Since elementary school, I’ve been hearing the age-old argument that equestrians are not real athletes, and I have never been able to wrap my head around such rhetoric. Do we not engage in physical activity? Do we not coordinate our minds with our bodies to reach a common goal? Do people really think we just “sit there and let the horse do all the work”? Boy, have I got a surprise for you.
Riding horses is vigorous exercise, and it demands a steel core, powerful legs, steady shoulders, strong arms, flexibility, endurance, and a refusal to take any crap. We deal with hard falls, strained muscles, and animals that have the ability to blow our knees out with one kick. I have personally been hurled onto fences, standards, and even walls. I have had horses fall out from under me after losing their footing on landing jumps. I have been kicked, bitten, stepped on, slammed, and slobbered on. And I’m no stranger to dirt.
I don’t think people have the right attitude regarding how much outside aid support it takes to keep a stiff horse from collapsing out of a frame. I don’t think there is a proper understanding of the arm and core strength required to lunge a green horse. Ever lift a saddle? Didn’t think so. You lift weights? Try lifting a 2,000-pound animal off the forehand.
So, next time you want to tell the nearest equestrian that his/her/their sport is irrelevant, consider the malice that is our bodies. Consider the toughness of what we do. Most of all, consider that we’re capable of a lot more than you might think. Thus, I present five reasons why you should never mess with an equestrian:
We could crush your skull with our thighs.
We have a high pain tolerance.
We’re not easily intimidated.
We have better balance.
Our allies are powerful.
So try us. We’ll get a kick out of it.