potters, and that their women had mastered weaving, braiding, and felt making. They traded with the Greeks and there was some transmigration between the peoples - the Scythian philosopher Anacharsis visited Athens in the 6th century B.C. and became a legendary sage.

During the 3rd Century B.C., in the aftermath of several defeats to the Greeks and Macedonians under Alexander the Great (and his father Philip before him), the Empire of the Scythians started to disintegrate somewhat. By the 1st century BC the Celts seem to have displaced the Scythians from the Balkans. while in

Southern Russia a kindred tribe, the Sarmatians, gradually overwhelmed them. In the South and East they were either subjugated or assimilated into the Parthian tribes.

Many nations would later claim to descend from the warlike horse-nomads. In the Ukraine and Crimea the fearsome Cossacks claimed descent from the mounted horse-lords - such as the famous Zaporozhian Horde (as romanticised in Nicolai Gogol’s Taras Bulba). It has even been argued that the Scythian peoples were the founders of Celtic tribes of Scotland (Scotae) and Ireland, and the Germanic tribes such as the Saxons. Interestingly most of the latter seem to have placed less importance on the horse and the art of horseback archery seems to have been lost entirely as they migrated West. 2

In the East, Scythian influences have been identified all through China and even as far afield as Korea and Japan. Various Korean artefacts, such as the royal crowns of the kingdom of Silla, are said to be of Scythian design.

Footnote: Blonde & Red-headed Asians?1. There have been some studies of the mitochondrial DNA of the skeletons found in some Scythian “kurgans”. Skeletons discovered in kurgans in the Altai Republic showed characteristics “of mixed Euro- Mongoloid origin” – so the blonde & red-haired colouring and its origin remains a mystery.

Scythian Culture - A set of modern Ukrainian stamps


THE BATTLE OF JAXARTES 329 B.C.

The battle itself was forced upon Alexander the Great; he had already decided to accept the river Jaxartes 1 as the north-eastern frontier of his empire, as it had been before. While the Macedonians started construction on a new city to mark the frontier, the native Sogdians revolted. During the suppression of the Sogdian rebels, and the heavy fighting that followed, an army of mounted nomadic warriors appeared north of the Jaxartes, eager to join in the struggle and take away the loot. Philip of Macedon, the father of Alexander had inflicted a crushing defeat on the Scythians in 339BC, killing one of the last kings of the second Scythian empire, Ateus. Revenge and retribution would also play a factor in their willingness to attack the Macedonian armies.

The Saccae had occupied the northern bank of the Jaxartes, confident that they could beat Alexander’s men as they disembarked, but underestimating the harmony with which the Macedonian artillery, fleet, cavalry, and infantry collaborated. Firstly Alexander ordered that the crossing would take place en masse, so that the mounted enemy archers would be faced with more targets than they could strike at; and he ordered his artillery to cover the soldiers in the ships. (Catapults have a longer range of fire than bows.) The Saccae were thus forced from the banks by the powerful catapult and siege bows. For the Macedonians, it was now easy to cross the Jaxartes.

In all likelihood the Scythians would normally have withdrawn at this point. However Alexander wanted to neutralise the threat to his borders from the nomad armies once and for all and was not about to let the enemy get away so easily. Therefore as a second part of his strategy he ordered a battalion of mounted spearman to advance and provoke an attack from the horse-lords. The nomads did not recognize this sacrifice for what it was. In their society, in which blood feuds were common, no commander would have sacrificed troops to obtain a better position for the main force. The families of those who had been killed would immediately start a vendetta. Alexander, on the other hand, could send his mounted spearmen on this dangerous mission because his men were professionals and understood that they were not really left alone. To them, it was a professional risk.

Alexander’s vanguard was immediately surrounded and attacked by the Scythian mounted archers. Once they were engaged, their position was fixed and they were vulnerable to an approach by the Macedonian infantry and Alexander’s cohorts of Cretan archers. The nomads now found themselves caught between the Macedonian mounted spearmen and the rest of Alexander’s army. The Saccae tried to escape to the wings of the Macedonian lines, but there they were met by Alexander’s infantry.

