[Horsebow] Tempted by Horsebow - but what else would I need?

fbirder

Member
I've been shooting recurve for around 18 months (with a 4-month break for injury) and I'm slowly improving. I currently shoot a 70" bow, with a 31" draw, pulling 36# on the fingers.

I'm thinking of trying out something closer to what my ancestors shot. I'd thought about a longbow, but after finding out my Y-DNA indicates my paternal ancestral line comes from from Eastern Europe my thoughts turned to horsebows.

I know nothing at all about these bows. Just looking around the various websites lead me to the Scythian XL bow (sold by that company run my an Arthurian Wizard) otherwise known as the Sctthian Bear Hunter on the Arcus website. This reads as if it would suit my long draw length and it's about the right price for my birthday next month.

If I were to get one of these what else would I need? A glove (any advice on where I can get XXXXL gloves)? String - what type and length? Would my recurve tab be OK? Arrows - I have a variety of Al and ACC and Carbon arrows of various spines? Anything else?
 

ChakaZulu

New member
It depends on how you want to shoot. A horsebow can be shot with any arrows (subject to spine) and with a recurve tab. Or you can go the other way and use wooden arrows (or bamboo), get a thumbring (or tape your thumb) etc. The bow should come with a string but otherwise a modern horsebow made from fibreglass should cope with any string type.

Then you'll need a horse...

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Riceburner

Active member
As ChakaZulu said - you can pretty much use standard kit. I use a regular tab and happen to shoot with woods but I could easily use allys or carbons within the class I shoot in (NFAS HT).

Has to be said I'm almost tempted sometimes to see just how fast my 60lb Samick Mind50 would throw a carbon.....
 

bobnewboy

Member
As ChakaZulu said - you can pretty much use standard kit. I use a regular tab and happen to shoot with woods but I could easily use allys or carbons within the class I shoot in (NFAS HT).

Has to be said I'm almost tempted sometimes to see just how fast my 60lb Samick Mind50 would throw a carbon.....
Errr, nope. NFAS HT class is wooden shafts only.
 

fbirder

Member
Thanks for the help guys. I think I'll try shooting with one of my current arrow sets.

I gather I'll need some protection for my bow hand (or drastically increase my pain threshold). I've been looking at proper bow-hand gloves but they all seem to come with XL as the maximum size. I have the largest hands of anybody I know - gloves have always been a problem. Is there any UK place I might get lucky, or do I have to get some shipped in from the US?

As for horses, I think I'd have to go for one of them big dray horses.
 

Simon Banks

Active member
I shoot english longbow without a bow glove and the only time the fletchings nick my hand is if the arrow nocking point on the string I,m using is too low..
So you don't need one..
 

Riceburner

Active member
Errr, nope. NFAS HT class is wooden shafts only.
Sorry - you're correct of course. I'd have to switch to another class - but there's nothing stopping me actually shooting carbons from my bow (which was the general thrust of my point).

- - - Updated - - -

Thanks for the help guys. I think I'll try shooting with one of my current arrow sets.

I gather I'll need some protection for my bow hand (or drastically increase my pain threshold). I've been looking at proper bow-hand gloves but they all seem to come with XL as the maximum size.
Not necessarily. I shoot off the hand without a glove. Just lift the arrow nock point on the string by about half a nock width, and use feathers, not plastic vanes. :)
 

ChakaZulu

New member
I shoot a ghillie dhu, so carbon and extremely not primitive!

HT requires Mediterranean and barebow requires the index finger to touch the nock.

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