-
Recent Posts
Recent Comments
- Mr. Ed…What If Your Horse Could Talk? « -Social Media Equine Blog- By Carly Siegel [DISCUSSION ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND EQUINE SPORTS] on Natural Horse Training Methods Blog: Official Launch!
- Chrissy on Natural Horse Training Methods Blog: Official Launch!
- horsenannie on Flymasking the Un-halterable, Headshy Horse
- Noel on Gracie’s First Ride
- iberiahorse on Andalusian Mane Braiding Video
Archives
- May 2012
- April 2012
- July 2011
- June 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- January 2011
- November 2010
- October 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
- August 2008
- July 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- February 2008
- January 2008
- December 2007
- November 2007
- October 2007
Categories
- Ally
- Angus
- Balanced Seat Riding
- Barding
- blogroll
- Business Wisdom
- Carriage Driving
- Centered Riding tm
- Challenges, Ideas & Exercises
- clicker training
- Competition…Naturally!
- Cricket
- Diego
- Dolly
- Dressage… Naturally!
- Ebay Auctions
- Equine Alumni
- Equine Art and Inspiration
- Event Announcements
- Event Report
- Excercises and Challenges
- Exhibits
- Farm Updates
- foals
- Friesian Horse Care
- Friesian Horse Pictures
- Friesian Horse Video
- Fun Horse Games
- games
- General
- gideon
- Historical
- History of Horsemanship
- Horse Photography
- Horse Trainer's Mindset
- Horse Training Basics
- Horse Training Philosophy
- horse video
- Horse Videos
- Horses and Life
- Horses for Sale
- Horses for Sale – Clients
- Inner Natural Horsemanship
- Joust for Fun
- Just For Fun
- K's Faves
- Living With Friesians
- Lucy
- Luna
- Medieval Games
- Monavie
- Natural Friesian Training
- Natural Horse Care
- Natural Horse Trainer-YOU!
- Natural Horse/ Horsemanship Trainers
- Natural Horsemanship
- Natural Hunter/Jumpers
- Natural Trainer On The Road!
- Photos/Video
- Reenacting… Naturally!
- Renn Faire
- Resources
- Reviews: Books & Articles
- Reviews: Products & Services
- Safety
- SCA
- Siege of Glengary
- Site News
- Sport Horses… Naturally!
- Stormy
- Sylvan Glen Equestrian
- Tack and Equipment
- Testimonials
- trail riding
- Training
- Uncategorized
- Used Tack for Sale
- Web Tools
- Website Updates
- Winter Horse Riding
Meta
Tag Archives: warhorse
Modern Cavalry Challenge-Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event 2009
Lexington , Kentucky is the heartbeat of America’s horse country. Each year in April, elite riders from around the world gather at the Kentucky Horse Park to test themselves and their horses against the course at the Rolex Three-Day Event.
Three Day Eventing began as a complete test of the mounted warrior and his horse. Eventing consists of three phases. The first phase, dressage, mimics battle drills and regimental parades. Horse and rider must navigate a pre-memorized pattern of intricate movements. They are judged on balance, obedience and accuracy. For the veteran event horse, a thoroughly fit athlete amped up for the wild run which comes next, dressage is also a test of patience.
The second phase, cross-country, is a long, fast gallop over varied terrain and solid fences, as if a soldier were bearing a critical message to a distant ally. Horse and rider accrue penalties and can be eliminated from competition for going off course, refusing a jump, exceeding the optimum time, or falling.
The final phase is show jumping in an arena over fences that knock down at the lightest brush of a hoof. This tests the fitness, suppleness and continued obedience of a horse who has already completed the grueling cross-country test.
Only the most athletic, courageous and well-trained horses successfully complete a three-day event. Through their skills, such horses pay homage to great war steeds throughout history.
Below, Great Britain’s Lucy Wiegersma and Woodfalls Inigo Jones cleanly navigate the Duck Pond. Enjoy our extensive gallery of video clips from the 2009 Lexington Kentucky Rolex Three Day Event at Laughing Gypsy Photography.
Posted in Event Report, Historical, Photos/Video
Tagged cavalry, challenge, combined training, cross country, day, destrier, dressage, event, eventing, FEI, horse park, Inigo Jones, kentucky, kentucky horse park, ky, ky horse park, lexington, lucy wiegersma, rolex, show jumping, stadium jumping, test, three, three-day event, video, war horse, warhorse
Comments Off
Sylvan Glen Equestrian Authorization
Mother nature challenged Sylvan Glen’s equestrians once again on authorization day! Gale force winds howled through spring’s sunshine and deep mud, knocking over equipment and carrying conversations away. Our intrepid equestrians refused to be swayed and gathered on the fields of honor at the Bower farm.