This was the end for the Scythian army - about 1200 Saccae were surrounded and killed, including their commander Satraces. It was a splendid victory - over 150 prisoners were taken and 1800 horses were captured. As far as the Macedonians and Greeks knew, no commander had ever been able to pin down and destroy a nomad army – including the mighty Darius the Great. This was a boost for morale, and a psychological blow for the nomads north of the Jaxartes. Alexander’s main aim, however, had never been to subdue the nomads; he wanted to go to the south, where a far more serious crisis demanded his attention. He could do so now without loss of face; and in order to make the outcome acceptable to the Saccae, he released the prisoners of war without ransom. This policy was successful: the northern frontier of Alexander’s empire was never seriously threatened again.

Footnote: The Move to the West and North?2. Vendel Age Scandinavians (pre-dating the later Norse kingdom) were great horse warriors, fought from horseback and even imported the stirrup before the Avars brought them to general widespread use in Europe. (The Avars probably copied them from the Chinese warriors of the Southern & Northern dynasties.) Scotae tribes also retained their knowledge of horses, but, like the Norsemen seem to have placed much less importance on martial equestrianism by the ‘Dark Ages’. It is just plausible that these tribes were remnants of Scythian displacements and migrations from Central Asia.

Similar crowns, brought through contacts with the continent, can also be found in Kofun era Japan. It is interesting to note that certainly in Japan and Korea, horse-archery continued to flourish (and is still practised today in both countries). Similarly the Parthians, and later the Moghuls became renowned horse-archers and there is some evidence that there was some passing on of knowledge between the Scythians and these cultures.

To the mounted archer the Scythian legacy remains profound and indeed there is little better example of the perfection of mounted archery as an art-form than that of the centaur – the mythical creature inspired by the Greeks first encounters with the Scythian horse-lords.

On observing the harmony between the horsemanship and archery skills of the Scythians, the Greeks thought that man and beast were united as one..

1 The modern name for the river is Syr Darya and today the site of the battle straddles the borders of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan – just south west of the ancient city of Tashkent (the modern capital of Uzbekistan) and north east Khujand (a city in Tajikistan).


in with an urgent message for the Emperor, such as “Your Highness, The Mongol hordes are looking a bit leery.”

The introduction of the stirrup led to a stability that allowed the evolution of thrown spears into retained lances, and so developed the armoured Knight, the invasion of 1066, the Lineage of Monarchs and The Really Useful Theatre Company – but that’s a different story for a different day!

More relevant, it led to your good self sat on a Dobbin at the start of the run, ready to rock (and not face-down in the mud already), bum deep in the seat and heels down. Now, call me presumptuous but I will assume that the stirrups are attached to a saddle of some sort - here in England, nine times out of ten it’ll have Wintec written on it. In my humble but nonetheless correct opinion, - and here I shall show my love of a good fight – English saddles are made by Satan and his horde of evil pixies that frolic naked to the music of snapping limbs. The English saddle undoubtedly leads the world on thingummybobbies and wossnames, but it is flat, hard, slips round the horse and doesn’t have a pocket for your mobile phone.

For horse archery, when quite often the rush of the moment leads to all sorts of off balance situations –looking down for arrows, at the feathers, forwards, backwards, sideways etc. I would look to the working saddles of America Iberia and Australia where the riders weight could easily be a little off balance by, say, suddenly hanging a cow off a piece of string and swinging it round your head. Stock and roping saddles have two or three girth straps, to spread the load and so be nice and tight but not uncomfortable. At least one of these girths will be a sliding cinch type strap, completely variable to the size of the horse unlike the too loose/ too tight buckle holes. The Australian saddle has leg poleys – semicircular plates that are fixed to the tree of the saddle just above your thighs. Should you slip sideways, your other leg holds onto the poley.

Should you attempt to leave involuntarily by the back door, both your legs rise up and hold the poleys. Should your horse baulk and buck causing you to go out the front door, the poleys – well, they’re of no use there, I’m afraid. You are the weakest link - goodbye. Well, I never said it wasn’t a gamble.

Stock and roping saddles also have very deep supporting seats, as do the Spanish and Portuguese (Iberian) saddles based on bullfighting saddles. Many people quite wrongly assume that a bullfighting horse is brave and unflappable – a brave and unflappable bullfighting horse is very soon a brave and unalive bullfighting horse. No, no, no - what Pedro needs is a quick and reactionary horse who is quick on his hooves and a saddle to match. After all, a quick horse is only any good if one is still atop of it and the bull not atop of one. These saddles have a high curved cantle (back) that curves around the rider and a smaller one at the front.

