<p>My 17 year old daughter has been riding horses and competing in various equestrian events since she was in grade school. She is now quite an accomplished rider and plans to try out for the equestrian team at her university when she matriculates in the fall. She related her plan to a friend who responded by saying that “equestrian is not a sport.” The friend’s theory is that the horse, not the rider, is the athlete. My daughter thinks that this is nonsense. In support of her position, she points out that the university’s equestrian team is NCAA Division I, that athletic scholarships are offered, that equestrian team members have cardio and weight training requirements just like team members on more traditional sports teams, and that not just anyone can just climb onto the back of a 1,000 pound animal and make it perform everything from barrel racing to dressage to show jumping, etc., etc., etc. I thought this debate would make for an interesting CC post. What does everyone think?</p>
<p>It’s in the Olympics, it’s a sport. It’s not nearly as physically demanding as, say, soccer or swimming, but I would say that it is a sport. Unlike, oh, cheerleading.</p>
<p>I agree. Equestrian: sport. Cheerleading: Not.</p>
<p>cameliasinensis has just replied to a thread you have subscribed to
entitled - Is Equestrian A Sport? - in the College Confidential Cafe forum
of College Discussion:</p>
<p>Here is the message that has just been posted:</p>
<hr>
<p>I don’t want to get involved in yet another argument about this, but as
someone who’s been riding for over ten years (though not
competitively), I absolutely consider it a sport. Those who disagree need to get on a
horse, do an hour of no-stirrup flatwork, and experience a new level of
muscle soreness the next day(s) before even having an opinion. :eek:</p>
<p>Yes, I did write that. I deleted my post because I’ve been involved in 57493805934 arguments on this topic and decided to spare myself the hassle of another one.</p>
<p>Oops, sorry. I thought CC screwed up and failed to post it. I thought you made a good point!</p>
<p>oh, okay… no worries then :)</p>
<p>I guess it’s a sport. It sort of sucks that most people can’t play/do it though. You either have to be really rich or just have the advantage of having stables and all of that.</p>
<p>A kid from the city would not be able to do the sport.</p>
<p>I live in a city, but there are stables outside of it (mine is a 20-minute drive away). I agree that it’s ridiculously expensive in the US – I used to ride in Sweden for a fraction of the price – which is why I don’t compete and only take lessons for part of the year. My parents’ employer has actually reimbursed us for it the last two years since they pay for k-12 education and my riding lessons fulfill my school’s physical education requirement (and are therefore an educational expense)… which is really nice. :D</p>
<p>I just want to say, I am not rich!!!</p>
<p>I have four horses at home and I too agree that it is most definitely a sport. I have been riding… for uhm… a good 7 or 8 years, and let me just say, anyone who thinks that it isn’t a sport or that it isn’t physically demanding, why don’t you try it. I’ve made some of my friends ride who have said that it isn’t a sport… let’s just say that the don’t anymore. </p>
<p>I can understand the whole argument part of it, I’ve gone through that too, and I can understand how it isn’t worth it. </p>
<p>Anyway, Equestrian is a sport. period.</p>
<p>How can you in the same post say you are not rich and then say you have 4 horses. </p>
<p>How much do horses cost including stables food and all that? Wow, just wow.</p>
<p>I disagree with you guys. I don’t think Equestrian is a sport. </p>
<p>Also this:
</p>
<p>is a ridiculous argument. You’re telling me that ‘Ice Dancing’ is a sport? ‘Trampolining’? ‘Race Walking’? Seriously. . .</p>
<p>Ice skating is a sport.</p>
<p>To the OP: Who cares. Anyone who needs to ask this question is obviously insecure about the athletic validity of what they are doing. Some people don’t think gymnastics is a sport. But does it really matter? Gymnasts know it requires phenomenal levels of athletic ability, so I doubt they even give a damn what others think. Others who, I might add, are usually fat messes themselves, in either relative or absolute terms.</p>
<p>Personally I don’t think equestrian is a sport because the horse does the bulk of the work while the human hangs on for the ride and wears a cheesy costume. But I wouldn’t say it’s easy; I did it once and my nuts weren’t too happy about it. I love ultimate frisbee and some people don’t consider that a sport either, even though it requires as much athleticism as soccer, which I also play. Not that I care, because it really doesn’t matter what other people think. Just do what you want and enjoy it. </p>
<p>If someone wants to make fun or has a problem with it just politely tell them to go have sexual intercourse with themself. Often it’s just the encouragement they need to mind their own business and stop infringing on your right to enjoy what you like to do.</p>
<p>Yes, it’s a sport. Friend had 2 D’s who got full-ride athletic scholarships. One was for volleyball. The other was for equestrian. And I agree w/ pachisi…it’s in the Olympics, it’s a sport. (of course, there are also a lot of sports that aren’t in the olympics, too…) Requiring physical/mental/coordinative skill and lots of practice, training, etc.??? </p>
<p>Although I enjoy watching Poker on T.V., I can’t call it a sport, however…</p>
<p>I’d agree with it being a sport.</p>
<p>You know what I’d like to see? Equestrian without the horses. But with the costumes. And the mud. And like 5 people competing at once, incidental contact allowed. They could call it… Pedestrian. (see, still sounds dignified and upper class)</p>
<p>That would certainly sell television advertising slots. It would be a solid workout too, for those amateurs who don’t make it to tv/olympic level.</p>
<p>Neither one is a sport. Both are for show, and the result is judged, not scored. It has (at a minimum) to be objectively scored in order to be a sport.</p>
<p>
By this standard, luge and toboggan would not qualify as “sports” either.</p>
<p>Clearly, the university and the NCAA consider it a sport, so why would anyone care about uniformed opinions of those who have not participated in equestrian sport?</p>
<p>It is a sport… but why bother to argue with someone who has never tried it? If the two of you got up on the same horse and tried to ride the same course or execute the same maneuvers, you would obviously dust the person who has never ridden. It is an activity that requires physical body control, muscle memory, and practice. You can compete in it at the college and Olympic level. Duh.</p>