Originally fought on horseback, this weapon was presented to members of the king's cavalry. Soldiers would race toward one another at full gallop from opposite ends of the battlefield. The sabre is a cutting weapon. Traditionally, vintage sabres are sharp for the full length of one side and 1/3 of the back side. Modern fencing sabres allow the athlete to use all of both sides. Target area is everything from the waist up excluding the hands. Target area is directly influenced by sabre's history of horseback dueling. Any cut lower than the waist may injure a soldier's horse but might not disable the attacker. Modern sabre fencing is just as fast paced as it has ever been historically and the event is known for its very high level of athleticism!
Sabre's Rules of "Right of Way"
As sabre developed from its horseback origins, some elements persisted. Athletes continued to run, full speed, at one another. As it became a world-wide event, the pressure to win and the lack of physical danger only encouraged the mindless charging. Eventually, the same rules of "Right of Way" ,as used in foil, were incorporated to reward the more technically skilled fencer. Regardless, sabre remains the fastest, most ruthless and athletically taxing of the three weapons!
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