Blazing Saddlesby Karl Greenwood

The great appeal of horseback archery, for me, is to see newcomers to the sport get involved so quickly in two disciplines at the same time, riding and archery. It doesn’t really matter where on the target you get the arrow – once you can loose an arrow, the passion to do it better on the next run means you are hooked! And the great equaliser is that the competent participant in one sport is usually a novice in the other.For the Horse-riders new to archery, there are articles elsewhere, but for the archers new to horse-riding, lets begin at the beginning.

Horses are begot with problems and design faults. One end bites, the other end kicks and they are uncomfortable in the middle. Well, we can live with that, but as we get into the saddle the main fault becomes apparent – no handlebars. Now, I appreciate that humans have ridden horses for around 8,000 years, but it wasn’t until 1748 that a brilliant young scientist called Isaac Newton invented gravity - and so we thickos had to go and invent motorcars, as falling off became painful.

Actually one of the best aids to not-falling-off is the stirrup. Put the tread on the ball of your foot and jam your heels down and your legs get a locked-in feeling, as you are supported should your weight swing to one side. Push your bum deeper in the saddle and the locked in feeling is emphasised. Want more? Sit up straight and lean back a bit, then.

It is amazing to realise that the stirrup wasn’t introduced to Europe from the Chinese until the 700’s. Yep, A.D. Seven Hundred! The whole of the Roman empire was born, grew, dominated the earth, led the way in philosophy and science, invented cement, roads, skyscraper technology, knew the distance from Earth to the Moon and central heating etc ... but hadn’t worked out how to stop slipping sideways onto the ground like a sack of spuds when rushing

Karl Greenwood, of the Stampede Stunt Company, staying firmly in his saddle while he controls two rearing horses at a performance.

Footnote: Choosing a Stock SaddleThe main thing is to make sure the stock saddle is of reputable make and quality. Indian copies of Aussie stock saddles tend to be much cheaper - but are generally poorly made and have a tendency to splay. Syd Hill of Brisbane are considered the best Aussie made, but others have good reputations. Expect to pay from £300 - £1000. Semi-stocks are popular in NZ, but difficult to find in Europe. Pearce-East of Gisborne are generally regarded as the best Kiwi made saddles and cost around £250 - 500. There are also English-made versions which are suitable - Trekkers of Yorkshire make one for around £400.


There are lots of images of horse archers around both in books and reproductions of graphics on the Net. But there is one you could own yourself and carry about in your pocket if you so wished. Its an image of the Seljuk Sultan Rukn ad-Din Qilij Arslan IV b. Kaykhusraw that appears on one of coins from his first reign. On it the Sultan appears on horseback firing his bow while hunting birds. We can tell that from the type of arrow he is using and he has two spare arrows in his right hand. (pictured above right)

The Seljuks of Rum and their neighbours the Ortoqids, Danishmends and Zengists of Anatolia and the Jezira were Turkish amirs and Sultans of the 12th and 13th Centuries who, unlike almost all other Islamic rulers, had pictorial representations on some of their coins.

There are enough working saddles from around the world to fill a book, and all are designed to keep the rider on board under unbalanced conditions.

My vote goes to the Australian Stock – very deep, very comfy and secure, and those leg poleys give the piece of mind that you are not going anywhere else, even on young and spooky horses.

And the poleys prevent your legs coming too far up if you get a bit excited and lean forward, and so can remind you to jam your heels down, sit up straight and get your bum in the seat. If that’s not enough for you ... Well, lean back a bit, then!

Aussie ‘Poley Style’ stock saddle - high cantle and no horn. This allows the rider to mould into the saddle. 3½” knee pads and flat thigh pads. Prices range between £300 - £1000

It has been argued that many of these show astrological scenes but this coin seems merely to celebrate the ruler himself. Since most of the populace of the area would still be Christian and used to the pictorial coins of their former rulers (the Byzantines) such coins as this would have been more acceptable to them that they might have been in many other Islamic areas.

It’s not a common coin and I don’t know what you would have to pay to acquire one. It’s likely to cost a few coins.

