Mongolian Horseback Archery

Last updated 8 months ago by Jessica Brooks | Published: October 8, 2020

The Resurgence of  Mongolian Horseback Archery

Rediscovering An Ancient Skill

Horseback archery, the skill of shooting arrows while riding a horse, is is a significant aspect of Mongolian heritage. Historically, it was essential for hunting, protecting livestock, defending the tribe, and waging war. This practice fostered highly mobile warriors, a hallmark of the Mongol Army. The Mongolian composite bow, known for its explosive acceleration and velocity, was a formidable weapon that played a crucial role in building the largest contiguous land empire in history.

Mastering horseback archery demands a seamless blend of speed and accuracy. The rider must release the reins with both hands to shoot, requiring exceptional equestrian skills to maintain control while on the move.

Image from Mongolian Horseback Archery Association МҮМХХолбоо taken from the 2020 Khuraldai Falconry Festival

A Tradition Renewed

Despite becoming obsolete with the advent of firearms, traditional standing archery has persisted in Mongolian culture and remains one of the ‘Three Manly Sports’ featured in the Naadam festival. Today, horseback archery is experiencing a resurgence in Mongolia, thanks to organisations like the Mongolian Horseback Archery Association (МҮМХХолбоо), the ‘Khan Mongol’ Horse Riders Association, and the Namnaa archery academy. These groups are reigniting a passion for the ancient sport and organising competitions such as the Spirit Mongolia Open Horseback Archery Tournament and the Khuraldai Falconry Festival. Modern Mongolian archers are now earning medals in international competitions.

Learn more about Mongolian archery here.

Diverse Disciplines

Horseback archery encompasses various disciplines, some traditional and others newly introduced. For example, the Korean event features a square target with five scoring zones, requiring arrows to be carried in a quiver rather than held in the bow hand. Another discipline, qabak, involves shooting at a target placed atop a tall pole while passing by at full speed, necessitating a turn in the saddle to hit the target.

This dynamic sport relies on instinctive aiming. As Anna Sokólska, an elite Polish horseback archer, explains, “Horseback archers don’t use sights. They rely on a combination of muscle memory, hand-eye coordination, arrow trajectory, and subconscious distance calculations to the target.”

Image from Mongolian Horseback Archery Association МҮМХХолбоо taken from the 2020 Khuraldai Falconry Festival

Join the Revival

The resurgence of Mongolian horseback archery is open to everyone. Mongolian participants range from students and doctors to teachers and drivers, all united by their love for the sport. If you’re interested, you can book a professional lesson with one of Mongolia’s horse archery academies. If you would like us to arrange this for you, please let us know. You will need to be comfortable around horses, a confident rider, and prepared for a medium to high level of physical activity.

For those without riding experience but fascinated by the craftsmanship of bows and arrows, we offer archery workshops with one of Mongolia’s master bow and arrow makers.. These workshops provide a hands-on experience in creating the iconic Mongolian composite bow as well as using the arrows in standing archery.

Image from Mongolian Horseback Archery Association МҮМХХолбоо taken from the 2020 Khuraldai Falconry Festival

Jess @ Eternal Landscapes