History

It all started with a conversation…

In the back of a Shakespearean Theater outside of Austin, Texas in the Spring of 2011 between Andre Renier and Micheal Carrol. They were both there for an International Jousting League competition, Lysts on the Lake. The back of the theater was being used as a make shift armor repair shop for the week.

While repairing armor the conversations settled on a topic: military seat training, equipment, and competitions were few and far between. Within the vast military seat discipline there were many tiny groups focusing on a specific aspect such as jousting, civil war, law enforcement, etc.. These groups are spread across the globe and rarely were there more than a few individuals within reasonable driving distance to be able to train together. Within each of these subdivisions of the discipline there may only be 10-20 participants at a competition. This makes it financially difficult to put on a competition or even to get to a competition.

The ideas that emerged:

1. What if there was an organization that included many of the subdivisions in one place?

2. What if there was a place where the historic and modern intersected?

3. What if you could get the 8 people that joust, and the 10 that are in the local civil war group, and the 4 that are on the mounted police unit, and the few from that other group over there - all together?

The training for all has similarities. They could learn from one another. They could share what works and what doesn’t. The equipment is often similar. There would be enough people to help put on an event and share the cost.

Over the next two summers various training and competitive events were held testing out how to put a framework together.

On Sunday, November 3, 2013 the first formal meeting of what would become The Martial Horse, The School of the Trooper, and The International Series was held in Kent, Ohio. Thirteen key individuals from across North America converged with the framework of an idea - to create an organization that would facilitate education, equipment, and competition for the varied subdivisions of the Military Seat. During that meeting the basic framework was laid with the first class lists were put to paper. Rules were adopted. Guidelines were set.

The organizations first formal event was held on July 11-12, 2014 - The Invitational in Saline, Michigan.

Today riders from around the world train and compete in Martial Horse events .