Good day Members
I am currently in a process to feel comfortable when riding my horse. I really want to shoot a traditional bow from the back of the horse when standing still and when galloping . How should I approach this endeavor since I want to hunt from the back of a horse by bow and arrow?

Regards

Gert

Basically depends on the horse's disposition. Ride with the bow to expose the horse to it. Only maneuvering it around the horse to check for reactions, ( hopefully calmness ). Work into it slow. avoid too much "action" around the horse's head. As with a firearm, it may take lots of repetitions/practice to achieve a "shooting horse".

Shoot it a bunch off, but near the horse.

I have never done a bow but: the process is to really get the horse trusting and controllable no matter what you want to do up there. Then add the bow. Not much different than a rope or anything else that might be startling to a horse. No noise to speak of so you don't have to worry about that.
I love to let my horses stand tied in a place they are used to being comfortable, while I do new things and they watch. Then I introduce the same things from on top.
Good luck!

Thank you for the replies. I will try as you suggest, to maybe hang the unstrung bow at the side of the saddle and ride the horse like this a few times. Then maybe shooting the bow in the vicinity of the horse.

Sack the horse out with the bow and start shooting the bow near him. Judge his reaction. If he moves off its to much pressure and increase the distance away. If he does well that get on your horse and practice riding with the bow and picking it up and drawing the bow. gauge his responses. This will take time and not happen overnight. When he tolerates you pulling the bow and such practice dry firing the bow and see how he does. It would also benefit you to have another person to manage a halter rope on him in case he or she blows up. Watch for body cues that your animal is relaxed .

Thank you kindly for the replies, it is much appreciated. My biggest concern is that there is not a place on the horse to hang a bow, so all these movies of the Indians hanging their bows at the side of a horse is fiction. Even if I managed to hang the bow on the sides/flanks of the horse it surely is going to be awful uncomfortable since my legs is going to rub/get sore.

Riding a horse with the bow across my body is a no-no as well. Carrying a bow while riding a horse is also not a good idea.

Any suggestions, photos of how the Indians carry their bows on their horses (not pictures from a film please) will be much appreciated.

I am commencing with training the horse to accept me , I will be going through a few procedures the next four weeks to get the horse to trust and know me.

tie him up and give him some hay, and practice with your bow close to him for awhile...rub him all over his body with the bow, scratch his back and underbelly with it..tie a plastic back to one end and mop him all over with it...

At some point when all the above no longer bothers him, then you have to get on him and shoot the bow..take only one arrow and be ready to toss both the bow and arrow away from him should he not respond properly...good luck.

BTW, I see no reason to shoot a gun or a bow from a horses back..Get off and shoot, its hard too hit anything from a breathing horse, and its dangerous to boot...unless you have a herd of Bison and want to play indian, but remember a hell of a lot of indians were killed or crippled chasing buffalo horse back, even on well trained buffalo hunting horses.

Thank goodness Ray is around to lend some horse sense.

quote:

Originally posted by Gert Odendaal:
Good day Members
I am currently in a process to feel comfortable when riding my horse. I really want to shoot a traditional bow from the back of the horse when standing still and when galloping . How should I approach this endeavor since I want to hunt from the back of a horse by bow and arrow?

Regards

Gert

Gonna wear feathers and a loin cloth while you're at it ? Sounds like insanity by some kind of novice from here.

Grizz