An Imposing Silhouette: Rachel and Pierre Pointelle, Scott and Cassandra, and Lady Banshee
Lord Gunnarr and Lady Banshee traveled down from Endless Hills to conduct authoriztions and direct the merry mayhem. Lady Bathory Rose accompanied them. Participating equestrians were: Scott, Noel, Rachel, Mark and Kirsten. Paticipating equines were: Cassandra, Sioux, Dolly,and Pierre Pointelle. Rosamund ground crewed– thanks Rosamund! The newborn colt studied the grown warhorses from his lookout in the roundpen and impressed us all with his levade (a controlled rear used during mounted warfare as defense against artillery and elephant warriors.)
The authorization process first tests the rider’s control of the horse with the reins carried in one hand, leaving the other hand free for a weapon. Riders performed figure-eights and transitions (changes in gaits) to prove their communication with their mounts. We then took up weapons and demonstrated the games.  In Gunnarr’s words, all riders passed the authorizations “with flying colors.”
Mark and Dolly Behead the Enemy:
 Noel and Sioux Tilt the Rings:
Kirsten and Pierre Pointelle Gallop the Reed Chop:
We put our horses and equipment away and reconvened in the barn. Bathory Rose brought forth examples of her beautiful horse barding and caparisons. The patient Pierre Pointelle (made even more agreeable by Rachel’s endless apple supply) modeled the exquisite equine garb.
Mark, Kirsten and the Endess Hills contingent then joined Margarita, Bera, and Snaebjorn at the fairgrounds to discuss layout and scheduling for the upcoming Siege of Glengary.  The site is perfect and the autocrat is amazing. We equestrians invite you join us in September… and for all the practices leading up to an unforgetably good time!
Click here for the slideshow
Posted in Barding, Event Report, Photos/Video, Sylvan Glen Equestrian
Tagged aethelmearc, authorization, Barding, caparison, costume, equestrian, equitation, garb, joust, jousting, knight, medieval, middle ages, renaissance, sca, Shire, Siege of Glengary, society for creative anachronism, sylvan glen, war horse, warhorse
Comments Off
War Horse Foal- Birth Announcement!
We are so excited to announce the birth of our newest war horse! Luna the spotted draft/ Shire mare delivered a spirited, strapping colt to welcome in April Fools Day. Both mama and baby are doing great!
The colt’s sire is Jack Flash, a Gypsy cob stallion imported from the UK. The foal will be registered as a Gypsy Sport Horse. He is a rare chestnut tobiano, and sports a perfect chanfron-shaped blaze! We are not sure what color his eyes will end up.
We are tossing around name ideas, playing with baby and doting on mama, We look forward to a future full of adventures in trail riding, medieval reenacting, dressage, eventing, and just horsing around.
We wish you all a Happy April Foals Day!
Posted in Joust for Fun
Tagged colt, courser, destrier, draft, draft horse, draught, equestrian, foal, gypsy cob, gypsy horse, gypsy sport horse, gypsy vanner, horse, horsemanship, joust, jousting, knight, medieval, medieval destrier, medieval equestrian, medieval equestrian games, medieval equine, medieval horse, medieval horsemanship, medieval joust, medieval jousting, medieval knight, medieval mounted games, medieval tournament, medieval warhorse, middle ages, middle ages destrier, middle ages equestrian, middle ages equestrian games, middle ages equine, middle ages horse, middle ages horsemanship, middle ages joust, middle ages jousting, middle ages knight, middle ages mounted games, middle ages tournament, middle ages warhorse, palfrey, rouncy, sca, sca destrier, sca equestrian, sca equestrian games, sca equine, sca horse, sca horsemanship, sca joust, sca jousting, sca knight, sca mounted games, sca tournament, sca warhorse, Shire, society for creative anachronism, spotted, tournament, war horse, warhorse
1 Comment
Equestrian Practice Report
5 riders and their steeds braved the chill winds for our first unofficial equestrian practice of the year. AEthelmearc’s current KEO, Alexander Caithnes, thumbed his knightly nose at the winter storm warnings and joined us for a day of chivalry, learning, and authorizations prep. Alli arrived with her whippets to add to the medieval flair. Mark had squirreled away his camera in his pocket, and snapped these shots perched atop Dolly’s mountainous back:
Armed and elegant! Rachel and Pete
Alexander expounds, Cricket cogitates, and Kirsten tries not to Freeze!
