What do you think about people who say horse riding isn't a sport?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Horsejumper
  • Start date Start date
H

Horsejumper

Guest
Ok. I am one of those people who get a little ticked off when someone says "Oh ya ride horses. Isn't that like one of those sports that don't actually count?" Its funny how people say that, but our sport "that doesn't count" is in the Olympics! I just made this little thing up. Sorry if I didn't mention the horse activity you do. Tell me what you think when people say horse riding isn't a sport. And please don't be rude, I am just having a little fun thinking about how much horse riding isn't a sport!

You like skinny jeans, I like riding breeches.

You like make up, I like mud.

You like the mall, I like the stable.

You like the movie theatres, I like the horse shows.

You like hiking, I like trail riding.

You like diamonds, I like horses.

You like boys, I like geldings.

You cry over break ups, I cry over colic.

You like Abercrombie & Fitch perfume, I like the barn smell.

You cry when your favourite shoes don't fit, I cry when my horse throws a shoe.

You go to hair salons, while I am plaiting my horses tail.

I love horses. The thrill of jumping, the beauty of dressage, the rush of barrel racing.

You play all of those other sports.

Basketball, volley ball, tennis, soccer, hockey and lacrosse.

And you complain your team mate isn't working with you, helping you out like they should be.

Try working with a partner who out weighs you be 1000lbs or more. Just try working with a team mate who can't speak to you. Try holding back 1000lbs of horse power.

Basketball players jam wrists and fingers, volley ball players break wrists, tennis players hurts elbows, soccer players hurt ankles, hockey and lacrosse players come off the rink with bruises.

Us horse back riders, risk it all. Horses land on us and were dead, we got our feet caught in the stirrup and are dragged. We get throw head first over a 5 foot jump. And sometimes our horses and ponies just don't care. They will have no part of us being on thier backs.

And you say anyone can jump a 5 foot water jump. Or " I could get a horse to do that flying change thing" or sometimes even " I would have been able to keep that barrel up"

Oh Ya? Hold on a second while I go catch my horse, who just threw me on the ground and is now running around like a wild maniac. Ya...... I' ll be back.


I am not trying to be mean to people who play tennis, hockey, basketball etc. But please, don't say what we do is not a sport. It takes us years of practise and concentration to get where we are and we don't need you downing us on it.
 
they are all just jealous that they do not have the mental capacity to be able to do what we do!!!!!!!!!! they don't understand because they think the only way something is a sport is if it involves running and throwing objects!!!!!!
 
agreeing with the group on this matter.maybe you should place a saddle on those who state it isn't a sport and let the horses ride them
 
I totally disagree with you.
Horseback riding shouldn't be done by schedule, you should have a passion in it! You can't just show-up at the barn every Saturday morning and have your lesson and go home. That's not what makes a good rider OR horse owner. You have to get down and dirty, you have to show-up all the time, and you have to LOVE it and not care what muck lies in the way!
I mean, whenever I come home after a long day at the barn with a huge grin on my face, the first thing my kids say is, "Mom, you STINK."
My husband says, "Holly, that's a terrible smell."
And I just shrug because I LOVE the smell of horses, dirty or clean!
I ride at an Olympic stable in Canada. Let me tell you, they KNOW its a sport, but the one thing they say to EVERYONE is, "riding isn't just a sport. It's not really a hobby either. Its consistent passion." They compete in the Olympics and other Intermediate leveled events, and no one there thinks of it as a sport. They take their best friend, (their horse), they spend all day and night keeping them safe and getting them ready, they take them to a show, they talk to them as if they are people, (as I do, too) and we treat them like they're sensible humans too.
I totally agree with your whole comparison list, too. I'd also have to add in that I'd rather go spend a whole day at the barn with my horses than to hangout with friends. After a stressful conversation I just pack up my riding things, come to the barn, help everyone there, and ride. It's the best reliever from stressful life situations.
Even when I was pregnant, people always told me I was insane to keep riding, but I didn't care. My horse seemed to know I was carrying and was SO careful with me! At one point he even lowered his head to sniff my stomach and then he nickered and it was a kodak moment. A friend of mine filmed it and I just watch it over and over again.
And when I rode, he was quieter than usual, he just did whatever I asked and you could FEEL that he had this slower, easygoing feeling to it. Like when we walked, it felt as though he was WATCHING where he put his feet so he wouldn't trip, and every step was so soft and light, it was such a smooth and safe ride.
Even now, my daughter, now that she's born so many years later, she still adores that horse and he just LOVES her back.
Horses are more than a tool for this "sport", they are the most intelligent animals alive.
Which explains why I have 6 horses/ponies and I just adore them to death! They are so smart and spunky, I feel like they're just my family. And they are.
& I agree with you once more, it does take YEARS AND YEARS to accomplish this! It's not something that weekly lessons will do, you need to put your sweat and blood into it before you get results. It's definately not a sport in all respects. I look at competing as a bunch of people coming together to show what they & their horse have accomplished and have come to show the judges and get feedback, never as a competition.
 
