Schola Equestris - the Horsey HEMA Podcast

Mounted Combat, HEMA, and Stunt Riding with Jack Gassmann

In this episode of Schola Equestris, host Liz Scott chats with the multitalented Jack Gassmann, an international HEMA competitor, equestrian martial artist, and seasoned horse stunt performer. Jack's journey spans from Lakota horse archery to competitive HEMA, and he brings an incredible blend of horsemanship, historical expertise, and athleticism to both the ring and film set.

Topics covered in this episode:

• Jack’s Unique Path: From his roots in buckaroo horsemanship and European HEMA circuits to his current work in film stunts and reenactments.
• Mounted Combat Insights: How Jack views mounted combat as a “team sport” with the horse as a partner, and tips for HEMA practitioners looking to transition to mounted work.
• Horsemanship Fundamentals: The importance of mobility and groundwork before taking on mounted combat, with practical advice for learning to ride with finesse.
• Stunt Work and History: Jack shares insights into the stunt world, balancing historical accuracy with on-screen aesthetics, and his thoughts on how to bring HEMA’s athleticism to the mainstream.
• Training and Teaching: The realities of training beginners and non-riders for mounted combat, and Jack’s approach to making complex skills accessible.

Tune in for a fascinating conversation with stories from film sets, HEMA tournaments, and the open trail, as Jack and Liz delve into the skills, athleticism, and dedication behind mounted combat and historical swordsmanship.

Stay tuned to the end for Jack’s advice on getting started in mounted combat and his reflections on historical figures he’d love to meet. If you're interested in training with Jack or bringing mounted combat into your HEMA practice, check out his contact info in the show notes!

Links and Contact Information

• Find Jack on Instagram (@JackGassmann)  or Facebook!
• Follow Schola Equestris on Instagram (@scholaequestris), Facebook, or your favorite podcast source.  
• Learn about Liz's sports performance training coaching for HEMAists on Instagram (@sprezzaturasports) or online at sprezzaturasports.com

Don't forget to like, share, and subscribe for more content on mounted combat and historical horsemanship!

Portuguese Jousting: Lisbon's Rua Nova

António Oliveira, also known as Anton Stark is a PhD student at the University of Coimbra, where he is  studying late medieval Portuguese arms and armour. He’s a working on a project titled ‘The Harness in Portugal: 1370-1495’ and recently presented a part of his work on jousting in Lisbon at the International Medieval Congress in Leeds. In this episode, we discuss his findings on the Rua Nova in Lisbon and its implications for 15th century jousting in Portugal - including an exciting theory regarding the birth of the tilt or barrier for jousting in this unique street. 

Instagram: @sirantonstark

 

Additional Show Notes: 

Rua Nova in Lisbon

• Possible anonymous Flemish painting of the Rua Nova prior to the 1755 earthquake/fire was discovered in 2009 in Kelmscott Manor in England.
  • Further Reading: The Global City: On the Streets of Renaissance Lisbon, Annemarie Jordan Gschwend and K.J.P. Lowe, eds. London: Paul Holberton, 2015
  • Related Blog Post: https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/46280
• Further Reading on the Earthquake of 1755
  • Shrady, Nicholas. The Last Day: Wrath, Ruin, and Reason in the Great Lisbon Earthquake of 1755. (ISBN 9781440637438).

 

Gutierre Diaz de Gamez’s Chronicle of the Deeds of Don Pero Nino (mid 15^th c)

• 4 surviving manuscripts
• English translation available by Joan Evans, Cambridge Ontario 2000

 

Starting a horse the Ruffian way with Anastasija Ropa, PhD

Anastasija Ropa, PhD is lead researcher at the Department of Sports Management and Communication Studies of the Latvian Academy of Sport Education. She is co-editor of the Rewriting Equestrian History series of books and Cheiron, The International Journal of Equine and Equestrian History, as well as a lifelong equestrian. 

In this podcast episode, you'll hear about her experience starting a young, previously feral horse the "Ruffian Way", utilizing techniques described by Jordannus Ruffus in the famous medieval equestrian text.

Even more exciting, she will give us plenty of details on the upcoming inaugural Cheiron conference for all things horse history happening in Latvia in September. There are options to attend both remotely and in person, see kinks at the bottom of the show notes to register!

Finally, we discuss her path to being a full time horse historian and lecturer, and how you, too, can contribute your research on horse history (no, you don't need a PhD to publish in the field)!

 

NOTE: I realize sound quality for the interview is not as good as some of the prior episodes - still very listenable but not high quality studio sound. We had a couple issues with the recording software so the interview had to be done over zoom without a high quality microphone. I apologize! 

