Ever since watching films like The Lord of the Rings, my imagination has run wild with the idea of firing arrows from an old wooden bow, especially from the back of a horse.
Which brings me to a quick question. If anyone knows of any stables that can accommodate a man of my size at 17st 4lb, please let me know by email. I'd still love to give horseback archery a go one day!
Anyway, back to where we were. For years I convinced myself I never had the time to pursue things like this. Now life is a bit more settled, I thought it was finally time to give it a try.
As you can see, I'm almost hitting the centre. What I hadn't realised was just how difficult it is to shoot straight.
Not only do you have to maintain a solid stance, but you need to keep your bow arm straight while drawing the string back to the corner of your mouth. Then comes the tricky part: holding everything steady while releasing the arrow. Get it wrong and the arrow can end up going anywhere and everywhere 😂.
Luckily, I managed to hit the target every time, although a few shots felt like they were considering a trip across the neighbouring field.
The bow in the picture above is known as a barebow, which simply means there are no sights or extra attachments fitted to it.
You might be thinking, "What could you possibly add to a bow?"
After a long conversation with my coach, the answer is: quite a lot. In fact, there was so much information that I'm struggling to remember half of it, let alone write about it.
After an hour of shooting at targets and balloons, I finally managed to get close enough to a bullseye to make me feel like I was getting somewhere.
Honestly, I was jumping up and down with excitement like a little kid.
The session took place at Bluebell Farm in Cobham, Kent, and cost £15 per person. For anyone looking to try something different, I'd definitely recommend giving it a go.
I'll certainly be going back for more.
Fun times. Thanks again, guys 🏹