Welcome of the home page of the Medieval Horse Guild.

The Medieval Horse Guild is a group of horsemen and horsewomen who occasionally cast off the trappings of modern life and cloak themselves in the pageantry of the Medieval Period. As a group they engage in a variety of activities ranging from the study of the techniques of horsemanship in the Middle Ages to participating in parades and battle recreations.

In parades, the Horse Guild attempts to provide a colorful spectacle which will delight the parade onlookers. Members are encouraged to make their own medieval costumes and armor as well as tack for their mounts that is appropriate to the period being portrayed.

The Horse Guild is affiliated with other, unmounted, medievalist groups, notably the Markland Medieval Mercenary Militia. Together, they participate in recreations of famous historical battles.

Equestrian games are a popular activity of the Horse Guild. These are modern adaptations of the medieval equestrian games used to instill in the young knights the skills they would need to carry into battle. The modern versions of the games are carefully designed for the safety of both horse and rider but still serve the same purpose that they served for the knights; riding skill and confidence and a feeling of cooperation between man and horse that is essential for the enjoyment of horseback riding.

The safety of the Horse Guild activities is insured through carefully chosen rules to govern the conduct of the activity and a system of experienced Horse Guild members who act as "qualifiers". The qualifiers test the skill level of each member or applicant at performing key activities. We recognize that horses have individual personalities too and therefore, the qualification is for a particular combination of horse and rider, and does not automatically grant the rider permission to use any mount.

Periodically, the members of the Horse Guild gather for a "Horse War". These events are usually held as a camping weekend and feature practice at gaming skills, mounted and unmounted combat training, swapping of skills and techniques, and general relaxation. Unmounted fighters are also encouraged to attend in order to acclimate the horses to the sights and sounds of battle. When possible, a medieval style feast is included in the weekend.

The Horse Guild also has an email list. The list provides a means to communicate with the members of the Guild and to discuss topics related to medieval horsemanship.

For more information, you can contact the Guild via email at . If you have questions or comments about this web site, please email the .

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