International Horseback Archery Competition, Amman, Jordan

I am interested that the method of shooting at a ball dragged by another horseman has become popular. In Arab Archery, the author mentions a method for training a horse archer to hunt lions. One ties a ball made out of rags to a long piece of rope which is then tied to the cantle of the archer's saddle. the archer puts his horse to the gallop and shoots backwards at the ball bouncing along behind him. The random motion of the ball mimics the movements of the pursuing lion.

The chances of having an archery accident with this process is much less than the present system. Of course only one archer can be safely on the field at one time. I am not sure about whether the survival rates of arrows would be very attractive. Perhaps someone who has done the modern technique can tell us about what happens to the arrows that hit the ball.

This old game, called "mogu" ('wool ball'), was introduced to the international community by the Koreans in Sokcho.

The arrows have a soft, cloth pad instead of a point. Two riders pursue the ball, having first dipped the pads of their arrows in ink (one rider red, one black). When they hit the target, they leave a mark. The soft pad ensures that the rider/horse in front will not be hurt.

Fun, but difficult. The lead horse is usually very fast and it's easy for it to run out of range before you release. The best result comes from releasing as soon as the pursuit starts.

Thanks for the information, Stephen.