Dresden Cutting from Horseback -- myArmoury.com

Gordon Frye · Posted: Thu 07 Apr, 2005 3:42 pm Post subject: Dresden Cutting from Horseback

Well, it's been a while, but I finally got around to doing some decent cutting with my A&A Dresden from Horseback.

To begin with, it's a big sword, and well suited to horseback use against an armoured opponent: even if you don't cut or pierce, you definitely give a good whallop when you contact!

Our targets were "Turk's Heads", i.e. Cabbages on grape-stakes. Since the ground had hardened to the point where it wasn't easy to poke the stakes into the ground, we weaved them into the arena fence, and then placed the "heads" into the ends of the stakes. This put them at a good level: just about head/shoulder level to me while on horseback!

There were five of us running at the heads with various swords (including my wife, who was using my Erickson/Trim Lowland Baskethilt). The slicing action was fairly simple, and most of us hit at least a few of the heads. The Dresden, needless to say, chopped them nicely in half (exept the first one, which I hit low, about neck level. It simply cut the stake off! Heads rolled...) Hard to say which cut better, the Dresden or the Lowland, but both were very efficient.

Then we tried the point. Two of my fellows (one with a fairly inexpensive, narrow bladed rapier, the other with what looked like a MRL Towton, but I'm not sure, I didn't inspect it) handily pierced their "man", and came off with the "head" on their sword. Wife managed to miss both of her tries, while I simply left a HUGE gouge in the side of the cabbage. I hit squarely, but the width and sharpness of the blade seems to have simply allowed the blade to slide through, leaving the "head" to stay on the stake, but with a cleft going 3/4 of the way through it. Interesting! I'll have to try that one again sometime...

Anyway, there it is. Had a great time at the event (the swordsmanship was a very minor part of the whole weekend: we also did firearms desensitizing for the horses, ran at the quintain with lances, got the horses used to infantry Pikes and Musket-fire, and general drill with the horses too), and if there is interest I'll post some pics. I haven't gotten the pics yet from our Cabbage-Fest yet though: I'll post those as soon as they arrive. Here's a couple of me wearing the Dresden though... (BTW, the white fabric is from my sash, not my shirt, LOL!)

Cheers,

Gordon

William Goodwin · Posted: Thu 07 Apr, 2005 7:13 pm Post subject:

Looking quite galant there Gordon. Sounds like you had a blast and yes, more pics as you get them.

Cheers,
Bill

Gordon Frye · Posted: Thu 07 Apr, 2005 7:24 pm Post subject:

Thanks, Bill! For a BUNCH of them, check this site out:

http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=17j15grb....;y=-qmc057

It might be a bit overwhelming, but pick and choose... not much sword stuff, but lots of pikes and muskets.

And some horses, too... Here's a shot of my Harquebusier "amusing" the Foote, and a pikeman's eye view of Horse:

Cheers,

Gordon

William Goodwin · Posted: Thu 07 Apr, 2005 7:30 pm Post subject:

Great Gordon, thanks. I always welcome any stuff on the 17th c. Nothing here in my neck of the woods, so I have to take what I can get!

Bill

Gordon Frye · Posted: Thu 07 Apr, 2005 7:42 pm Post subject:

Joe Fults · Posted: Thu 07 Apr, 2005 9:14 pm Post subject:

Gordon,

Thank you for sharing.

The pictures are fun to look at and the tales are nice to read.

Kevin S. McCarley · Posted: Fri 08 Apr, 2005 5:06 am Post subject:

Thanks for the pics and the descriptions Gordon!

Looks like it was a great event, hope to see more in the future if you're willing.

I'm also a fan of 16th & 17th century so all the weapons, gear, clothing, tactics, etc. is great to see and hear about for me!

Thx,

Ryan A. C. · Posted: Fri 08 Apr, 2005 12:08 pm Post subject:

on that horse.....your one sexy looking man......uh, well....... anyway you guys look great in the pictures. Looks like fun. I haven't been a fan of the big 17th, but all the pictures sure get me interested.

Could you next time get some shots of more horse action, because well, that is next inline to historical accuracy!

edit: I recently surmised horses are vastly more important.

Alina Boyden · Posted: Fri 08 Apr, 2005 4:19 pm Post subject:

Threads like this help put horses high on my "must have" list of things. Of course, that requires property and money, which requires a job, which requires a degree.

Seriously though, having read a lot of medieval source documents (and a few from later) I've found that knowing horses is very important to understanding these people. It is every bit as important as understanding the farming, religion, and weaponry.

Gordon Frye · Posted: Fri 08 Apr, 2005 6:07 pm Post subject:

Thank you for the kind words! Indeed, for most of the period which we discuss here on this forum, the Horse was an indispensible partner to Warfare. Of course because they were enormously expensive in the day (and remain rather expensive as well!) they were seldom used in huge numbers, but nevertheless were a necessary part of every army.

It was enormously fun to be able to train the horses AND Infantrymen at the same time about these things... it's funny how for the most part in a 16th/17th Century reenactment scenario most of the pikemen feel like a fifth wheel. The musketeers get to go shoot up a storm, etc. but the pikemen get to stand there. By having just a few horses present (and doing a couple of speed demonstrations, LOL!) the pikemen got a serious sense of reality, while the musketeers got one of those "Gee, I'm pretty exposed out here, aren't I?" moments. It's great when you see the lights go on with folks, and they begin to really understand the why's and wherefores of the past.

Here's a few more shots for you to enjoy of the training of horses and infantrymen at the same time...

Cheers!

Gordon

Ryan A. C. · Posted: Sat 09 Apr, 2005 2:59 pm Post subject:

What does feel like looking down all those pikes from horseback? I can't imagine seeing a complete pike square.......

Gordon Frye · Posted: Sat 09 Apr, 2005 3:45 pm Post subject:

Ryan A. C. · Posted: Sat 09 Apr, 2005 4:23 pm Post subject:

Any other mastadons or are you and Taxi taking on the lot of them yourselves? Cool

thanks for the pic

Gordon Frye · Posted: Sat 09 Apr, 2005 5:30 pm Post subject:

William Goodwin · Posted: Sat 09 Apr, 2005 7:36 pm Post subject:

Very cool pics Gordon! Man, really wish I had something like this type of time period & fun close to me.

Bill

Gordon Frye · Posted: Sat 09 Apr, 2005 7:48 pm Post subject:

Bill;

Hey, like I told fellow poster here Mike Frain, start saving for your plane ticket! Since everyone involved wants to do it again next year, we'll find a tent and some blankets for you, and if you fly into Sacramento Airport, I'll even pick you up! Here's more fun stuff... Pike Square in Training!

Cheers,

Gordon

Ryan A. C. · Posted: Sat 09 Apr, 2005 9:14 pm Post subject:

Gordon Frye · Posted: Sat 09 Apr, 2005 10:23 pm Post subject:

David Evans · Posted: Sat 09 Apr, 2005 10:25 pm Post subject:

Greyson Brown · Posted: Sun 10 Apr, 2005 3:03 am Post subject: