https://www.mikecanfor.com/blog daily 0.75 2020-12-14 https://www.mikecanfor.com/blog/category/Footwear monthly 0.5 https://www.mikecanfor.com/blog/category/Fashion monthly 0.5 https://www.mikecanfor.com/blog/category/Featured monthly 0.5 https://www.mikecanfor.com/about daily 0.75 2026-03-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f4be0872c3ffd5e7bb7442b/1598811582934-TFIHSYX0TZ0E3LI7PH2N/alnwick.jpg About - Mike Canfor is a passionate horseman and historian, and has combined his love of horses and history. You could say he is either a historical rider or an equine historian. Or both. Mike started riding at a very early age, and indeed one of his earliest memories is the smell of horses. Fortunate to learn to ride on his own pony, this early imprint was to stay with him for the rest of his life. Drifting away from horses by his teens, Mike picked up riding again at about the age of 18, as he knew at that age that he wanted to be a “knight” and time in the saddle, and familiarity with horses is a core skill for the medieval warrior. From the first riding lesson as an adult, he enjoyed riding for the sake of it, and not to just fulfil a specific goal. Passionate about horses and history, he has also read and studied history prolifically, specifically relating to medieval Europe. In 1998 Mike started re-enacting with well-renowned groups that had accuracy in research and equipment at their core, and from then on it made sense to gravitate towards people that were combining horses and history. They were few and far between, but after spending some time working alongside mounted groups and at events, Mike decided to re-focus on purely horsemanship. In 2007 Mike was fortunate enough to be able to purchase his first two Lusitano horses, one from Portugal and one already in the UK. Having a strong interest in historical breeds and a deep interest in historical riding the obvious direction was to Iberia. This opened the door to the sport of working equitation, and intensive study of dressage with top Portuguese riders, both in Portugal and the UK. Supported by a local yard with a long heritage of working with Iberian horses, Mike’s riding progressed tenfold. But in 2015 meeting up with an old friend in Cambridge gave him the opportunity to participate again in a historical event. This was a 15th C joust outside Peterborough Cathedral where Mike was to act as a mounted marshal. Immediately loving it, this reignited his interest in recreating and practically researching medieval history. This led to an intense focus on preparing to joust, and was where Mike met his future lifetime horse - “Zogo” - and consequently how he discovered the Murgese breed. With his accrued equestrian skills and historical knowledge Mike was, with an intensive training regimen, able to joust in 2017. This wasn’t only balsa tilt-rail based jousting, but open field and historical solid jousting, culminating in an international joust in Veste Coburg (Germany) in 2017 using historical solids in an open-field scenario. Being able to draw on his many years of working with the Iberian horse, and competing at working equitation, alongside a deep and intuitive knowledge of swordsmanship Mike felt ready to begin evangelising on the and Mike started teaching the art of mounted fencing in 2019, and has delivered many successful clinics to a wide range of clients. Mike continues to push the boundaries of mounted fencing and Rossfechten, and is keen to expose it to a wider audience, both HEMA practitioners and equestrians. Mike’s goal is to continue the rediscovery of the mounted martial arts of Europe, and to further our knowledge of the medieval horse and historical horsemanship, from the lens of a modern equestrian. Passionate about communicating this to a wider audience, he enjoys enlightening and engaging with diverse and different groups of people. https://www.mikecanfor.com/services daily 0.75 2021-01-11 https://www.mikecanfor.com/horses daily 0.75 2020-12-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f4be0872c3ffd5e7bb7442b/1609269776477-W0589BMFRIOF5QUUM16E/zogo_melee2.jpg Horses https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f4be0872c3ffd5e7bb7442b/1609269870590-J5AX6F3EW0HVK1HUTI8I/saf_hastingsb.jpg Horses https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f4be0872c3ffd5e7bb7442b/1599071642397-R6KYRNQU35I5SKGXV79X/quinto.jpg Horses https://www.mikecanfor.com/articles daily 0.75 2022-08-06 https://www.mikecanfor.com/late-medieval-veterinary-care-part-1 daily 0.75 2020-10-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f4be0872c3ffd5e7bb7442b/1602443308888-K90PWRQAVN4XLUFIH3ML/vet.jpg Late medieval veterinary care - part 1 Equine veterinary care in late medieval England https://www.mikecanfor.com/renaissance daily 0.75 2020-11-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ec321c2af33de48734cc929/1589847763854-OGJIPZXLM6WQ3QJW4MYL/image-asset.jpeg Renaissance - Images of the Renaissance During the flowering of the Renaissance under the Tudors in the 16th Century, the stimulation and developments of artistic, leisurely pursuits constituted an important genre of development, certainly for the wealthy and well to do. The art of the manège, that of riding horses for pleasure and display, was very popular. The early riding manuals were