Horse Sports

Horse Sports and Riding Disciplines are listed Below; click on each for breed history, photos, and breed association links.

Since 1100 B. C ( Iron Age), various horse sports and the skills of horsemen and horses, have been honed through games, races and other competitions.  Surely there is little doubt that such sport occurred even earlier.  The role of sports has greatly exceeded simply entertainment; at first, it increased excellence in horsemanship that gained great rewards on the battlefield.  Societies that could mount large cavalries had an enormous advantage over those less prepared. Competition helped hone the skills of soldiers and generated improvements in equipment and breeding that time after time altered the outcome of history.

Of course not all horse sports had their origin in military training. Hunting and even competitive jumping grew from the necessity of hunting. Rodeo began as a way of demonstrating the skills needed on ranches and farms and the necessity of moving and handling food animals.  Horse pulls also came as a way to demonstrate skills needed survival and the growing of towns and countries. Harness racing began with spontaneous competition between drivers on the roads.   

Horse sports, because of the motivation to gain a competitive edge, have given rise to numerous improvements through the centuries. Improved tack is streamlined, more effective and better suited to varied tasks.  Lighter weight vehicles stems from early chariot racing into the harness racing industry of today. Horse supplies, horse health and care have all improved and continue to do so. 

Since it is true that mankind relied greatly on the horse from the time of its domestication ( over 6,000 years ago) until the turn of the 20th century, horse sports have also provided links with the past and the maintenance of skills which otherwise would have most likely declined or even disappeared. Some equestrian sports span a history of three thousand years.

However,  the most notable effect of the various horse sports of the world, is the systematic development of horse breeds, with improvements to the horse in refinement, intelligence, and beauty, coupled with the astounding sophistication of improvement in the communication between man and horse – a direct result of all forms of equestrian sports. 

Return to Main Horse Breeds page.

HORSE SPORTS: