Why short bow instead of long bow?

[Allu]

Originally Posted by EtVous

A few Facts:
How about the fact that the nobles did not like the fact that anyone could damage their precious/expensive to maintain and train knights.

I can't believe it took three pages for somebody to mention the law. Arms Control (Banestorm p. 90) mentions that the best any "civilian" could be expected to be allowed would be a short bow. I suspect that almost any feudal (or even just medieval) setting would have similar laws.