One reason for me trying Horseback archery was that I had been looking for new and different activities to do with my horses. I had been riding and training for years and felt the need to expand my comfort zone with my horsemanship. That is when I saw the ad for Kassai USA training camp and competition in August 2004. That first weekend opened my eyes further to the potential for improvement of my skills. Being an absolute amateur to archery, I am sure that I drove Todd crazy with my beginner questions and enthusiasm.

It was immediately apparent that there was a whole lot more to this discipline than just riding down a course flinging arrows. I started to notice more subtle nuances in my horses, my riding and my mental concentration or (lack thereof). I have had to develop more partnership with my horses, I have had to trust more and become more trustworthy. I have improved my riding skills. listening skills and communication skills with my horse. The benefits have spilled over into other parts of my life. Horses have been a way of life for me all of my adult life, the addition of horseback archery into this way of life has been a very enriching experience.

Another reason for my fascination with Horseback archery is my penchant for all things historical, This sport is steeped in an ancient tradition of warfare that in its day was formidable. The historical tradition that is present has been beneficial to my training and has been a driving factor in bringing a clear focus to my horseback archery goals.

I have also been most fortunate to have met many new people and consider myself continually blessed to have this group of horsearchers counted as friends. We have become a close knit supportive group and these relationships are highly advantageous to each others training. Unlike many other horse activities that involve competition, my fellow horsearchers want me to succeed almost as much as I do.

I encourage anyone with even the slightest interest to give horseback archery a try. For me it has been a much greater than the sum of its parts.