Archery
Its Theory and Practice
By
Horace A. Ford
This book, originally written in 1856 by Horace Ford, provides a valuable set of principles to help the longbow archer improve target shooting. Mr. Ford was the winner of the Grand National Archery meeting held yearly in the United Kingdom for 11 consecutive championships and one additional championship later. He also scored a 1271 in a double York Round in 1857. That score lasted as a record for over 70 years.
The book covers many aspects of archery equipment, bows and arrows, high scores in different rounds, and most importantly several chapters on principles that will improve ones archery skills. All of this was written by an archer who in 2 different York rounds with different bows hit 143 of 144 arrows and 137 of 144 arrows.
This is a book well worth reading if you want to make some changes in your archery and maybe even improve your scores. It was probably luck but the first time I practiced after reading this book, I had new high scores with both my longbow and recurve.
These are some of the principles in the book:
Chapter 9: Of Position
General
1) firmness of body to resist the force, pressure, and recoil of the bow
2) Elasticity of body to give free play to the muscles and the needed command over them
3) Grace of body – to look good
Footing (Standing)
Ford uses Roger Ascham’s writings frequently
1) heels about 6” – 8” apart
2) feet flat and firmly on the ground inclining outwards from heel to toes so toes are an additional 6” – 7” further apart
3) a line drawn from heels to target is at right angles
4) knees perfectly straight
5) body weight equal on both legs
Shoulders
1) Left shoulder keeps a natural position not forced forward
2) Body upright and well balanced
3) Face nearly fronting the target
4) When drawing and aiming the right shoulder comes a little forward and the left shoulder retires a little backward
5) A slight inclination of the head and chest
Wrist and hand grasp
1) use a natural position so that the string does not hit forearm
2) bow is held in a slightly oblique position
3) elbow of arm slightly inclined outward and upward
4) allows the arrow to be more easily kept on the bow
Chapter 10: Drawing
1) Ascham says that “drawing is the better part of shooting” while Ford says it is definitely one of the most important factors
2) Pulling the string and extending the bow arm are simultaneous motions through at least ¾ of the draw
3) The point of aim is then found by direct movement onto it from the starting place of the draw
4) The shooting elbow is raised
5) Arrow is pulled fully without a pause
6) The distance pulled is precisely the same every time; arrow drawn to identically same spot each time
7) Use identical draw regardless of distance or kind of target shooting
8) Use left arm (Bow arm) to elevate or depress aim not the right (string) hand
9) Draw string hand to the same place every time, the chin is preferred
10) The flight and direction of the arrow is determined by the strings action upon the arrow
11) Do not completely straighten the bow arm nor deliberately bend it. Hold it out naturally with the elbow a little outward and upwards. This position most easily allows the archer to withstand the force of the bow with firmness and provides unobstructed space for the passage of the string
12) Arrow drawn to loose point perpendicular to the eye with the level of the arrow slightly lower than the chin
13) The pull (draw) is from end to end invariably even, quiet, and steady without jerking or sudden movement
14) Chrysaling (compression type fractures in a bow) of bow may occur because of a sudden jerk pulling the arrow and string out of proper line
15) Pulling to the ear is rejected
16) Cloth yard shaft was 27”
Chapter 11: On Aiming
1) Most abstruse, scientific, and difficult to teach yet the most necessary
2) Draw to the ear problematic because the draw past the eyes to one side makes the “Mark” off to the left for right handed shooter
3) Both eyes focused on a single object – the axis of vision meets - direct vision
4) Eyes identify other objects more or less distinctly – indirect vision
5) Must view three things for certain shooting:
View the mark (gold target color)
View the arrow in its whole line and length
View the point of aim which is the spot apparently covered by the point of the arrow
6) The archer’s vision must embrace the gold, the point of aim, and the true line in
which the arrow is directed
7) Direct vision can be applied to only one object at a time, never the arrow, always
the gold or point of aim
8) Indirect vision identifies the line to which the arrow points
9) To aim most effectively the whole length of the arrow must lie directly beneath
the axis of the aiming eye
10) Direct vision should always be at the point of aim because there are times when
the mark is obscured by the hand, bow, etc.
11) The aim should be up to the mark not over or around in a circular fashion
12) Arrows (unless flight arrows) should be as identical as possible regardless of distance away from the target
Chapter 12: of Holding and Loosing
1) Holding is keeping the arrow fully drawn before loosing
2) Ascham “holding must not be long for it puts a bow in danger of breaking and also spoils the shot. It must occupy so little time, that it may be better perceived in the mind when it is done than seen with the eye”
3) Ford adds only a slight adjustment to Ascham by recommending an imperceptible pause before the act of loosing to steady the arm and correct the aim
4) Loosing is the act of quitting or freeing the string from the fingers
5) No matter how correct and perfect everything else is, the results will infallibly prove a failure, and in disappointment if the point of loosing is not successfully mastered
6) When two archers use the same bow, weight of arrow, and length of pull, one may cast an arrow 40 -50 yards further owing solely and entirely to the different manor in which the string shall be quitted
7) Loosing is perhaps the most difficult point of all to accomplish with evenness, smoothness, and unvarying similarity
8) Certainty (hitting the mark) and keenness (sharpness or speed) of flight are both are both important but if both are not occurring then a slower flight and certainty are better than a rapid flight and uncertainty
9) Keenness of flight / sharpness comes from the rapid and sudden removal of the fingers from the string. That jerking produces unsteadiness of arm and the irregularity of it moves the arrow out of its proper and original line of flight and changes the elevation of the arrow also
10) The loose should not be too slow allowing the string to slip off or loose itself from the fingers since that makes unsteady flight and reduces cast
11) The best loose is between the two extremes tending towards sharpness
12) To loose the string the fingers do not go forward one hairs breadth along the string but continue the draw with sufficient muscle action to simultaneously expand the fingers so all the fingers move off the string at the same identical moment.
13) A two finger draw is best but most archers use a three fingers
14) Locate the string midway between the tips and first joints of the first and third fingers
15) When loosing keep the bow arm firm and unwavering
16) Archers should remain perfectly quiescent, in “statue” quo, until assured of the final destination of the arrow and is satisfied of its success or failure
Conclusion
Ford provides information about other types of shooting and other information to improve archery scores. As we continue to improve our archery shooting I think it is important to keep in mind part of what Ford says in his conclusion: You may have tried some of the principles and found your scores only got worse. This is likely enough because no one can change from one mode of doing a thing to another, though it be from a bad mode to a good one, and not for a time experience an increase of difficulty.
The picture on the last page is from the book and demonstrates the posture of Horace A. Ford with bow drawn:
May your arrows fly straight and true,
Cadfael of Bilberry Manor
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