Cavalry School?

[aloysboy]

Would people want to learn to ride, shoot and sabre drill off trained horses for a week in a civil war style training camp if we offered one ?Kevin Kaup

[Will Eichler]

Re: Cavalry School?

To answer this question, I guess we need some back ground.

-Who is the we?
-Are you riding instructors? What discipline?
-What level riding proficiency would the student need to posess before the weekend? I've taken dressage lessons for 18 months and would only now think about attending an event on a mount.
-Where would the school be located?
-What are the costs?

If you could provide answers to these questions, it would help. I'm interested in the general concept, but it does raise almost as many questions as answers.

Best,

Will Eichler

[1st Maine Trooper]

Re: Cavalry School?

Would people want to learn to ride, shoot and sabre drill off trained horses for a week in a civil war style training camp if we offered one ?Kevin Kaup

I would be very curious to know how you propose to do this on an AUTHENTIC level.
In addition to the questions Will raised, how about these:
What drill manual will you teach?
Which weapons will you teach?
Will you teach how to live out of the saddle or would it be from a fixed camp?

Dave Myrick

[T.Kern]

Re: Cavalry School?

I only know a handful of people who could pull this off without doing the re enactor folklore nonsense.

what needs to be covered very badly is the proper fit of the saddle and bridle, fighting at appropriate distances not re enactor distances, how to properly pack the saddle and carry all one needs without unbalancing the saddle,... so much more. Even simple things like how to properly draw the sabre as the manual prescribes, no one seems to be able to do this simple instruction.
I have often thought of doing a camp like this but who would want to pay, reenactors are notoriously cheap. I've even done some camps of instruction for several groups but it was casting pearls before swine. They seemed to forget all that was taught and went back to their lazy reenactor ways as soon as you told them boots and saddles.


Todd Kern

[Mike Nickerson]

Re: Cavalry School?

Todd, to hear some of the 1st. Maine boys talk, they gave a little schoolin' at the Hodge's Preservation March. Is that true, especially after I was talking ya'll up so much? :wink_smil

http://uhlan.proboards34.com/index.cgi?board=events&action=display&thread=1160012564&page=1

Mike Nickerson

[VaTrooper]

Re: Cavalry School?

Mike,
Them 1st Maine fellas sure were thougher than any other Federal group I've engaged but I cant really say that they taught me anything special.

[Mike Nickerson]

Re: Cavalry School?

Well there are always two sides to every story! I say next year it is Jerry Todd's hat that needs capturing! In fact, I will pledge the $50 bounty on it right now!

Mike Nickerson

[Guy Gane III]

Re: Cavalry School?

And to think I almost went with John Nolan!!! (The Hodge Pres. March) UGH! I hate work! haha.

I think the concept of teaching people how to ride, etc. is amazing and something that I sure know very few people know how to do. Especially up here in Western New York. :confused_ I was lucky enough to learn it all from my father, minus the manuevers.

Mounted cavalry is what I predict will in the (hopefully) far, far, far future to take a major decline even from where the numbers are currently. It is so sad, because most of our CW pards either don't own a horse or don't know how to ride, etc. or some combination of all of the above.

Depending on how you set up your 'school' and teach your class, it could be a worthwhile effort. Hell, if I lived anywhere near Neb. I would attend it.

Cheers,

[VaTrooper]

Re: Cavalry School?

Mike,

Yea we had some wind gust that had to be in the 50mhp range so hats were flying around pretty often, unless you went with he kepi and functional chin strap approach.

[1st Maine Trooper]

Re: Cavalry School?

Guy,
If you want a chance to ride with us some time just let me know. We don't eat our new guys, but I've heard some nasty rumors about the rebs. ;p
William,
Yours wasn't the hat that came off and got stepped on twice was it? Funny thing is, I don't remember any of us Federal loosing our hats.......hmmmm.

All in good fun,
Dave Myrick

[10nycav]

Re: Cavalry School?

