Introductory Equestrian Classes

Author on the WarHorse Rex
at Siege of Glen Gary event 2013

In an effort to promote the equestrian program in the SCA, I started to write various articles and teach classes on topics relative to horses - as they were used in the medieval period and as we use them in the SCA. One of the most popular topics has been introductory equestrian information.  The first article on this subject I wrote was "Introduction to SCA Equestrian Activities." The next year, I revised the article and titled it, "What are Those Horsey Types up to?  In 2009, at the Pennsic War, I taught a class based on information from these articles. The articles and classes continued to evolve as I updated the information, so that by 2010, I titled the article as "Equestrian Activities: A Guide for the Spectator and New Participant." That year, I taught this subject again at Æthelmearc War Practice. 

The articles and classes cover the various equestrian activities, including jousting, combat, archery and tests of skill. The latter are commonly called "games" but I feel this does not adequately describes these activities, which require a degree of skill in weaponry as well as control of the horse.  These tests include the historical activities which were practiced by mounted warriors in the medieval period as preparation for battle and tournament. They include tilting (or spearing) rings, pig-sticking and javelin throwing, the "heads course" and titling the quintain.

Because there continues to be a great deal of interest in this subject, evidenced by the good attendance each time I teach it, I taught the class again at the Pennsic War in 2011, 2013 and 2014.  At the 2014 Joint Æthelmearc Academy and Royal University of the MidRealm (RUM) event, I picked up and taught a similar class when the instructor failed to show up. (I was there to teach a different equestrian class and when I found out the instructor was not there and the interested students asked me if I could teach the class, I filled in for him.)

According to the class announcement that I have used to teach these classes, "This class will discuss types of equestrian activities practiced in the SCA. As such it is an aid to those watching the activities, enhancing their appreciation of equestrian events through an understanding of the purpose of the "games," historical background, and "scoring" for competition purposes. This class is also of benefit to those persons seeking to get involved in this exciting area of the SCA experience." 

The importance of these classes cannot be over-stated. In order to increase participation in the equestrian programs, we equestrian marshals need to constantly look for potential new people. Occasionally, people who have been in the SCA for years suddenly discover that there are equestrian activities in our organization and they are looking for information on how to get involved. Others are interested in watching the activities but do not understand what they are seeing in the arena or how things are scored. Classes of an introductory nature serve both these groups. Additionally, this class can be used when conducting demonstrations in the modern world, such as at 4-H club meetings or shows, in an effort to recruit new members to the SCA and specifically, to the equestrian program. This is the reason that I have taught this class more than other equestrian related class, and written several versions of the related article.

Arena and equipment layout for Equestrian Activities at Saxon Summer 2011

In 2013, I updated the article again and it was published in the Kingdom newsletter, the Æstel, as a series of articles under the title, "Equestrian Activities or What Are Those People Doing Over There With Horses At An Event? That year, I won the Sylvan Quills for Best Series in a Kingdom Publication for these series of articles. The Sylvan Quills are given out by the Kingdom Chronicler’s office for excellence in Æthelmearc publishing.

I have not posted the articles here on my blog but they can be found in the April, May, June and July 2013 issues of the Æstel and can be accessed by SCA members here.)

In an on-going effort to promote the equestrian program, I believe it is important to keep this topic current and to continue to publish articles and teach classes on this subject. I encourage others in their Kingdom to do so as well as my fellow equestrians in Æthelmearc!