Why Horse Riding Is A Sport.

                                Why Horse Riding Is A Sport.

Some people out there believe that horse riding is NOT a sport. I am here to say why it IS a sport. Firstly if you fall off a horse you can get very and I mean VERY serious injuries and I may sound crazy but you can possibly die.  

                     Sporting Events In Horse Riding

Firstly there is the western style of events. You may see these events at rodeos and things like that. There is barrel racing and that is where you gallop around barrels and sometimes there are flags on them that you need to collect when you gallop past. Then there is trick riding where the horse gallops around in a circle around the arena and the rider does gymnastic like moves on the horse. The trickiest move is called The Hippodrone where you stand up on the saddle and the horse gallops around the arena. Another event is dressage and the easiest  is called The Prep C Test where you ride to letters around the arena but it is only in a working trot and free walk where the rider drops the reins and the horse does a fast walk to the letters around the arena. There are many dressage competitions, events and test that you can enter. There are also jump competitions you can enter if on horse you can jump over 10cm. There is also cross country where the horse does not stop galloping over obstacles but it is very dangerous because the jumps are stuck in the ground so if the horse trips it could cause serious injuries. In cross country there are water jumps which are jumps that after you go over them you land in a small pool of water. There is also horse racing which I don't think I have to explain.

                           Things You Must Wear To Be Safe  

1) Helmet for head protection

2) Gloves (optional) for extra grip

3) Boots either long or short it doesn't matter

4) Long socks (also optional) for good leg grip

5) Chaps (optional) they help for grip and if your stirrups pinch

6) Any shirt but most riders wear a polo shirt

7) Jodphers or brechers or riding tights but preferably ones that have grip

8) Crop or a whip for if you need the horse to go faster or it isn't doing as told.                  

                           Why Horse Riding Is Hard Work 

Firstly, you have to squeeze your legs to make the horse go but if the horse isn't listening you have to kick the horse once because you don't want to confuse the horse. If the horse still not listening you must hit the horse with the crop/whip. When cantering you must melt into the saddle which takes very hard work. When rise trotting you rise when trotting, basically you rise up and down whilst trotting. There is also sitting trot which is a bit harder than rising trot,