Worldview from a War Horse: Weapons rack through Dolly’s ears
Alexander gave us a generous grant towards procuring insurance for official SCA practices. Mark stepped forth to offer the balance. Many thanks to them for their knightly largesse!
Riders and their mounts:
Scott and Cassandra
Noel and Sioux
Rachel and Pierre Pointille
Mark and Dolly Madison
Kirsten and Red Sonja
Posted in Event Report
Tagged aethelmearc, equestrian, glengary, horse, medieval, reenactment, renaissance, sca, Siege of Glengary, society for creative anachronism, sylvan glen, war horse, warhorse
2 Comments
Authorizations Scheduling Change
Gunnarr and Banshee will be traveling down from Endless Hills to conduct authorizations for our local equestrians on Saturday, April 4. The bad weather back up date will be April 18.
Posted in Event Announcements
Tagged aethelmearc, equestrian, glengary, horse, medieval, reenactment, renaissance, sca, Siege of Glengary, society for creative anachronism, sylvan glen, war horse, warhorse
Comments Off
Sylvan Glen Equestrian Practices
We are thrilled to have 2 equestrian practices on the calendar so far.
On Feb 21 we will be holding an unofficial equestrian get together.
Alexander, Aethelmearc’s current KEO will be coming down as well as
Gunnar, the Equestrian Marshal for Siege.
On March 21 Gunnar will be coming down again along with Banshee and/or
his lady to authorize riders.
We will no doubt be locking in more dates as the season advances, and
encourage equestrians to participate in nearby Atlantian practices.
Practices will be held at Almost Heaven Horse Source in Leetown (Mark
and Kirsten’s family farm) and are weather dependent. We will post
details and directions closer to the date. There are a FEW horses
available to rent for intermediate and advanced riders. Please
contact me as soon as possible if you think you may want to ride.
Rules for the games, and many other resources are on the kingdom
equestrian site at http://frontpage.velocity.net/duane/ae-eqindex.htm.
Googling “sca equestrian” and suchlike will provide endless hours of
entertainment and inspiration. At some point I promise I’ll put all my
favorite historical horsey hangouts in one spot…
Wanna play but don’t want to ride? We can’t pull it off without our
wonderful groundcrew! Come to the practices and start becoming
familiar with our beloved steeds, the crazy things we do and ways you
can join in!
So, mark your calendars, read your rulebooks, and shoot me any
questions you may have.
Posted in Event Announcements, SCA
Tagged aethelmearc, equestrian, glengary, horse, medieval, reenactment, renaissance, sca, Siege of Glengary, society for creative anachronism, sylvan glen, war horse, warhorse
Comments Off
Equestrian at Siege of Glengary
Equestrian events are returning to Siege of Glengary in the Shire of Sylvan Glen!
Yippeee! Thank you Margarita for your persistance in securing the site we’ve dreamed of since the Lazy A days!Equestrian events are fun to participate in and exciting to watch. Our
magnificent steeds carry us back to the very roots of chivalry and the
dream we continue to create. As we thunder towards towards September,
please let me know how you would like to be involved.
If you ride, we can help you get started with the games. If you love
horses, being a groundcrewsman is a wonderful way to get your feet
wet, and again, we can get you going.
Your input will help us shape the road to Glengary. How can we help
you further the dream?
Posted in Event Announcements, Sylvan Glen Equestrian
Tagged aethelmearc, equestrian, glengary, horse, medieval, reenactment, renaissance, sca, Siege of Glengary, society for creative anachronism, sylvan glen, war horse, warhorse
Comments Off
Ailenor’s Equestrian Practice
Our southern cousins Lady Alienor and Lord Reinmar hosted an SCA equestrian practice at their farm. We loaded up the beasties and dragged Scott and Noel along as well. Scott and Noel rode at Siege of Glengary when we hosted the equestrian events. Noel now owns my old warhorse, Sioux, veteran of Gulf Wars. It was just like old times!
The two young horses I brought had never played the games before. Gideon was a little leery–especially of the heavy machinery next door! Lucy, my Thoroughbred racetrack rescue, took it all in stride:
Our novice horses faced new places, new horses, and new challenges…even new outfits! The natural horsemanship foundation laid at home gave them a solid grounding for acceptance and quick mastery of new experiences. Clicker training accelerated the horses’ comfort level with flailing swords, bobbing lances and billowing costumes.
Everyone rode well and had a blast! Lady Brandwyn Alston again marshalled. Our thanks to the ground crew who kept everything running quickly and smoothly. My hands were too full with 2 horses to take photos. Next time I promise to get more!