translated from Italian and French into English, and their pinnacle in England was the works of William Cavendish in the 17th Century. Practical demonstrations of historical riding from the early modern period are exciting and captivating for all ranges of audiences, and I can provide ridden demonstrations blended with narrative that makes the display relevant and accessible to the viewer. Sources used can where practical be specific to a location, and where possible connected with local history. Interaction and the opportunity for engagement are often an important part of the display, as although utilising a predefined display is captivating and informative, it often raises questions in the minds of the assembled viewers. By allowing the audience to participate through a Q&A session at the end, these questions are explored and the engagement significantly enhanced. This is usually a very popular part of the show. To find out more how a display of this nature could bring alive cultural history for your group or site, please feel free to contact me to discuss. The following articles may be of interest on this topic: https://www.mikecanfor.com/knight daily 0.75 2021-01-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f4be0872c3ffd5e7bb7442b/1609950803911-826824NFUA9WPCZ31WTI/coburg2.jpg knight - Mounted medieval warrior Accurately recreating a mounted, armoured rider from specific periods in history is a difficult task. Investments in time and money and in equipment and training, not to mention the knowledge of the subject which underpins it all takes time and great effort. A popular saying is that “You don’t just “try” jousting – you either do it or you don’t”. This is very true, and it is a discipline which requires a lot of commitment. My initial focus is on the 15th Century, the classic “Knight in shining armour”. However, I have also invested heavily in the “high middle ages” in terms of equipment and knowledge. This was the period before the advent of full “plate” armours. Here the mounted warrior still ruled supreme on the battlefield, and on the tournament field as well there are important differences that make this period - mainly centred on the 13th century - for me fascinating. The image of a mounted knight is a very powerful one in Western society which has deep subconscious roots, and witnessing the sight of fully armoured riders engaging in real jousting (as opposed to staged and scripted acting) is both exhilarating to participate in and exciting to watch. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f4be0872c3ffd5e7bb7442b/1609950960616-SFI4BLCBXCW0PSB45IGP/harness.jpg knight Much of my experience has been gained on the tournament field in the UK and Europe. Even as a very established and experienced rider, the concept of strapping on layers of shaped steel plates and then riding accurately and under challenging situations was a big undertaking, in some ways more so than if I had never ridden. Obstacles are presented that one wouldn’t expect, but what initially seems to be something that is insurmountable isn’t actually that bad. For example, my biggest concern before riding in harness (historically accurate terminology for armour) was the effect of using a fixed, rigid helm that has been designed to provide full protection for the head and neck, but by it’s nature is restrictive in terms of visibility, mobility and respiration. Whilst the “Grand Bascinet” (helmet) is limiting, other details have a big impact. These include not really being able to feel the horse through the leg, or not being able to close the elbows in against the torso - both due to being blocked by armour. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f4be0872c3ffd5e7bb7442b/1609951400076-WS1Y2426WDXF6576NOBE/coburg1.jpg knight - When these impediments are combined with the mounted melee, the part of a tournament whereby participants compete with (usually rebated) swords or clubs, then this becomes very, very challenging. This is separate to a joust - which is a different, contemporary activity. To contextualise this, there are approximately 35 or so people worldwide able to compete in historical solid lance jousting using a tilt rail. There are even less that can melee using solid wooden clubs made of pine. It is important to note that these events are not scripted, and whilst fought among trusted friends they are actual competitions, and fantastic to watch, and exhilarating to partake in. https://www.mikecanfor.com/mounted-combat-instruction daily 0.75 2021-02-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f4be0872c3ffd5e7bb7442b/1608577554945-LFNKPTHTC9DWQXBO2SV7/ross1.jpg Mounted combat instruction - Mounted combat - “Rossfechten” Participating in the mounted melee is possibly one of the most exciting but challenging activities that a rider can undertake. Having the ability to move a horse easily in any direction, swirling around and manoeuvring to position oneself in the best place to engage with an opponent is difficult but exhilarating. Then deploying the correct techniques to attack your adversary and defend yourself safely takes a lot of skill and training. I can help riders gain all the necessary tools to build up to this level. Starting with the correct training of the horse so that he is physically able to engage in