The Horse Archer King by Ken Clark

With Christmas coming up why not treat yourself or that special person to a BHAA fleece, jumper or even a thong? We’ve launched our new merchandise range. For anyone looking to brand themselves with some very cool gear and get noticed in the crowd, then take a look. We have everything from polo t-shirts to hoodies, aprons ane even maternity wear!

All you need to do is tap in the following magic letters on your web browser http://www.cafepress.co.uk/bhaa and you’ll be instantly transported to your very own slice of BHAA heaven.

Footnote: Choosing a bow for horseback archeryA common question any starter to horseback archery asks is, “what bow should I buy?” With so much out there what should an eager young horseback archer be looking for? This question will be answered in full soon on our website so watch out for its publication on the News page up at http://bhaa.org.uk/blog/

The Stampede Stunt Company performs arena shows and holds courses in jousting, horse archery and stunt riding in E. Sussex. www.stampedestuntcompany.co.uk

Our stitched clothing line is coming soon too and once ready a link will go up on the website as well as on the shop front. Happy shopping!

And don’t forget if you want to find out the latest from the BHAA, or just find out more about the aims and aspirations of the BHAA as an organisation, then go to:http://bhaa.org.uk

BHAA & BHAA Merchandising


Making Your Own Arrowsby Dan Sawyer

As well as arrow components, you will need a few basic tools:epoxy adhesive (e.g. Araldite); superglue;a hacksaw; a sharp craft knife/scalpel blade.

You will also need some more specialised equipment:a fletching jig; taper tool(s);fletching tape (optional but I think it’s much easier than glue); fletching thread (optional but can save lacerating your hand).

Then there are the components:shafts; nocks; piles (points); feathers.

There are other refinements such as arrow wraps, flu-flus, self nocks, footings, barrelled shafts and a host more, but more of them in future. For now I’ll just look at basic arrows.

You will need a set of well matched arrow shafts. Ideally you should go to a shop and hand-pick your own shafts. I shall write another article in the future dealing with this, but for now I shall assume that you are just buying a set of shop-matched shafts. Most archery shops will supply these. I personally have tended to use thelongbowshop.com, who supply a variety of wooden shafts for a decent price and they have always served me well. Jason, who runs it, is always happy to give advice. There are many other options if you prefer.

You will need to select the spine (which just means stiffness) of the shafts. This can be a complicated business, with which I shall deal in the next article, but as a starting point, assuming you have a standard bow and a draw length of 26-29”, I suggest selecting a spine around 5lbs lighter than your bow. If your draw length is longer, or your bow especially fast for its weight, then choose a higher spine. Precise spining is complicated and not necessarily accurate, even if done properly! Consistency between arrows is more important than getting the spine exactly right. Nonetheless I’d suggest speaking to the shop before buying.

Most will be helpful. Alternatively, if you want to get really technical then wait until the next article and pick your own shafts. The first step is to cut the shafts to the right length. For target archery this will be perhaps 1/2” longer than your draw length. For horseback you may want to go a bit longer, depending on how consistent your draw length is. What you want to avoid is drawing the arrow too far and having it fall off the bow! Measure the shafts, mark them and cut them to size using a sharp hacksaw.

Now use the taper tool (essentially a pencil sharpener) to taper each end of the shaft. The shorter taper is for the nock, the longer for the point.

There are several different types of arrow points, falling into several divisions. You can choose between brass and blued steel finish (largely a matter of taste but some people suggest that brass doesn’t adhere as well as steel); field or bullet tip (really only relevant if you’re likely to be hitting trees, target stands etc, as field points will make it easier to pull them out) and taper, screw or parallel fit. I suggest steering clear of parallel fit to start with as they are fiddly to attach properly. Taper fit are fine and probably the most common. I prefer screw fit for my wooden arrows (not for bamboo). Note that you should still glue screw fit arrows!

You will also have to choose a point weight. They vary from 60grains to about 150 grains. For now, choose a middling weight such as 80 or 100 grains, depending on the strength of your bow. If you shoot a 40lb bow that really pings the arrows out then choose a point of 100-125 grains. For a 25lb bow you might want to stick to 80 grains. The next article will deal with this in more detail.

Arrow points are usually greasy when you get them. Whether they feel greasy or not, you need to clean them before attaching them as any residual grease can hinder the gluing and you’ll leave points in targets, which is annoying for you and for the poor

soul whose beautifully made arrow hits your abandoned point. Submerge your points in white spirit or acetone and slosh them around. Then withdraw them and, holding them with pliers or similar, burn the spirit off over a flame. Check that they fit the shaft (you will occasionally need to saw a little bit off the end of the tapered shaft), then fix them to the long tapered end with an epoxy adhesive such as Araldite.

Next you need to fit the nocks. These are superglued on but before you do it, check that they fit squarely. Nocks must be properly aligned. If you look at the end of the shaft you will see the grain lines running parallel through the shaft. The string should run perpendicular to these lines. The arrow will flex as it flies. This can affect your accuracy, which is why arrows are spined to the right draw weight, so they flex the right amount with a given impetus. The spine will be different with and against the grain. To ensure that you are not shooting arrows that are effectively too weak, you must have them flexing against the grain, which means the string must run across it. Check this very carefully before gluing!

At some point you will want to protect your arrows against the elements. I find it easiest to do this once points and nocks are on but before fletching. Moisture in the wood will make your arrows warp, so you basically need to waterproof them. You can use many different things for this. Personally I tend to use Danish Oil, which you can get from Homebase, B&Q, Wickes etc. Sometimes it’s combined with woodstain, sometimes it’s clear. This is up to you. I apply three coats to each shaft, allowing each coat to dry before applying the next. Simply rub it on with a cloth and work it in a bit. You can also use teak oil, linseed oil (I’d suggest boiled rather than raw), beeswax (although this can make pulling the arrow out of the target tricky), varnish or a host of other things.

Now comes the fletching. Before you start, use a sharp knife or scissors to snip off the jagged ends of the quill to each feather

Footnote: Wooden vs Aluminium ArrowsMany horse archers prefer to use aluminium arrows for consistency and durability. So why use wooden? Some prefer the tactility of wood which is less slippery, they also make less noise which can make your horse less nervous... and, of course, they are cheaper. However, in all likelihood you will break more wooden arrows and you have a marginally increased chance of the arrow-splitting on horseback. So really it’s just down to personal preference. Some of the more advanced horse-archers are now even turning towards more modern arrows made of carbon-fibre - thus furthering durability and consistency of shot.


These can hurt if they catch your hand! Next you need to sort out your fletching jig. This will generally consist of a stand that holds the shaft by the nock and a clamp for the feather. The two parts attach by a magnet. If you want to get technical and try to find the perfect arrow then it is a good idea to keep one or two shafts unfletched at this stage. They can be used to check whether you have selected the correct spine, as well as checking your bracing height, nock point and general tuning.

Put the shaft in the jig. There should be a notch for the nock. There should also be a knob that you turn, rotating the arrow through 120 degrees (you can get attachments for 2- or 4 fletch). This knob should have a mark on it. This denotes the starting position. Remember I said that the arrow must be aligned so that the arrow flexes against the grain? This is how you ensure that. If you align the marks on the jig then the first feather you attach will be the ‘cock feather’ (the one that points away from the bow when you shoot and is often a different colour for ease of recognition). It will be aligned with the grain.

Generally speaking, the feathers will have a greater stabilising effect the further back they are placed. Foot archers will therefore place them as far back as they can without their fingers touching them when drawing the bow. On horseback you have to think about pulling them from your belt/quiver and nocking the arrow whilst moving. You may want to position your feathers a couple of inches forward to make them easier to handle. This is largely personal preference.

Having decided where you want the feathers to be positioned, place the clamp on the magnet, pushing it back against the stop for consistency. I suggest then marking the clamp with a permanent mark for future reference. Place the feather into the clamp so just the quill is exposed and the feather lines up with where you want it to go on the shaft. Apply either superglue or fletching tape (which is just double sided tape, so stick it to the quill, trim and then peel the backing off) to the quill.

Put the clamp on the jig and make sure it’s against the backstop before pressing it firmly onto the shaft. If you are using tape then that’s job done. If glue then hold it down fairly firmly for a few seconds to allow it set, then leave it for a couple of minutes. It can help to run the flat of a craft knife along the quill to press it down. Once it’s stuck, carefully remove the clamp from the feather and rotate the knob on the jig. Stick the other feathers on in the same way (these are the ‘hen feathers’ – they are the same colour as each other but usually a different colour from the ‘cock’.