Mine was one of the hats that came off . . . I had ordered a cap (with functional chin strap) but it came in the day after I left for the event, so I was riding with a borrowed hat that did not fit very well. I kept jamming it down on my head, and by mid-day it decided to stay put . . .

Seriously, it seems at regards a school there are several major "courses of study." One is basic riding and the military seat. That is something folks can work on at home . . . find a GOOD instructor who teaches classical dressage; bring him or her the pertinent portions of Poinsett or Cooke describing the military seat so that the instruction can be modified as needed. Someone well versed in classical dressage will have no difficulty understand the instructions in the manuals. The mid 19th century military seat is very close to a classical dressage seat so instruction in this realm cannot fail to be helpful. Back home I arrange for group lessons once a month with a good riding instructor. Besides the basic seat we work on simple gymnastics, stuff like trot poles and cavaletti (in formation) and small jumps (also taken in formation.) Since basic riding instruction is something that most people can avail themselves of at home, I would recommend publishing guidelines for prospective participants on the basic skills they need to have, but focus on other instruction that is harder to get at home.

A second major area is all of the day to day things that are so important when on the march. As Todd says, saddle and bit fit, packing, etc. Also horse management while on the march.

A third major area is the use of a saber. This is something where qualified mounted instructors are few and far between, and as a result this is a serious area of deficiency in many folks' impressions (mine included). This is something where bringing in an expert for a training event would be very helpful.

As for reenactors being cheap, yeah I have seen that too. Best thing I can advise is set something up with good qualified instructors, make their qualifications known to prospective participants, and get the tuition up front from participants. Do this far enough in advance so that the instructors have plenty of advance warning if the class will not be a go. (And instructors should get paid, and paid well in my opinion. Many people have been very generous with their time, and they have my undying gratitude, but people who have real world qualifications are professionals and they should be treated as such.)

Sincerely,
Ken Morris

Guy,
If you want a chance to ride with us some time just let me know. We don't eat our new guys, but I've heard some nasty rumors about the rebs. ;p
William,
Yours wasn't the hat that came off and got stepped on twice was it? Funny thing is, I don't remember any of us Federal loosing our hats.......hmmmm.

All in good fun,
Dave Myrick

[Wild Rover]

Re: Cavalry School?

Gents,

It has worked for various schools and different Infantry and Artillery Schools/Camps of Instruction.

I think it is time such happens, and would be glad to help on the admin side, Lord knows I am far from being a horseman.

Besides, I learned a ton at the past Artillery School, and would love to learn more about the Mounted Arm...and I have a few decent sites in the old back pocket... :)

Pards,

[VaTrooper]

Re: Cavalry School?

Dave,
Na wasnt me. As seen in my avatar Im a firm believer in the chin strap..

[GeraldTodd]

Re: Cavalry School?

Well there are always two sides to every story! I say next year it is Jerry Todd's hat that needs capturing! In fact, I will pledge the $50 bounty on it right now!

Can I turn it in myself for the bounty?

Please note: I breathed not one word in the open about the whole incident as it is simply poor manners to boast at chance as if it were talent.

Regarding "cavalry training"

Who is the target audiance?
Current cavalry reenactors? Prospective ones? non-cavalry types wanting to expand their experience base? Infantry officers, and leadership types wanting to get a better understanding of cavalry's capabilities?

The problem I've found with such things is trying to cram too much into a short time span, and not having a focus on what your trying to teach and to whom. The whole thing gets watered down into a marching and skirmish drill.

You could dedicate an entire weekend to nothing but the use of the legs and still have plenty to cover on that subject alone.

Some points that should be covered:

Being MILITARY
Proper manual of arms; mounted and dismounted.
Fitting the saddle and bridle.
Packing the effects.
Mounting and dismounting.
Conditioning of horse and rider.
Care of the horse in the field.
Being a cavalryman on campaign.

to be continued....

[Mike Nickerson]

Re: Cavalry School?

Can I turn it in myself for the bounty?

Heck no, it needs to come off your head during the heat of battle, at the hands of enemy cavalry!

Mike Nickerson