A LITTLE CHAT ABOUT THE GREAT HORACE FORD AIMING ENGLISH LONGBOW 

Your uploads are unique in their tendency to relax the body while stimulating the mind. You are like digital cannabis. And your deep, abiding love of archery is contagious. Thank yew for distilling Horace Ford's style.

I've been shooting longbows all my life and I always appreciate how you show where your well placed shots landed and even the ones that were not perfect, Gary...Thank You, Mike

Really like your no nonsense no hype approach to longbow archery. Really need enjoying the information and hands on approach.Thanks!

HORACE A FORD WROTE A BOOK IN 1856. IT'S CALLED ARCHERY IT'S THEORY AND PRACTICE.THERE ARE NO PICTURES OR MOVIES OF HIM BUT HE WAS THE BEST OF THE TIME AND SHOT LONGBOWS NOT CENTER SHOTS SO HIS STYLE IS RELEVANT TO US.. HE PAUSED 4 IN. IN FRONT OF HIS FACE TO AIM. I AGREE THIS IS THE PLACE TO LINE UP AND SET THE ANGLE FOR ELEVATION. HE USED A SHOT SEQUENCE. HE ATTACHED LITTLE STRIPS ON HIS FINGER STALLS SO THE STRING ALWAYS SAT IN THE SAME PLACE. HE STOOD SIDEWAYS TO THE TARGET WITH HEELS 6 TO 8 IN. APART. HE DID NOT BEND HIS KNEES. HE THOUGHT HOLDING THE BOW OBLIQUELY WAS BEST WHICH MEANS ON A SLIGHT CANT. AND KEEP A SLIGHT OUTWARD BEND IN THE ELBOW WHICH KEEPS THE FOREARM OUT OF THE WAY OF THE STRING HE THOUGHT BRINGING THE BOW UP RATHER THAN DRAWING DOWN LIKE ASIANS WAS BEST. HE FELT THE ARROW SHOULD BE DRAWN 3/4 LENGTH BEFORE AIMING. HE THOUGHT THE LEFT ARM SHOULD BE HELD OUT STRAIGHT AS POSSIBLE. HE PREFERRED BOTH EYES. HE THOUGHT THE ARROW SHOULD BE SEEN IN IT'S FULL LENGTH BENEATH THE AXIS OF THE AIMING EYE. HE USED A FINGER TIP DRAW. WITH THE STRING GOING ABOUT 1/2 WAY ON THE FINGER PADS. HE THOUGHT THE DRAW SHOULD GO TO THE SAME PLACE THOUGH HE NEVER SAYS WHERE BUT HE SHOT AT 100YDS. AND PREFERRED AN ANCHOR A LITTLE UNDER THE CHIN FOR THAT DISTANCE. HE THOUGHT A BOW THAT FOLLOWED THE STRING IS GENTLER IN THE HAND AND MORE ACCURATE THAN A REFLEX DEFLEX BOW. HE THOUGHT A PARALLEL SHAFT WAS BETTER THAN A BARREL SHAFT OR TAPERED SHAFT FOR AN ARROW. HE THOUGHT MOST PEOPLE MISSED BECAUSE THEY PULLED THEMSELVES OFF LINE DURING THE DRAW. HE USED A 50# BOW AND FELT MANY MEN CAN SHOOT HEAVIER 80# BOWS BUT NONE COULD SHOOT THEM ACCURATELY. I HOPE THESE IDEAS OF HORACE ARE FOOD FOR THOUGHT. HAVE FUN GARE

Good stuff Sir!. The " pause" cured my target panic. I had trouble releasing uncontrolled immediately at touching anchor. I was frustrated big time. Using the pause I would hold there long enough for the panic to pass. When my head was back in control I would then ease back to anchor and be able to hold on target. I am traditional bow hunter and target panic and buck fever almost took the joy away. This technique allows me to focus on my spot while in front of my face untill the "storm" of panic passes. It's amazing that that few seconds of pause allows calmness to come in. Great videos Sir.