You now have a fully functioning arrow. You can leave it there and the arrow will fly just fine. I suggest doing one of the following two things to finish off. The easier one is to apply a blob of superglue to the leading edge of each feather. This will help keep it on and give a little hand protection. The other thing, which is more effective and looks far cooler, is to tie the feathers.

To tie your feathers, you will need some thread. You can get fletching thread from thelongbowshop.com or from many other archery shops. Alternatively you can try regular thread. I don’t know whether this works. I use fletching thread, which is very fine and strong.

At its most basic, tying is just wrapping the leading tips of the quills. Starting on the shaft a little in front of the feathers, wrap thread around the shaft and up onto the quill. The thread can be secured with superglue or by wrapping the thread over a loop and pulling it under the wrapping when you’ve finished. For the really traditional look, continue the wrapping along the feathers, pulling the thread gently between the sections.

Your arrows are ready. Now go and shoot!

Footnote: Compensating for Korean and Hungarian StyleBecause the Hungarian style requires arrows to be held in the bow hand, the ideal fletching should be placed an inch or more forward of where the knock and shaft join. This allows the archer to grasp the arrow knocks without crimping the feathers. Korean style is less problematic in this area BUT it is a major aid to gave a brightly coloured &/or obvious cock-feather to allow the arrow to be placed on the string correctly at speed. Arrow length should be an inch or more longer than your maximum draw length

From top to bottom:

1) A Fletching Jig2) Types of point for wooden arrows - use field points or bullet points!3) Arrow fletching and nock


The Centaur Approachby Jay Red Hawk

Half human, half horse; a simple equation. While we now know that centaurs don’t really exist, the early Greeks saw cultures of various horse tribes, that rode without clothing and without horse tack. From a distance, observing that and being frightened by it, (because no one at that time period had any frame of reference for people riding horses) one can understand this ancient misconception.

To ask a horse to put anything on its’ back is altogether unnatural, let alone a human being. We walk upright, we smell like a predator because we eat meat, our eyes are in front of our heads, so physically we project predator to a herd animal...and we hunt...we’re predators.

Many “credentialed” and “certified” riding instructors who have books, dvd’s and offer clinics like to call bareback, a “natural” approach. In fact, it is not. What is natural for a horse is to run from us. That’s why they have four legs, big nostrils and lungs, a big heart to pump blood and oxygen through their 700 - 2000 lb. bodies. It is the reason why they have eyes on the sides of their heads, so they can see left and right when they are grazing, it is why they have big funnelled ears to hear predators approaching them. The only things “natural” that occur on a horse’s back is its own hair. Of course, there are other things in nature that get on a horses back, like dust, mud, dirt, dander, flies, and several other insects. There are larger things in nature that can get on a horse’s back, however, they have meat-eating canines, claws and eyes in front of their heads and a horse will do what it can to not let that occur.

So, trust is the key. The horse must trust that whoever or whatever is climbing on it’s back is not going to harm it. The same can be said for the rider. The rider must be able to trust her/himself, first and foremost. However, it is a special thing, indeed, to

trust the horse you are climbing on to. The other morning for example, I was on my Appaloosa and he started to hump up, go sideways and rear up. I hadn’t ridden him in about 3 weeks. I was riding him bareback to go out and check on our main herd of 19 horses, using only a lead rope and a rope halter.

I am not mean to a horse but I don’t put up with any bullshit from them either. I tried to encourage him to go forward, but to no avail. I let him act up without reacting to it. So, when he realized he wasn’t going to get me off his back and he quit acting up, I turned him in circles for a few minutes and made him work off his behaviour. I walked him for a 1/4 mile, trotted him for another 1/4 mile and then we came upon the herd. By that point I had control over the most important part of his body; his brain. Horses are very smart animals, however, their teeth occupy more room in their heads than their brain...what does this teach us? Only the obvious, that a horse would rather graze than have to think. That is what they are designed to do. But horses do have a good brain and some are extremely intelligent. We just have to first understand that they do not think like a human, and before we can really get them to use their brains, we had better know how to think like a horse.

