Horses As a Sport
Index:
Horse nutrition requirements
Guide to buying a horse
Preventing colic in horses
Guide to buying a horse at auction
Horse bucking training
Calming your horse the right way
Basic horse training guide
Horse training bad habits kicking
Free horse training lessons
Free horse training information
Online horse training tips
Horse trick training
Horse saddle parts for sale
Finished cutting horses for sale
Horse training rearing up
Horses certainly played a big part in the development of the human civilization. These gallant animals have graced the landscapes of history whether as transportation medium and vehicles of war. In present times, horses are not so relevant because we have developed technologies to do everything that they would do.
Yet these animals still grace the farms, and become the start of any circus arena and used in fairs and show, giving rides to children. People still regularly use horses as riding animals and this popularity has remained unchanged over the ages. Riding a horse in ancient Rome puts you at par with the nobleman. Equestrians today refer to the people who involve themselves in several horseback sports.
It is not possible for you to become an equestrian without knowing about equestrianism in this age. It refers to the ability to ride and drive horses. To be an equestrian, you can even use your horse for practical work and not just for sports and recreation. It is not just the sport arena that defines an equestrian because a true equestrian will have several talents.
In ancient and medieval times, horses did lots of jobs. Horses were used prominently in both the battlefield and in times of peace. They were used from transportation, agriculture and warfare. Rome was a place where equestrians were considered privileged. Owning a precious horse in the past meant that you had money and you could afford spending it for getting your manual jobs done. They were members of a social upper class in Rome. These people were the knights. The cavalrymen were parts of the military as well as the political factions because they got their salaries from the government.
Following the expansion of Rome, it began leaning more on its allies for their horsemen. Losing out on their functions, the equestrians also lost out on their military standing. These nobles, who were now nobles only in title, did not participate in any wars. They were rich and governed the provinces and at that time they were equal to senators.
Senators of those times had powers in the law offices, but they could not earn any kind of business money or profits. Equestrians were allowed their own investment ventures and also to levy taxes on agricultural companies. Both these classes naturally began to oppose each other. While the equestrians made money, senators complained of overtaxing. In the times of the civil wars, these two parties communed but they got their own orders and a reformation process began.
In present times, the equestrians are showing their mettle in the Olympics sports. Just as in old times, even today horseback riding is only a forte of the rich. Even in this day, horses are expensive.
The main equestrian events are show jumping, eventing and dressage. Dressage in the professional field involves making horses obey commands when it is running. People who watch this sport in action call it as the ballet of the horse. By combining the physical initiative of the horse with its natural ability to perform, the potentiality of the horse is increased. Show jumping requires the equestrian to make the horse leap over several impediments with the lowest number of mistakes. These riders and their steeds should clear the obstacles knocking over the fewest obstacles.
In an eventing sport, riders will have to perform tasks of both, dressage as well as show jumping. Several obstacles will need to be covered in the littlest amount of time possible – these obstacles may include water, logs, walls, etc. The meaning of equestrian has changed over the ages, but still it is much venerated and respected.
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