Why equestrians do it better

Most Olympic sports are sex-segregated based on the assumption that men have an unfair physical advantage. But good horse riding requires skill, technique, precision and refined communication to form a partnership with a horse.

But integrating women into sports from which they were historically excluded does not necesarily raise the status of female competitors. Increased participation by women in equestrian sport in Sweden, for instance, has been perceived as an undesirable feminisation of the sport , rather than a symbol of gender equality.

A big-picture view of the equestrian sport and recreation sector reveals a cluster of women at amateur levels and a dearth at the professional level. But they have always been underrepresented in Olympic showjumping the equestrian hurdles or high jump program, which accepted women in the Olympics. Relatively low representation of women in elite levels of equestrian sport may reflect team selectors favouring male riders.

Several women had taken a hiatus from riding after they had children. While some had become risk-averse as mothers, others were just too busy raising a family and caring for horses that their husband continued to compete.

Measure your progress and celebrate your successes. Even if you never put on a number and compete for a score, developing your physical and mental capacity, and your riding skill, will make you a better horseman. These aspects of riding, coupled with the dictionary definition of sport, allow horseback riders to make a strong argument for themselves as competitive athletes. With that knowledge comes responsibility.

Behavioral Problems. Medications and Drugs. Horse Care. Farm and Ranch. Hoof Care. Injuries and First Aid. Parasite Control. Preventative Care. Senior Horse Care. Tack and Apparel. Horse World. Barn Dogs. Ride along with a veterinarian. Basic training with David O'Connor. Beyond the Saddle Podcast. The Jurga Report. After all, riding is not easy. And not everyone can do it. Becoming a skilled rider means that you have a skill many people do not. In addition to self confidence, riders may gain an increase in self-esteem and self-image.

Horses are social creatures just like humans. Being able to communicate and interact with an animal has already been shown to have a positive effect on people, as has been experienced by those involved with therapeutic riding programs.

As a past volunteer for therapeutic riding programs, I have seen children who would not talk much with people. But when they were around horses, they opened up and communication was not a problem.

The children saw the therapy horse as their companion and confidante. If we look at the benefits that therapeutic riding has been shown to give to riders, improved interpersonal skills and socialization skills are on the list. E questrians know they are never alone in this hobby. Riders will socialize with their horses, each other, their riding instructors, employees at the barn, those at competitions, etc.

The horse industry is a very social community full of people who will help each other and help care for other horses. At every barn I have ever been, I developed friends and sometimes lifelong relationships. I have seen people help each other countless times during shows, trail rides, riding lessons, and just hanging out around the barn.

In addition, those who ride are members of a variety of horse organizations…from breed registries, to sports organizations, discipline-specific organizations, local clubs, etc. Once you ride, you become part of this entire new world. Those who like to compete have a number of disciplines and horse sports to choose from in order to compete with their equine partner. People decided that horses would be a great mode of transportation, and this greatly changed the course of history.

Many cultures still use horses for this reason. Horseback riding offers a way to see the world. I know that trail riding has been one of my favorite ways to spend time on horseback. Whether it was riding through the fields and woods of my home state of Virginia, or to the snowy landscape of Ohio during winter, to cantering down the beach in Florida on vacation, to riding through swamps and the lowlands of South Carolina, trail riding has allowed me to see parts of the country I never would have otherwise.

It is a great way to see the world doing something you absolutely love. Horseback riding brings us out into the fresh air and closer to nature. Our society spends so much time indoors. We should take every opportunity we can to get outside for some exercise and fresh air with one of our most beautiful animals. In fact, this is why many riders started riding according to questionnaire respondents from the BHS study.

Horseback riding is relaxing. In fact, therapeutic riding has shown to reduce muscle spasticity as tight muscles are stretched due to the natural motion of the horse. We know going for a walk can be relaxing. In addition, riding has been known to increase the range of motion of joints, allowing riders to move more freely. Being a horseback rider can leads to a certain lifestyle.

But that is for the rider to determine what kind of lifestyle with horses they wish to have.