Courtesy of the local SCA, Max and I got our first introduction to the art (and science) of jousting. This was part of an familiarization workshop sponsored by the SCA and the whole purpose was to provide a basic introduction. We first started by simply riding through the list itself. Although the whole arrangement is meant to be "breakaway" in case the horse spooks, it still filled me with a bit of aprehension since the actual list was fairly narrow.
First starting at a walk, and then progressing to a trot and finally a canter, the participants made their way back and forth through the list so the horses would also get experience having another horse coming at them. Max performed flawlessly and it was more me that held him back. Also, we had to come to a complete halt at the entrance and exits to the lists so those transitions (and especially the canter/halts) really came in handy here. In fact, they're essential.
Later, we progressed to working with lances. In this case, they're modified for safety with a wooden handle/base/lower section and a stiff cardboard shaft in the middle and tipped with foam. The balance wasn't the greatest and was pretty heavy (my shoulder and arm is still sore! :_)). It's a real challenge in that first you have to go from a standing start to a canter, guide your horse forward, aim for the quintain, strike the quintain, get your lance cleared out, and then stop at the end of the list. Wheew! And all withing about 500 feet or less.
We did allright although it's going to take a lot of practice to attain a level of proficiency. Still it's very interesting to me because there's a lot of skills you have to master and keep everything going at once. And that's only going after a stationary target! Never mind someone else riding from the opposite direction trying to strike you...:-). Finally, we practiced riding past a stationary person dressed in armor and lightly tapping them.
This whole thing is not as easy as it looks and I have a new-found respect for those who joust in earnest, historical or re-created.
First starting at a walk, and then progressing to a trot and finally a canter, the participants made their way back and forth through the list so the horses would also get experience having another horse coming at them. Max performed flawlessly and it was more me that held him back. Also, we had to come to a complete halt at the entrance and exits to the lists so those transitions (and especially the canter/halts) really came in handy here. In fact, they're essential.
Later, we progressed to working with lances. In this case, they're modified for safety with a wooden handle/base/lower section and a stiff cardboard shaft in the middle and tipped with foam. The balance wasn't the greatest and was pretty heavy (my shoulder and arm is still sore! :_)). It's a real challenge in that first you have to go from a standing start to a canter, guide your horse forward, aim for the quintain, strike the quintain, get your lance cleared out, and then stop at the end of the list. Wheew! And all withing about 500 feet or less.
We did allright although it's going to take a lot of practice to attain a level of proficiency. Still it's very interesting to me because there's a lot of skills you have to master and keep everything going at once. And that's only going after a stationary target! Never mind someone else riding from the opposite direction trying to strike you...:-). Finally, we practiced riding past a stationary person dressed in armor and lightly tapping them.
This whole thing is not as easy as it looks and I have a new-found respect for those who joust in earnest, historical or re-created.
Max gets used to strange people wearing armor that clanks and makes strange noises.
Max and I charging with the lance at the quintain.
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