Choosing equipment is always going to be a personal decision – we all know someone who chooses to prioritise colour over function – but here are some top tips from horseback archers and coaches from across the UK.
Our main tip: PLEASE ASK YOUR COACH otherwise you risk buying the wrong kit. The wrong kit could lead to injury, or just be a waste of money.
Bows
Here are the main things to consider when it comes to choosing your bow:
- Poundage: we recommend max 20lbs for Juniors, up to 25lbs for women and up to 30lbs for men
- Material: fibreglass bows are both cheaper and sturdier, which makes them good for beginners. As you get more advanced you’re likely to want a laminated bow
- Draw length: most horseback archers in the UK are taught to use a long draw and so you need to make sure that you have a bow that suits this style (this may rule out the smaller Korean style bows)
Beginner recommendations:
| Make | Model | Price | Where to buy |
| Ali bow | Fibreglass – which one?? | Direct from Ali Bow website: www.alibowshop.com | |
| White Feather | Fairy, Wingz, Forever Carbons | £120-£150 | Various UK retailers |
| Samick | SKB | £135 | Various UK retailers |
| Rolan | Snake Bow | £50 | Various UK retailers |
| Freddie Archery | Black Shadow | £150 | Various UK retailers |
Intermediate / Advanced (more expensive) recommendations:
| Make | Model | Price | Where to buy |
| Ali bow | Laminated bows e.g. Emperor | $300+ | Direct: www.alibowshop.com |
| Nemethy | Various available | £500+ | Various UK retailers e.g. Merlin, Eagle |
| Simon’s Bow Company | Raptor | €790+ | Direct: https://www.simonsbowcompany.com/ |
| Cozmei | Living Arrow | ||
| Gera | Fox, Fox Max | £200 | https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/GERAbows |
Arrows
Here are the main things to consider when it comes to choosing your arrows:
- Length: it must be long enough for your draw. We recommend that you have an extra couple of inches for safety in case you over draw – this is especially important for beginner archers.
- Material: aluminium is cheaper and more durable so best for beginners, although they can be prone to bending. More advanced horseback archers tend to use carbon as they are lighter and faster. Some people do choose to keep things traditional and use wooden arrows.
- Spine: this is the bendiness of the arrow and it needs to match your bow. It’s best practice to try different arrows with a new bow to see which work best. Your local archery shop will hopefully be able to help you with this.
- Fletchings: FEATHERS (some inexperienced shops may try to sell you plastic fletchings but they’re really going to hurt, so please make sure you’ve got feathers on your arrows)
- Nocks: we recommend either Koc or Vermil as they’re specifically designed for horseback archery
Aluminium options to consider
| Make | Model | Price | Where to buy |
| Eastern | Tribute | Various UK retailers | |
| Merlin | Gold Rush | Various UK retailers | |
Carbon options to consider
| Make | Model | Price | Where to buy |
| Nemethy | Nemethy | ~€11 but there will be shipping & import fees | Direct from Nemethy Academy |
| Merlin | Goldrush | ||
| Bearpaw | Pentathlon | ||
| Eastern | Powerflights |
Quivers
Here are the main things to consider when it comes to choosing your quiver:
- Hand: are you left or right handed?
- Style: do you want your quiver to be on your hip or back?
- Size: are you looking for a quiver for Raid (max 5 arrows), Tower (max 10 arrows unless you’re seriously good!) or Hunt (20+ arrows… sometimes people use multiple quivers)
- Safety: in general having the points of the arrows covered is considered to be safer. You also want to consider the position of the quiver/arrows if you were to fall off.
Quiver options to consider:
| Make | Price | Where to buy |
| Cozmei | €190-220 | https://coz.fi/en/kauppa/quivers/ |
Saddles
As you become more advanced you may want to consider investing in a horseback archery saddle. The main differences are that the stirrups are centred and there is a higher and wider pommel to provide support as you twist for different shots.
At the lower cost end of the spectrum it’s possible to make padding to add to your existing saddle. Or, some horseback archers in the UK are using a combination of a total contact saddle with a Christ Lambskin Saddle Premium Plus.
If you’re feeling ready to invest in a horseback archery saddle then here are a few options:
| Make | Price | Where to buy |
| Cloette | ~€2,200 | https://cloetesaddles.com/mounted-archery-products/ |
| Griffin | X | Daniel Griffin |
| Nemethy | €2,400 | Nemethy |