Riding bareback is an incredible feeling. It is a borrowed freedom that is indescribable. When riding bareback, there are subtleties, ticks, muscle spasms, twitches and habits of physical behaviour that you will come to know and feel when riding bareback. Slight nuances that you will never know with a saddle in-between you and the horse. You will learn much better balance on a horse riding bareback. For men, we have to learn how to balance from our hips instead of our shoulders. Women naturally balance from their hips. You must learn not to “lean” on the reins and find your “seat.” You will develop inner thigh muscles you never knew were there.

Cantering and galloping through an open field or pasture bareback is indeed an

elation and a joyous, “natural” feeling. That is why I entitled this article, The Centaur Approach. The equation being half human, half horse.)

Remember that there is more than a physical aspect to this. The mental aspect is key. If you expect your horse to think like a human, learn to think like a horse first. Don’t just get on and ride and treat your horse like a machine, and when you’re done, put your horse up and forget about it. Talk to your horse. Brush your horse out. Pet your horse sometimes when you are not even going to ride him/her. For those of you who do horse archery, learning about horse training and horsemanship will make you a better horse archer, period. When I worked for actor Kevin Costner in Deadwood, South Dakota at Tatanka a living history museum and visitor centre, I did bareback mounted archery demonstrations 6 days a week for 6 months. I did receive one injury and ripped a tendon on the side of the knee when the horse I was riding stepped in a hole and stumbled down from underneath me. I still made a bullseye and didn’t release my arrow until I was upside down in mid-air. I do not recommend that you try that...ever. Always use a saddle when practicing horse archery.3

Footnote 3: Saddle vs BarebackLajos Kassai is undoubtedly one of horseback archery’s leading authorities and, in his book, advocates that those seeking to begin as a horse archer should start off bareback and not use a saddle as this creates later “uncorrectable problems”. These problems are never expanded upon but it is certainly true that only students attaining a certain level of proficiency are allowed to use Eastern-type saddles in Kassai’s schools.


Some Basic Tips to Bareback Riding

1. Never get on a greenbroke horse or a horse you can’t handle bareback. If you don’t have control of a horses mind it is unsafe. A horse will always outweigh you and is always bigger and stronger. Lunge your horse first on a lunge line or in a round pen.

2. Always get on a horse that is seasoned, well trained and has a good disposition if you are an inexperienced bareback rider.

3. When starting out, get on a horse bareback in a controlled environment, such as an arena or corral that you and the horse are used to.

4. Don’t overdo it. Start off slow. You have to crawl before you can walk. Walk with the horse. Do circles, figure eight patterns, practice balancing without leaning on the reins and with the right amount of leg pressure, a steady slight squeeze. Do this for a half hour everyday for 2 weeks.

5. After 2 weeks, you will notice you are starting to have better grip with your legs. Walk for 15 minutes, warm up your horse and then go at a “dog trot.” (A slow trot) Do this for 2 weeks.

6. When you have accomplished steps 1 through 6 for a month, try cantering around a round pen, corral or arena.You should be ready. Do this for another 2 weeks before you go out into a field or pasture. Safety first, always!

7. When a British film crew asks you to ride bareback in a herd of buffalo for a History Channel series, simply tell them “Bullocks!” and put on a saddle! (Sorry, that one was just for me!)

Jay Red Hawk is a horse archer, professional stunt rider, and published author. He is recognized as the world’s leading expert on Lakota horse archery. You can read his chapter on Lakota horse archery in the book “Mounted Archery in the Americas” published by the longridersguild press and available through Krackow company (www.krackow.com) or Amazon.com.

Mr. Red Hawk has appeared in National Geographic ( May 2004) and in 2003 was the first man to hunt a buffalo off horseback using a sinew-backed bow and stone arrow points in over 100 years.

Jay can be contacted by e-mail:

[email protected]

J Red Hawk15260 Bend Rd.Box Elder, SD57719USA

Footnote: Kassai & RedhawkI asked Jay about Kassai’s methodology and his views were as follows: “I know of Kassai and he knows of me, however, I disagree with his Spartan school of thought. Riding bareback first for many inexperienced people is not safe and a good way to get hurt and lose confidence. We are not living in 500 AD Hungary. While I would agree with Kassai if we were having to train horse archers to fight the Romans or the Visigoths or the Teutons, in modern times things are different. Always use a saddle as a beginner.”


