Shooting from the saddle

As winter drags on, mud and headtorches give way to arrows and adrenaline as Tamsin Doar discovers the addictive pull of horseback archery

Although spring still feels like a while away, and most equestrians will be found floundering in mud, wearing at least seven layers and a headtorch while muttering something about ‘taking up knitting’ as a hobby, we’re all acutely aware that we’ve made it past the Winter Solstice. The days really are slowly getting lighter and we might, maybe (possibly!) be looking ahead to nicer weather. Perhaps making plans to enjoy our wonderful steeds – even if they are currently caked in mud and resembling hairy hippos.
I certainly sit down at the start of every year and write out a vague plan, adding dates in my diary for events over the forthcoming year. This is not because I am organised (far from it!) but because it gives me the motivation to get through the rest of the winter. One thing that is currently helping me to put one foot in front of the other while wallowing my way through the winter mud is looking forward to building on a new-found skill and activity that The Sass Queen and I (along with the previously mentioned Grumpy Uncle) first tried in October: Horseback Archery.
It is something that has always been on my bucket list – given The Sass Queen’s propensity for emulating a full war horse charge at every opportunity (I’m sure she was a cavalry horse in a previous life), I felt it would be something we’d both enjoy. The newly formed Jurassic Coast Horseback Archers, run by qualified coach Tom Drury, means we were able to tick that off the list.
Tom has been riding and driving horses for more than 30 years. He got his first pony, Moses, as a child and you may remember his Horse It In Dorset, where he offered cart rides at local events. He initially qualified as a riding instructor at Burley Villa in the New Forest, and has since taken further qualifications under tuition from the British Horseback Archery Association (BHAA) to qualify as a horseback archery instructor.
His love of archery started from a young age: ‘We had bows and arrows as kids … although my brother shot me with one, which resulted in a few stitches! I discovered horseback archery 16 years ago, and that changed everything. Suddenly there was a fun reason to ride around an arena. Shooting arrows from the ground at targets is fun, but doing it from horseback takes it to a whole new level.’ I can attest to this – ground archery is challenging enough, but when you bring a horse into the mix (especially a bouncy, opinionated one) it’s much harder … but also so much more enjoyable.
‘I’ve always wanted to set up a club, especially as all other clubs are some distance away, but it wasn’t until 2025 that The Jurassic Horseback Archers was formed,’ says Tom. ‘We’re based along the coast, from Dorchester to Lyme Regis, and are very grateful for the use of the arena at Faunbank Stables in Maiden Newton. I hope to find other venues across the county to use, so we can set up another club under ‘Dorset Horseback Archers’, to allow those in different areas to participate. Then we can also have inter-club competitions!’

Make it official
The BHAA promotes safe participation in horseback archery at local and international level. ‘Some people approach it as a sport: it can be as competitive and challenging as any other sport. But I just love it as a fun activity. It’s both challenging and calming. When you’re cantering a 90m run and shooting multiple arrows at three targets, you have to focus on the release – dropping the reins, releasing the arrow, keeping a smooth focused rhythm timed to the horse’s footfall and your breath … it requires quite a lot of focus!’
The competitions run under BHAA include shooting at different targets along a set track at either a walk, trot or canter. Points are usually awarded for accuracy and shooting arrows within the set time – competition-type can vary slightly, but there is always a focus on accuracy. This can also progress up to shooting at targets in a natural environment over jumps. There are competitions all across the country, including at National and International level. In 2025, Britain sent a team to the IHAA World Championships in the USA.
BHS centres across the country offer horseback archery on their horses, so you don’t need your own horse.

The BHAA also works with the RDA and Pony Clubs to promote inclusivity at all levels. They advise that no previous archery or riding experience is necessary, but it’s preferable to have a good ground in both. ‘Fitting the string while the horse is moving is the real trick, and it takes a lot of practice,’ says Tom.
In the sessions that he runs, non-riders can also join in with ground archery to learn and develop their technique while learning to ride separately, before putting the two together.
He’s in the process of liaising with approved BHS centres across Dorset to make his sessions inclusive to those without access to their own horse. ‘Riders who are interested can also approach their local BHS centre directly to ask if they’d consider offering lessons with a qualified HBAA instructor – the more interest shown, the more likely it is to happen!’

Starting slow
The first session you’ll have with Tom usually consists of an introduction to archery, learning the different techniques and the all-important safety aspects. All the archery equipment is provided and ‘have a go’ sessions are available. He offers 1-to-1 sessions or group lessons. ‘Our typical sessions will then focus on ground archery before moving on to desensitising the horses,’ he says. ‘We start out desensitising them to the bow: showing it to them, moving it around them, giving them a scratch with it to show them there’s nothing to be afraid of.’
(The Sass Queen particularly appreciated me getting her ‘itchy spot’ with the edge of the bow, and thinks we should invest in one as a scratching device) ‘Next we introduce the arrow – again, allowing the horse to just see it and sniff it, while avoiding the sharp tip!
‘Then we move on to an arrow being shot softly, progressing up to it hitting the target.’
I was very impressed with how Tom dealt with each horse as an individual and went at their pace – never rushing them and allowing them time to take it in.
Needless to say, The Sass Queen never dropped her ‘I can take on the world’ attitude and barely batted an eyelid at everything going on around her.
‘Not all horses are suitable by temperament or nature though,’ says Tom. ‘Once they’re comfortanle, we move on to shooting from the saddle – and hopefully hitting the target!’ Thankfully, we started at a walk down the side of a marked-out track, with Tom leading us to prevent The Sass Queen trying to take off in her normal ‘cavalry charge’ mode. This part is usually achieved within a morning or afternoon session. ‘After they’ve attended the introductory session covering health and safety, people are welcome to join our monthly club sessions.’ I think it will take a few sessions for us to progress up through the paces – I’m certainly comfortable staying at a walk for now!

For more information on this thoroughly enjoyable activity (word of warning, it’s quite addictive!) visit the British Horseback Archery Association on bhaa.org.uk.
Contact Tom to organise a session or ask about joining the club through his Instagram or Facebook page
@Dorset Horseback Archers.