New things are forgotten old things - this rediscovery of the past is especially important in horsemanship and equestrian sports. Despite advances in sciences and technology, the physiologies and psychologies of the two principal agents, the equid and the human, have undergone relatively few changes since horse domestication. The studies collected in this volume outline such essential and recurring challenges in equestrianism as gender issues, equine identification, the use of hyperflexion and groundwork in training, as well as many others, from prehistory to this day.
This BHAA manual accompanies the BHAA qualifications syllabus; both for horseback archers and for coaches.The BHAA is the governing body for horseback archery in the UK.The manual is suited to anyone with an interest in horseback archery; whatever your level of experience. It covers each aspect of the sport: riding, archery, specific techniques and training suggestions for mounted archery, as well as rules and tactics for competition. Including over 100 pages of colour photographs and illustrations; with demonstration of techniques by experts.Step by step instructions on topics from training your horse to making and fine tuning your equipment. Discussion of the mechanics of bows and arrows, and archers' anatomy, explain how to optimise your performance and avoid injury.Articles on the history of horseback archery, plus 27 key horseback archery battles, bring the modern sport into a historic context.
This fascinating and amply illustrated book charts the history of mounted archery from its ancient roots on the steppes of Eurasia thousands of years ago to its current resurgence in popularity in the Americas. It also provides the reader with up-to-the-minute practical information gleaned from a unique team of the world s leading experts. Mounted archery is shooting the bow and arrow from horseback at the canter and after a century and a half of neglect on the Great Plains of North America, interest in this thrilling activity is rapidly spreading from the Arctic Circle to the Tropic of Capricorn. This is the story of the reappearance of this exciting discipline in the Americas. Horseback archery has its origins in two of the great grasslands of the world the United States Great Plains, and the vast steppes of Eurasia. As far back as 3,000 years ago Asian mounted warriors thundered down on their enemies in lightning surprise attacks, loosing showers of arrows which stunned and hopelessly dissembled their pedestrian opposition. The horseback archery culture of the American Indians reached a similar level of development and sophistication, but emerged much later and was a shorter phenomenon. Horses spread north from the Spanish colony of Mexico through the Plains beginning in the mid 1600 s, but this dynamic equestrian culture virtually vanished with the demise of the buffalo in the mid 1800 s. Yet this mounted tradition was revived when, in 1998, Kassai Lajos, the legendary Hungarian founder of the modern standardized discipline of mounted archery, came to the United States for now-legendary demonstration. The world s leading mounted archer returned for three subsequent training camps which inspired many others to take up the sport. Since then, mounted archery has spread with great enthusiasm across the United States, Canada and South America. This challenging and engaging discipline is promoted by the Mounted Archery Association of the Americas, and the royalties from this ground-breaking study of this ancient equestrian art are being donated to this Association.
A year’s worth of ideas and activities that will stoke your passion for horses and inspire you to spend as much time as you can in their presence. Horse Lover’s Daily Companion is a unique, easy-to-use, and inspiring handbook filled with a year’s worth of insight, helpful tips, and practical advice into the equine-human relationship for all horse lovers and owners. Whether you’re a riding veteran or someone who’s simply pined away for horses since childhood, this book will provide you with a lifetime’s worth of ways to enjoy and appreciate horses, whether or not you have forty acres and a stable of Appaloosas in your backyard, or just a shelf full of books! The format—a year-long, day-minder-type book—is not meant to be read cover to cover; rather, the book can fall open on any given day and provide insight, inspiration, and valuable information on everything equine. Each day features rousing notions, activity suggestions, and novel facts that remind you of why you love horses: Monday—An illustrated guide to horse breeds, from the Appaloosa to the Zorse Tuesday—Equine activities, such as riding sidesaddle, herding cows, and driving Wednesday—Horses through the ages, from prehistory to modern equine heroes Thursday—Behind-the-scenes access to real life in the stable Friday—Health, wellness, and nutrition Weekends—Bonding, relationship building, and planning special occasions When you love a horse, every day is a surprise, and this book reflects that spirit. Turn to any page and you will find another useful tip. So, saddle up and enjoy this book at your own pace.
Gabriele Esposito presents an overview of the history, organization and equipment of the military forces deployed by the nomadic peoples of the Eurasian steppes during the period from the appearance of the Huns in Eastern Europe to the death of Genghis Khan. Each chapter is devoted to a different group that played a prominent military role during Antiquity and the Middle Ages. Starting with the Huns of Attila, whose migration was one of the key factors behind the fall of the Roman Empire, he moves on to the Avars, who established a large state in Eastern Europe that contested with Charlemagne’s Frankish Empire. Chapter three covers the Magyars, who terrorized most of Europe during the tenth century before creating the Kingdom of Hungary. Next are the Bulgars, who became the worst enemies of the Byzantine Empire in the Balkans but also created a flourishing state in the Volga region of Russia. The Khazars and the Alans share a chapter, as do the Pechenegs and Cumans-Kipchaks, while the Turks merit a dedicated chapter. Last but not least are the Mongols, who are traced from the unification of their tribes to the death of the great Genghis Khan. By describing the military organization, weapons and tactics of these nomadic peoples the author shows how they dominated the battlefields of the world for almost 1,000 years thanks to their superior capabilities. He also discusses how they interacted with other civilizations and how the latter learned a lot from them, especially militarily. Without the existence of the warlike nomadic peoples of the Eurasian steppes, the history of the world would have been very different.
An ancient design, emerging from Central Asia in the second millennium BC, the composite bow was adopted by a staggering variety of cultures, from nomadic tribal peoples such as the Huns, Turks and Mongols, to mighty empires such as the Romans, Byzantines, Persians, Arabs and Chinese. Offering high power and portability, the composite bow was an ideal cavalry weapon, though it was also used by infantry in open battle and as a siege weapon. In this important study, an expert on Eastern military technology tells the story of this extraordinary piece of military hardware; how it was made and how various cultures developed differing tactics for using it. He explains why the composite bow achieved such stunning successes and how it endured as a weapon of choice for thousands of years.
Spanning the wide world of sports, this volume is packed with every conceivable fact that anyone would possibly want to know about nearly 300 sports, including history and practice worldwide.
