archer64
Apprentice
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Posts: 2
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Post by archer64 on Jul 26, 2006 22:31:29 GMT -6
I'm a member of a cavalry unit in the US Army. Modern warfare has made the sword all but obsolete, yet as an experienced martial artist and modern combatant, I would like to learn to wield the military cavalry saber as it was intended to be used. Currently, I'm stationed in Texas, but due for deployment to Iraq very soon. I'm looking for a school that I could attend with friends with whom I could continue to practice and spar once overseas.
Does anyone know of a good historical/classical fencing school in Texas, near Austin, that could teach the not-so-long-ago cavalry saber?
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Post by vraptor on Jul 27, 2006 11:23:20 GMT -6
I'd see if I could find any jousting schools. The reason I propose this is that if you want to use the sabre as it was intended to be used, you're going to have to get a horse. Sabres were designed for cavalry to use against foot soldiers. There's an episode of the old "Arms in Action" series that sometimes runs on the History Channel that shows how sabres were used quite well.
As for actually fencing with these things, you may be disappointed. They are absolutely horrible to fence with. They're heavy, unbalanced, and single-handed. In my collection, I have two replicas and one actual antique. The antique is a late "Patton" style sabre and even though it is lighter than the replicas, it is still difficult to wield. The replicas are a nightmare.
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Post by Dakao Do on Jul 27, 2006 15:06:32 GMT -6
Hi, archer64.
I might suggest www.swordforum.com/ -- they (and several other big discussion boards) are a pretty good place to poke around and see what resources are available. Swordforum's got boards on Antique & Military Swords, Historical Reenactment and Living History, and Historical European Swordsmanship. Those are probably your best bets on that site. I know of www.fencing.net/, but haven't ever been there, so can't vouch for it or other sites. There may be relevant resources available via Swordforum (which currently has a front page article on the cavalry sword used by British cavalry in the Napoleonic era!), or you may find yourself looking for related "frog DNA" material that you can then cut'n'paste to reconstruct your particular interest. My area of interest revolves more around 15-17th century swordplay. I know that there a number of books available on Highland and English broadsword (basket-hilted single-handed swords), and I personally study a similar Italian weapon (dall'Aggochie). Possible "frog DNA" relevancy to your interest is that these all involve combat on foot with a single-handed sword featuring a handguard. I don't know if you do a lot of horseback riding, but the swords and horses probably won't be mixing for a long while (ref. St. Martin's Academy below). Jousting groups / schools tend to revolve around the high Middle Ages (or are simply into the sport of hitting targets / opponents with long sticks), and would be some more of that "frog DNA". Their relevant bits, which vraptor mentioned, are the use of a weapon from horseback -- which we won't find in any classical fencing school, and no historical fencing schools that I'm in contact. That said, go visit www.stmartinsacademy.com/ and maybe shoot off a message to Bob Charron. His wife Kristi (sp?) has spent 7 years that I'm aware of on training her horse for combat on horseback. She gave a demonstration last September of cutting and striking techniques with a sword while moving at about a fast run for a man -- a canter? I'm clueless about horses.
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Post by Dakao Do on Jul 27, 2006 15:09:24 GMT -6
My bad -- regarding Highland and English broadsword fencing, see www.chivalrybookshelf.com/ for available books on those topics as well as a wide variety of other books on European swordplay. No, this is not a paid endorsement. I do have all but 3 of their books published on fencing, however.
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Post by Dan Gorman on Jul 28, 2006 15:02:43 GMT -6
Hey, when you get to Iraq, drop a line if they're still fencing on Camp victory in Bagdad. My contacts there have dried up.
Dan
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archer64
Apprentice
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Posts: 2
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Post by archer64 on Aug 9, 2006 1:17:49 GMT -6
Thanks alot for the links guys. Those gave me some places to look. My horse-riding skills are a bit rusty, but with little practice I'll be "back in the saddle" in no time. Wielding a sword, however, is undoubtably a completely different story.
And Dan, I'll check that out. I'll be at Taji, but I'm sure I can check on that.
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Post by Dan Gorman on Aug 9, 2006 22:21:59 GMT -6
Taji is right up the road from Victory. The engineers from my brigade did a lot of the force protection stuff there as well as roads and a very nice MWR facility. All the same, when I was there, units from Taji would have fairly regular runs down to Victory for trips to the big PX, the haji-mart, or some of the USO shows.
Good luck over there.
Dan
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