Human and equine, rider and steed: the partnership between humans and horses has evolved from comrades in war, companions in fieldwork, as it’s now become the sport and profession of equestrians across the world.
The 2008 Beijing Olympics marked the introduction of horse riding as a sport in China. It was then, that millions of Chinese families witnessed the beauty of horse riding – the elegance of a gallop, the explosion of a leap, the delicate equity between controlled excitement, and unleashable ferity. Since then, China’s equestrian scene has bloomed. In fact, according to the Chinese Horse Fair’s 2019 report, 2608 equestrian clubs now scatter the country, with well over 20 equestrian clubs located in the outskirts of Beijing.
Jump Lauren, jump!
But of course, everything comes at a price – horse riding, especially so. Notorious for being a ‘money-burning’ endeavor, a one-hour class in Beijing usually costs around RMB 400. A beginner’s set of equipment, including a helmet, riding gloves, boots and breeches, costs at a minimum of around RMB 2,000. And, if you ever find yourself thinking about purchasing and owning a horse, the sizable financial investment that comes with it will be sure to shatter your daydreams.
So, true, it’s a splurge to take up the sport. Yet, here’s one equestrian telling you to take it up. Why? Why get into horse riding? What makes this sport so enticing?
You hear that?
The Proximity to Nature
If you’ve never ridden a horse, you’ve probably seen somebody do it. Watching from afar, the whole process is sleek and silent, and you’d imagine it to be that way for the horse and rider too. In reality, riding a horse has the visual and aural impact of a thunderstorm – a heavy combination of bumps like crashing waves, rasp grunts and neighs, clouds of smoky dust blown up by rhythmic thudding. There is no experience quite like it; when a human comes into such close contact with a living and breathing beast twice its size, taming, communicating, working together… it’s easily the best lesson nature could offer.
Activates Dormant Muscles
When riding, your heels should be down, chin, up, shoulders this way, hips the other, your arms down but always relaxed. As you lock into that initially awkward, unnatural position, your inner thighs, pelvic muscles, and core receive an intense workout, all at the same time. While an experienced rider looks totally relaxed and at ease, I would argue that equestrian sport demands more from the athlete – motor skills, coordination, endurance, and muscular strength – than many other sports.
A Philosophical Journey?
It’s a strangely hypnotic experience to be perched on a 1-meter pedestal, towering over bushes and sometimes even trees, rocked by the rhythms of a four-hooved stroll. I say hypnotic because many have dozed off on horseback and even fallen off on occasion. But even for those who are wide awake, the swaying and rocking motion lends itself to reflection, and you find yourself musing over up fond memories and deep thoughts, as you slowly retreat into yourself, forgetting about other things for a moment.
Equality! (to Some Extent)
Men are still overrepresented in governing bodies and positions of authority that relate to equestrian sports, and the philosophies and traditions of the sports are still largely rooted in a male perspective. But in theory, equestrian sport respects gender equality. It’s currently one of only two Olympic categories in which men and women compete directly against each other, and according to the same rules (sailing is the second sport).
In the sporting world, where most female athletes make a fraction of the salary of their male counterparts, where women are underestimated, undervalued, where women teams are under-funded and under-marketed, mixed-sex sports like horseriding opens up a new road.
If you’re intrigued and would like to know more, call up any equestrian club, the most professional (and most expensive) option available being Equules International Riding Club, but other clubs such as the Red Knight Equestrian Club being equally as good and a bit more affordable, an excellent option for beginners.
Equules International Riding Club: 84590263
Red Knight Equestrian Club: 84595908
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Photos: Unsplash, Lauren Zhou