Posted in Event Report, SCA, Training
Tagged courser, destrier, equestrian, horse, horsemanship, joust, jousting, knight, medieval, medieval destrier, medieval equestrian, medieval equestrian games, medieval equine, medieval horse, medieval horsemanship, medieval joust, medieval jousting, medieval knight, medieval mounted games, medieval tournament, medieval warhorse, middle ages, middle ages destrier, middle ages equestrian, middle ages equestrian games, middle ages equine, middle ages horse, middle ages horsemanship, middle ages joust, middle ages jousting, middle ages knight, middle ages mounted games, middle ages tournament, middle ages warhorse, palfrey, rouncy, sca, sca destrier, sca equestrian, sca equestrian games, sca equine, sca horse, sca horsemanship, sca joust, sca jousting, sca knight, sca mounted games, sca tournament, sca warhorse, society for creative anachronism, tournament, war horse, warhorse
Comments Off
Natural Horsemanship in a Sabre Skirmish
In uploading video from this weekends’ Cavalry demonstration, I noticed another example of natural horsemanship principles at work in the very unnatural setting of the sabre skirmish:
Watch the grey and the palomino. Notice their riders aren’t carrying weapons. (Notice, too, the grey starts out clearly saying “no way!” to the engagement!)
It appears that these two horses are new to mock battle. (We saw the palomino being introduced to mounted shooting with a horsey buddy to give him confidence.) Their riders weave in and out of the circling horses and clanging swords.
Moving forward through a series of achievable, progressive steps is the hallmark of an effective horse training program. How better to teach a flight animal to willingly plunge into battle!
Posted in Natural Horsemanship, Natural Trainer On The Road!, Reenacting... Naturally!
Tagged appalachian trail, autumn, Autumn Conservation Festival, balloons, blue ridge mountains, cavalry, cavalry officer, cavalry reenactment, civil war, confidence, conservation center, conservation research center, cowboy mounted shooting, encampment, equestrian, foundational principle, free horse training video, free horse video, front royal, gallop, game, gunfire, horse, horse and rider, horse training, horse training methods, horse training tip, horse video, house for sale, house for sale in front royal, instincts, medieval equestrian, medieval reenactment, mounted reenactment, mounted shooting, mounted swordfight, mounted swordsmanship, national conservation, natural horse training, natural horse training methods, natural horsemanship, nonchalance, novice, reenactment, saber, sabre, skirmish, spooky horse, sword, unexpected places, union, va, virginia, virginia division, war horse, warhorse
Comments Off
Natural Horsemanship and Cavalry Mounted Shooting
Natural horsemanship pops up in the most unexpected places!
Mark and I stopped in at the National Conservation Center for their Autumn Conservation Festival. The Center is located almost next door to Mark’s house, which we’ve been prepping for sale throughout the summer. Throughout the early 1900′s, the Center acted as a bustling Cavalry Remount Station. The 7th Virginia Division E Cavalry set up their encampment and performed demos throughout this weekend’s festival.
One of the training drills resembled our medieval reenacting game of Behead the Enemy and the increasingly popular cowboy mounted shooting. Horse and rider race down a line of head-high balloons trying to shoot them at speed.
A cavalry officer on a novice horse unwittingly demonstrated a foundational principle of natural horsemanship: work with the horse’s instincts to make the right thing easy. In this case, another rider on a seasoned mount flanked the spooky horse throughout the run. The novice horse gained confidence from the veteran’s nonchalance in the face of gunfire, smoke, and popping balloons.
I guess you can take the natural horseman out of the training arena, but you can’t take the training arena out of the natural horseman. Even on “non-horsey” days natural horsemanship pursues us!
Posted in games, Horse Training Philosophy, horse video, Natural Horsemanship, Natural Trainer On The Road!, Reenacting... Naturally!
Tagged appalachian trail, autumn, Autumn Conservation Festival, balloons, blue ridge mountains, cavalry, cavalry officer, cavalry reenactment, civil war, confidence, conservation center, conservation research center, cowboy mounted shooting, encampment, equestrian, foundational principle, free horse training video, free horse video, front royal, gallop, game, gunfire, horse, horse and rider, horse training, horse training methods, horse training tip, horse video, house for sale, house for sale in front royal, instincts, medieval equestrian, medieval reenactment, mounted reenactment, mounted shooting, national conservation, natural horse training, natural horse training methods, natural horsemanship, nonchalance, novice, reenactment, spooky horse, unexpected places, union, va, virginia, virginia division, war horse, warhorse
Comments Off