this difficult task, working through set-piece exercises to familiarise horse and rider with the patterns and movements that are vital when in the melee. Also covered, and of vital importance are weapons handling skills - initially on the ground - covering principals and then the specific fencing techniques that are applied whilst mounted, before bringing it together to build the necessary skill set to be able to fence mounted. Instruction is based on 15th Century German fighting manuals, and is taught as a martial art, fused with equestrianism. This can be delivered as a group activity or 1-1. Clinics and instruction are very flexible and customisable, but with practitioners who are new to the art I like to ensure that the context and background as to what is trying to be achieved and why and how the techniques developed are communicated and understood. Hopefully a small amount of culture and history add some depth to the practical techniques imparted. All equipment is supplied, and is modern, comfortable and protective - I’m not expecting participants to ride in a full harness of armour! Training and lesson plans are closely tailored to the aims and comfort of the participants, with of course full consideration to the horses’ abilities, fitness and levels of training. For more information and to start a discussion about tailoring a package that is right for you, please feel free to contact me. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f4be0872c3ffd5e7bb7442b/1608577608675-EMHY5VJ7NTQSJU9I6OEY/LB1.jpg Mounted combat instruction https://www.mikecanfor.com/highmiddleages daily 0.75 2020-11-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f4be0872c3ffd5e7bb7442b/1604780283481-9A2BGE9OICWIY5V07TXC/13thC.JPG highmiddleages - A time of change. During the 13th Century there was a gradual change in how a tournament was structured. In the early days, wide geographical areas were covered and thousands of participants were involved, often with only partially rebated or nearly sharp weapons. As time went on, and the event of the tournament evolved, a culture and tradition developed. This brought along more defined rules and etiquette, and was the period of the development of the joust as a component of the whole event, and a more organised arrangement of individual combats. At this time there was no barrier to separate opponents, and often multiple simultaneous combats would occur. This led to a whirling and exciting contest between individuals, operating “at large” against each other with spear and sword. As part of the only UK group to participate in this form of tournament, I have have had a unique insight into the adrenaline and challenges that these events bring, and the amount of training and skill involved in successfully participating. https://www.mikecanfor.com/lecture daily 0.75 2021-01-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f4be0872c3ffd5e7bb7442b/1609523076116-K9O4ZGAXIPQ9S7LGP49T/book1a.jpg lecture - Information behind the action. Have you ever wondered what medieval horses were fed, how they were housed, shod and bred? What is it like to ride in full harness (armour) and strike and be struck with an historically accurate replica of a medieval lance? What does modern equestrianism take from it’s medieval and early modern roots? If you have a need of a specialist presentation on any aspect of medieval or historical equestrianism and the knightly arts, then I am able to offer lectures and interactive displays to suit all scenarios. This can be delivered either in keeping with the historical period or location in question, e.g. accurate historical clothing and equipment at a heritage site, or in a modern context via a traditional lecture to bespoke groups of people, who are particularly interested in a facet of equestrianism. Please feel free to contact me to discuss a range of possibilities for your event or location. https://www.mikecanfor.com/contact daily 0.75 2020-12-29 https://www.mikecanfor.com/experience daily 0.75 2026-03-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f4be0872c3ffd5e7bb7442b/1607368802706-W62UG95BRUXUZVS0EHB8/zogo_melee2.jpg Experience https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f4be0872c3ffd5e7bb7442b/1607369508637-JBTFL24LQ99TCQYX44UK/IMG_1437.jpg Experience https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f4be0872c3ffd5e7bb7442b/1609521418531-ELJNMG66KNN625S0DDJR/hema.JPG Experience https://www.mikecanfor.com/home daily 1.0 2021-01-06 https://www.mikecanfor.com/modernrider daily 0.75 2021-02-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f4be0872c3ffd5e7bb7442b/1608237122289-2KCQQ8S21BE6PS9LJ95F/queluz3.jpg modernrider https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f4be0872c3ffd5e7bb7442b/1608236962015-AYN0IBVI805N7R8ZDIYF/queluz.jpg modernrider https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f4be0872c3ffd5e7bb7442b/1608237153133-4CFGXX0MNXBUDF80KDFZ/quinto.jpg modernrider https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f4be0872c3ffd5e7bb7442b/1608237171333-F4IH8NR7E02CP54C574E/shadow.jpg modernrider https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f4be0872c3ffd5e7bb7442b/1608237186651-QW2E14SG2IM07N76HUU2/bacardi.jpg modernrider https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f4be0872c3ffd5e7bb7442b/1608237264918-5694HRYJPBIZ0EE1HXUC/galactico.jpg