International Horseback Archery & Cirit CompetitionSivas, Turkey 2009

October saw the coming and going of an important stage in the international development of horseback archery. For probably the first time in hundreds of years Turkish soil again felt the thundering hooves of mounted archers. Sivas, in the eastern Anatolian region of the country, was home an international horseback archery and Cirit competition which saw competitors travel from the UK, Germany, Turkey, Poland, Iran, Korea and Hungary. The one time capital city of the Seljuks (a mounted warrior empire) surrounded by rough Steppe like topography witnessed a marvellous weekend any who were present will be hard pressed to forget.

The competition, rather than being a hollow quest for medals and glory, was intended from its conception to do three things. To 1) introduce horseback archery back to the population, 2) gain exposure for horseback archery at a national level in order to gain funding 3) gather together those interested in the traditions of horseback archery and 4) to develop an alternative to the “Hungarian style” competition. It would be fair to say that all four aims were achieved.

The tournament organisers were fully conscious of what was happening in the horseback archery world and a decision was taken early on to use the opportunity to show case traditional Turkish style horseback archery in competition form. There is no reason for the Hungarian style to maintain its dominance and consequently competitors were introduced to the “Mamluk style” course as well as Qabaq (gourd-shooting). The Mamluk course was essentially similar to the Korean style course other than one target was on the “wrong” side of the track meaning riders had to shoot over the horse’s head. On top of this, between each gallop, targets moved positions ensuring riders did not get into a robot like comfort zone.

The main reasoning behind these differences was to make the course a little more challenging. The “Jarmaki” shot (the wrong side of the track) was an essential shot for any mounted archer worth his salt. Qabaq saw the revival of a centuries old horseback archery game played in Turkey, Egypt, Iran and India where riders had to gallop past a 6-8 metre high pole and hit a target at the top of it. Whereas traditionally the target consisted of a pot of gold or a dove waiting to be set free from an accurate shot, the competitors simply had to hit a rice pan stuck at the top! Even so, the game was an amazing success as all competitors felt an extreme joy at doing something both traditional and different to the usual horseback archery activities.

The competition took place only on the Saturday, with Sunday being used as a demonstration day for the public and VIPs alike. A great show was laid on including a brief demonstration of Qabaq and an international match of Cirit. Cirit was an old Ottoman equestrian martial arts game which helped improve the cavalryman’s prowess with a spear on the battle field. In essence the game involves trying to launch a stick at someone’s body and then escaping as quickly as possible

(as one would in battle). The game itself was of terrible quality and the non-Turks were clueless of rules and did not have the same reactions of their Turkish team mates. However, the crowd loved the mistakes, bloopers and all round amateur-nature of the match and it brought many smiles to many faces!

Overall the competition was a great success. Turkey demonstrated its culture, heritage and hospitality well to all competitors and has won many friends now internationally. Perhaps most importantly, the Culture and Tourism Ministry in Turkey have been on the phone to the organisers asking how they can be supported and what funding they can offer. It appears that a fantastic amount of money has already been pledged to next year’s competition. And this is in all honesty what the competition was about; like-minded people with one aim coming together to help a country develop horseback archery. It is a rare and special thing and we must hope that these types of people are given the strength to continue their great work. If you get the chance, go to Turkey in 2010! You won’t be disappointed.

Neil Payne - Chairman of the BHAA

Footnote: The BHAA and competing abroad2010 is going to be a busy year competition wise. Competitions are planned in the UK, Sweden, Poland, Japan and Mongolia not to the mention the European Championship (venue TBC) and the World Championship in Korea. We are keen to help our members experience competing abroad so if anyone is interested please do register your interest. Simply send an email to [email protected] to ask for details. As soon as dates and locations are confirmed, BHAA members will always be first to know. This information will then also be made available on the News page at http://bhaa.org.uk

Jehad Shamis - BHAA Secretary, flying the flag in Turkey

Documents

The Parthian Shot - Comitatus · The Parthian Shot Newsletter of the British Horseback Archery Association Issue 1, November 2009 Welcome to the Parthian Shot, occasional newsletter