 

Enjoy this podcast and please follow us for further content!

www.scholaequestris.com

Instagram: @scholaequestris

Facebook: facebook.com/scholaequestris

 

Show Notes, in order of mention: 

 Nadezhda Durova (1783-1866), Russian cavalry soldier and writer. Author of The Cavalry Maiden, journaling her experience in the Napoleonic Wars.
English Translation (1989) of this work is available for those interested from Indiana University Press.

 

Facebook Group: Horse History in the Middle Ages and Beyond
https://www.facebook.com/share/UobBV4xL5ApvLiin/

 

New Release from Trivent Publishing - Saints and Sinners on Horseback: Volume 2
https://trivent-publishing.eu/home/192-357-saints-and-sinners-vol-2.html#/30-cover-ebook

 

The Medieval Horse and its Equipment, c.1150-1450, Edited by John Clark (2011) https://boydellandbrewer.com/9781843836797/the-medieval-horse-and-its-equipment-c-1150-1450/

 

The Equine History Collective:
https://equinehistory.org/
https://www.facebook.com/EquineHistoryCollective/

Cheiron / Inaugural Conference:

https://trivent-publishing.eu/100-cheiron-conference-2024
https://www.youtube.com/@Cheironjournal

 

Can You Move in Medieval Armor? From Daniel Jacquet on Medievalists.Net
https://www.medievalists.net/2024/06/move-medieval-armour/

 

 

Anasataija Ropa:

Twitter (X): @anstasijaropa

Website/Blog: thegrailquest.wordpress.com

Jordanus Ruffus and Mamluk Lancework with Jennifer Jobst, PhD

On our third episode of the Schola Equestris, the podcast for mounted combat and historical horsemanship, we interview Jennifer Jobst, PhD:

 

Jennifer Jobst is an independent scholar with a PhD in Information Sciences and a long-standing interest in horse training techniques of the pre-modern era, as well as their practical application and relationship to modern riding. She has presented at several conferences and authored papers on riding and training: from thirteenth century hippiatric treatises, to furusiyya books from the Mamluk golden age, to sixteenth century riding performances and their relationship to dance. She also experiments with the techniques and exercises from original sources with her own horses, to better understand the skill and practical application of pre-modern texts.

 

Jenn and I delve into several different topics including Ottoman Mamluk lancework, horsecare as is described by Jordanus Ruffus, and the relationship between historical riding techniques and modern dressage. 

 

Works we talk about: 

Jordanus Ruffus -  De medicina equorum

- copies in many languages exist (too many to list)

- 15th c. copy in Italian available online from Yale University, as Beinecke MS 679

 

Sunny Harrison, PhD - Jordanus Ruffus and the late-medieval hippiatric tradition: Animal-care practitioners and the horse 

 

If you are interested in attending the October clinic in the USA Jen is hosting with Arne Koets, contact the podcast directly and we will put you in touch with her!

 

Medieval horse nutrition and the Iberian horse in England with Mike Canfor

Mike Canfor is an English independent historian, jouster and mounted combat instructor with a particular love for Lusitano and Murgese horses. His research has focused on several areas of equine history including diet and nutrition, horse importation to England and horse training in the medieval and renaissance periods. Join me as we learn about his fascinating research and his own personal experience with solid lance jousting, rossfechten and working equitation.

 

Timestamps: 

2:10 - Rapid Fire Questions

7:00 - Medieval horse nutrition and care

27:00 - Importation of the Iberian horse to England

47:00 - Mike's personal experience with jousting, horse training and working equitation. 

49:00 - popularity of the modern Iberian horse (PRE & Lusitanos) and Working Equitation in England

55:30 - Mike's time in Portugal

57:00 - advice and teaching about mounted combat / rossfechten 

 

 

More about Mike:

www.mikecanfor.com

Instagram: @Mikecanfor

15th Century Cavalry Tactics and Historical Dressage with Arne Koets

Join me on an interview with Arne Koets, historical dressage and mounted combat instructor. We discuss the intricacies of jousting and mounted combat as well as late medieval cavalry tactics. His experience leading fully-armored men-at-arms in the German countryside during the Feldlager wargame provides a unique perspective on the logistics required to equip and maneuver a 15th century calvary unit. We also learn a little about Arne's background as well as the events he hosts such as the Rossfechten Symposium where this interview was conducted.

 

You can find more about Arne and the Rossfechten Symposium here:

http://arnekoets.nl/

 

Feldlager at Brandenburg Castle:

https://feldlager.eu/

Schola Equestris Podcast Teaser

Are you interested in mounted combat, jousting, or historical riding? Find out what we're planning on the Schola Equestris podcast in the coming months, who our first guest will be, and what this whole "Horsey HEMA" thing is about in this short mini-episode introducing the podcast and your host, Liz Scott.