modernrider https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f4be0872c3ffd5e7bb7442b/1608237281187-C5RD16V9TB40DE2NE8JT/queluz2.jpg modernrider https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f4be0872c3ffd5e7bb7442b/1608237293452-2AXMRV59ICOYTYV4F9GJ/safio.jpg modernrider https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f4be0872c3ffd5e7bb7442b/1608237405112-KJRWH99XMLWFUUS4MOHI/bacardi2.jpg modernrider https://www.mikecanfor.com/new-page-1 daily 0.75 2020-12-19 https://www.mikecanfor.com/hema daily 0.75 2021-02-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f4be0872c3ffd5e7bb7442b/1608359743247-ZIK0MHUIWAYVG6UDL840/PF2.jpg hema “Young Knight, learn to love God and Women Honour them and speak well of Leaders With Manhood as one should, thus raise your honour. Practice Knighthood and learn Art that decorates you In war joining them in honour” Peter Faulkner, 1495 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f4be0872c3ffd5e7bb7442b/1609524850111-JKDVRE53269695N3IO2X/pf3a.png hema https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f4be0872c3ffd5e7bb7442b/1608676296412-0AL93C30BVDD6JI23MMN/ross2.jpg hema https://www.mikecanfor.com/kniser daily 0.75 2026-03-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f4be0872c3ffd5e7bb7442b/1609188371259-UTQSRUOM4H54VXJ8DBT8/zog_rain.jpg kniser https://www.mikecanfor.com/portugal daily 0.75 2020-12-31 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f4be0872c3ffd5e7bb7442b/1609425968981-83NNV25WJEM9APJTBB16/Chapel_Sintra_National_Palace_Small.jpg portugal - A glimpse to medieval Portugal I was reminded recently of my last trip to Portugal, a country I know well and have visited frequently. For me, Portugal means (among other things, but chiefly) – horses, and of course the Lusitano horse, the national breed. Being an ancient and noble type of horse they resonate with anybody familiar with medieval art from the 11th – 16th centuries, and beyond into the Baroque era. Central to Portuguese equestrianism is the town of Golegã, and this centre and the surrounding district of the Ribatejo is where I have generally visited over the last 14 years or so. But this time I struck out further South and West, in the area to the West of Lisbon around the ancient town of Sintra. I’m was over there to see a young horse that we have in training with a professional rider, and to try out another older one who I was hoping would make the grade as a destrier. Unfortunately he didn’t, but with a reasonable amount of free time on my hands I was able to explore a previously undiscovered area. The visit was arranged somewhat last minute, and at a busy time of the year so I didn’t do my due diligence and research what was around. Fortunately, wanting some comfort for my downtime I chose a very nice hotel in the centre of Sintra, and it transpires it is directly across from the Sintra National Palace (Palácio Nacional de Sintra) This was a favourite place of King Duarte I – famous as an intellectual medieval king, and a prolific writer. One topic he was passionate about, was of course equestrianism. His unfinished work, Livro do Cavalgar (Book on Riding) is a source that covers many aspects and facets of equestrianism, including jousting, and is filled with practical advice and instruction. Whilst not complete, it is another important window into the mindset of the medieval mind, and a vital source for someone such as myself. It has undergone a second translation and interpretation, which is immensely readable. To be able to tread the same rooms as he did (much of the knowledge of the current layout of the Palace is derived from D. Duarte’s work) was an unexpected pleasure. To be able to see the palace from my hotel room was a treat. Would recommend a visit and will be coming back. https://www.mikecanfor.com/feed daily 0.75 2021-02-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f4be0872c3ffd5e7bb7442b/1613679919785-9LUSTXJMO3FLW8IOVTP8/Universit%C3%A4tsbibliothek+Heidelberg%2C+Cod.+Pal.+germ.+67 feed - Feeding the medieval horse Throughout history horse owners have struggled to keep pace with the needs of equine appetites. The phrase “as hungry as a horse” is a well-deserved and ubiquitous adage that has probably existed for nearly as long as horses have been domesticated, and medieval horses certainly weren’t an exception. Nowadays we have the benefit of science and nutrition, backed by a broad range of commercial feeds which are fed alongside forage – has this process changed at all over the preceding centuries? What different practices if any were followed 700 years ago? https://www.mikecanfor.com/conditioning daily 0.75 2022-07-21 https://www.mikecanfor.com/fullbio daily 0.75 2026-03-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f4be0872c3ffd5e7bb7442b/4d96a36f-a930-4ebd-911f-854b0013761f/ross.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f4be0872c3ffd5e7bb7442b/1609951400076-WS1Y2426WDXF6576NOBE/coburg1.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f4be0872c3ffd5e7bb7442b/b278797c-2c6a-4de6-9305-8a44fc7666b9/hiresZogo.jpg https://www.mikecanfor.com/bio daily 0.75 2026-03-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f4be0872c3ffd5e7bb7442b/96eb0a2b-6847-404a-b9ae-a1f54a162e7b/bio-photo2.jpg