SQUINTING THIS MOVIE IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF ME SQUINTING. WHEN I SQUINT I SEE ONE CLEAR PICTURE RATHER THAN TWO PICTURES AS WHEN I USE BOTH EYES. YOU'LL NOTICE MY EYE NEVER COMPLETELY CLOSES. CLOSING THE EYE DOES NOT HELP IN ANY WAY. I FEEL A LOSS OF DEPTH PERCEPTION CLOSING THE EYE BUT SQUINTING CAN REALLY CLEAN UP THE VISION. WHAT I MEAN IS GIVE ONE VISION. THERE ARE MANY OTHER MOVIES I USE BOTH EYES. I SEE DOUBLE AND JUST LOOK AT THE MIDDLE SOME HOW AND GET HITS. GO FIGURE. BOTH WORK. THIS IS THE SQUINTING TECHNIQUE. THANK YEW GARE

Thank you for the time you give Gary, always enjoyable. Scott

I got some serious ASMR vibes listening to him speak and shoot arrows!

this is so chill

It's a relief listening to you

I like Horace but like the two brothers from down south more. I see no videos about them. They couldn't use guns after the Civil War. I still like that quiver idea of yours. Now you loose your arrows without loosing them (since yew like the puns). I'm glad yew are helping out everyone with your videos-especially simply showing the true side of archery. I've been going through your videos and, although we have slightly different opinions here and there, I like them a lot. I've been collecting antique English longbows and got into it in 1976. Behind me I have many, including a Charles Barnes, my latest joy. Would love to look closer at your armory. (Here in lies the idea for 2 more videos)

Just to let you know, we, that is Historia Normannis a 12th-century UK re-enactment group is using your short videos as pre-training videos, brilliant stuff, thank you.

Sounds like Horace Ford knew his stuff. I have to say that after making and shooting my own primitive selfbows that string follow definitly makes a bow shoot much sweeter and is smoother to draw and more accurate. I don't shoot my glass laminated bows anymore because they all feel like they stack really hard due to their recurve or heavy deflex and they don't have much working limb compared to a bend in the handle bow. Oddly enough I feel more accurate shooting selfbow's off the hand vs the glass bow's I used to shoot. By the way, your videos are one of my inspirations for getting into primitive archery. I just finished making my 6th bow and am addicted to making them and shooting them (the one I just finished is a hickory bend through the handle flatbow D shaped 46" ntn and draws about 35# at 27"). Hickory is VERY springy. Take care!

thank you granpa

Fantastic Gary, keep it up. Flaxen Saxon

This guy is awesome.

Hi Gary, Cool lesson and demonstration.

Very good Gare.

All ways wondered what Santa did the rest of the year

Dang good teacher.

What are you wearing on the hand holding the bow? Is it a half glove or something? That and where do you suggest a man wanting to buy his first longbow should purchase it from?

the book is free on amazon kindle

Thanks for the info. And good shooting Gare.

what length arrow do you use ? they look very long . thank you for sharing your knowledge in a simple calm measured fashion . it really helps what you say to sink into my simple brain .

Hey I was just wondering, where do you get those cool looking tunics?

Hello Gary I love you your channel. I wanna start archery but dont know what kind of bow I should get or where I could buy one.

Where would you purchase a Longbow?

Question Gary: Why do you use arrows which are longer than your draw length? doesn't the extra weight slow down the shot?

When mentioning Asian (you mentioned horse bows in a different video) you could mention the thumb ring, which will undoubtedly blow the minds of many. Just sayin.

Your "spiritual" take on archery is amazing and makes me wonder why you don't practise Kyūdō - they even use a "long" bow..

first you shake then in the last second you hold steady how do you do that?

How many pounds r u pulling gary?

Thank you Sir, Really helping my Traditional bow technique.