It occurs to me that today I am engaged in what is probably one of the most expensive hobbies a person can have. I realize this after fighting on the ground Saturday and thinking about how many cool bits or updates to armour I have that I would like to make part of one of my two kits (like the used salet Helm, a mere $300) but especially when I think of today and know that I have both the vet and the farrier coming out to deal with Angel and Jack this afternoon.

Okay, I will give you if you are involved in your own personal experimental aircraft or something akin to that you may be hitting a bit more expense. Perhaps even a yacht, depending on the size and the crew required could in some situations be more expensive – but no small one person boat is going to cut it. High performance racing machines, yes, more expensive, but a LOT more pay back at the level where it probably becomes much more expensive.

I hear friends all the time speak about how expensive it is to maintain and upkeep a horse and other friends talk about how expensive it is to put together a good-looking armour kit.

I am down to just two horses but compared to one that is 2x the upkeep expenses. Additionally, both of these guys will be going everywhere with me this summer, so every haul will cost a bit more, every entrance/stall fee will likely be double, and every set of health papers will be twice as much as well.

And silly me, even as I begin to get a few comments about my 14th century suite of armour looking nice I am in constant realization that it needs a few things to look a lot better. Things that are not inexpensive but very much a part of the kit. I could make the entire list, but at the very top is a riveted properly attached camail, an arming jack to properly attach legs and shoulders too, mail voiders, and finishing the Cherbourg #15 or finding a suitable replacement even better. Add to that, I am feeling my age and/or wimpiness when fighting on the ground in the arms and want to add something in leather that lighter, hopefully quicker, and maybe not as quickly to tire.

And if that were not enough, I want to do and have kind of started a late 15th/early 16th century kit. Which means a whole new set of armour and soft kit for not only me, but for the horse as well. What fun! What expense!

I see a credit card commercial in here somewhere… in a somber voice with video of war melee in mass, “Registration to war in order to beat the heathen masses – $75.” Scene cuts to mounted guy on horse in full armour making a joust pass, “Maintenance of horse and armour purchases, yearly – between $5,000 – $10,000.” Scene cuts mounted melee involving kings and knights, “Giving a king by right of arms his lunch on horseback in a melee – priceless.”

** – Photo credit to Bob Fenstemaker (Ardal) from Gulf Wars XVI.

** Originally published on Mephistos on 2nd of March 2009

Tags: 14th century, armor, armour, hobby, horse, horses, joust, jousting, knight, Medieval