Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Jumpy on January 10, 2009, 03:20:12 pm

Title: bows for shooting from horseback
Post by: Jumpy on January 10, 2009, 03:20:12 pm
Looking to build a simple bow (first time) that can me easily handled from horseback or on foot.
I would be gratful for any advice.
Thanks,
Jumpy
Title: Re: bows for shooting from horseback
Post by: hawkbow on January 10, 2009, 05:17:56 pm
I am not a bowyer by any means but my brother Red Hawk is, and has a short plains style bow that is super for horseback or on foot...I believe also that El Destructo posted pics of one he built a while back.... just my two cents worth ... Hawk a/ho
Title: Re: bows for shooting from horseback
Post by: sailordad on January 10, 2009, 05:23:48 pm
you do realize that these bows that were shot from horse back had a fairly high draw weight for a shorter than normal draw length and takes a differant kind of
grip on the string and arrow.

all of this will take a fair amount of pratice to get good with,not saying tha it cant be done just that those short horse bows a complete differant type of bow and take a differant technique to be used properly,atleast this is what i have read
Title: Re: bows for shooting from horseback
Post by: Little John on January 10, 2009, 09:08:03 pm
I have shot from horseback some and always used my regular hunting bows 64'- 66" and they don't get in the way in the least unless you were shooting under the horses neck as in plains indian war runs. I think the plains indian bows were so short so they could be carried in the quiver. When you take your bow with you every wherew you go it helped for them to be handy. The plains indians used a short draw probably because they had short bows. Just my two cents worth.       Kenneth
Title: Re: bows for shooting from horseback
Post by: AKAPK on January 11, 2009, 01:12:53 am
maybe a West coast style :)
Title: Re: bows for shooting from horseback
Post by: Kegan on January 11, 2009, 07:15:18 pm
Howard Hill killed his buffulo from a bareback pony, as well as a number of cats and boar, with his usual 6' longbow. The shorter Plains style bows were, I belive I;ve read, developed mainly for war- as any bow they made oculd have been used to hunt with so long as it was strong enough.

They're little war bows could be shot very quickly and easily to wipe out white men and enemies without too much trouble. For hunting, they'd just need to get a couple arrows into the engine room at close range to drop a buffulo.
Title: Re: bows for shooting from horseback
Post by: mullet on January 11, 2009, 09:07:35 pm
 James Parker, Robustus, makes some "killer" short horse bows.
Title: Re: bows for shooting from horseback
Post by: Jumpy on January 12, 2009, 08:52:32 pm
Thanks for the info :).
Title: Re: bows for shooting from horseback
Post by: JackCrafty on January 13, 2009, 02:06:54 pm
When you take your bow with you every where you go it helped for them to be handy.

Little John makes a good point.  I've never shot a bow from a horse (I've owned a horse, though) but I think any bow would work.  If you trained the horse to get used to you waving that long stick thingy around (and to gallop smoothly)...you'd be in good shape.
Title: Re: bows for shooting from horseback
Post by: Mechslasher on January 13, 2009, 03:00:11 pm
i think the english shot longbows from horseback.
Title: Re: bows for shooting from horseback
Post by: mullet on January 13, 2009, 10:46:00 pm
  I tried a compound off one a long time ago. Damn horse liked to have killed me. And I found out not to get off the horse with that stick if he is not used to it. It was a long walk back to the truck. ;D