It really simple. People who say that have never been on a horse and really ride. Once they do they never say that again.
 
Omg i hate when people say that.. like my cousin is like riding isnt a sport and im like mhm ya because its in the olympics? and then theres my dad who says its as much work as shifting my joy stick in the car.... Oh it makes me so so mad lol Like if they think its so easy then get on a horse but of course they always say no ...
 
i agree i say put them on a horse for 10min and when they come off they will have aching muscles they never even knew they had!! i really liked the other sports/activities vs horseback riding thing u did!! awesome!!
 
in my sport, we dont have breaks or timeouts, theres no off season and no one sits out on the bench. We dont postpone because of weather and we dont quit on account of injury. I dont ever talk to my teammate, we communicate without words. We dont practice 5 hours a week, more like 5 hours a day, 6 days a week. All my sport really is, is galloping full speed, finding distances, swapping leads, spinning, doing the required pattern exactly how it is written, and looking good doing it. If you think that running, jumping, shooting, or throwing a ball or anything else is more difficult than sitting on an animal that weighs 10 times as much as you with a mind of its own while riding full speed towards a solid stationary object that stands taller than you do is harder? Prove it to me. I dare you to get on my horse and do what I do. We're dedicated and gutsy. We fall, and get right back up there and do it until its right.

Pretty much sums it up right there :)
 
I know! They are like the ultimate sport! They think you can hop on and gallop into the sunset? WRONG! It takes so much practice and hard work and determination to learn and perfect it!
 
I don't know how people can say riding isn't a sport! If any thing its one of the hardest sports out there, its not like soccer players have to worry about the ball crushing them, unlike horse back riders where when our horse falls on us then were dead!
 
My dad said this once, It really pissed me off so I arranged for him to ride my friend's horse. He fell off in 5 minutes, and I'd barely even started on him.
He's shut up since then.
 
I hate it when people say that. I just started riding and it's a lot of work. It's takes skills and muscles. And it's a sport because it's in the Olympics. People think it looks easy but it isn't. My cousin said "Oh, that's so easy!" and got on my friend's horse. She almost fell off. She didn't even know how to steer. Riding is just like any other sport, you have to learn and practice to become great at it. My brother is on our school's basketball team and it took him lots of practice to get good.
 
LOL i love this =) i actually sat and read the whole thing =p
thank-you for giving me something to say to those people that just dont understand why i get so peed off when my horse is misbehaving and they just say 'get a new one!'
Horses arent like rackets or balls or men...A horse is really for life!!!
Thank-you Thank-you Thank-you!!!
=D x
 
I think what's important is not the opinion of others - worrying about what others think is wasted time. What will you gain by changing their own opinion?

Personally, there are some activities with horses that I DO consider a sport while there are others I don't consider a sport. If you want to get technical, what's the Webster's definition of "sport" and does what you are doing with your horse fit that definition.

I'm 42 years old and I've learned that what others think of me is not as important as what I think of myself. I set my goals and define my success not for them but for myself. Who's to say I've been successful or not? I live my life for me, not for you.

So my opinion of this question and I have to ask is 'what the heck does it matter what they think". Are you having fun, does what you're doing give you pleasure and help you grow and learn? Why worry about the rest of the world's opinion? Spend less time and energy worrying about things you can't control and instead focus on the things you can control. You'll have less stress and wasted energy then.
 
Back
Top