Have you ever been on a horse dude? When you're actually riding it's a lot of freaking work. You try juping two and a half feet for nearly an hour!

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Then I guess formula 1 and NASCAR aren't sports either. I mean the car does all the work right?

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Well, yeah I mean, if the people were doing the sport, wouldn't they be getting fit from it? Not from the training they do PRIOR to the event? Therefore proven that NASCAR isn't a sport rather, about 20 nut jobs going as fast as they can.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I don't watch NASCAR, but I'm pretty sure that's a sport. Those guys sit in cars that reach temperature as high as 140 (that's not engine temperature, that's where they sit and drive) for up to 5 hours. You might not call it exercise, but that is incredibly physically demanding. They also have to have incredible reaction speeds to drive 5 feet from a bunch of other cars while going 200 MPH.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

(o.O) some people consider chess a sport, and I'm pretty sure horseback riding is more exercise than that..... Dressage and jumping are most definitely sports..... I think a sport is something that involves training of some kind and competition....

by Anonymous 13 years ago

For something to be a sport it does not have to involve strenous physical activity.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Try riding competitivly, it works abdominals, legs, and arms. So get off it.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

And explain to me WHY people who ride a horse for the first time cannot walk the day after. And the eq kids at my barn are way athletic.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I find that the only people who say that riding isn't a sport are those who haven't cantered and jumped a horse for an hour. You really would be amazed at how physically demanding horseback riding is for the rider. And it isn't all the horse - the rider has to successfully convey EXACTLY what the horse must do and maintain their balance and muscle as well in order to keep a peaceful and decent gait going. While most of the physical-ness of horseback riding goes to the horse, it is a lot of mental thinking and decisions for the rider. It's most definitely a sport, I can assure you. Just because you have no competitive riding experience and don't understand how difficult it is doesn't mean it isn't.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Even trotting for an hour will burn off the same amount of calories that jogging for an hour will. You also work out your arm when bumping your horse's head down (especially when just teaching them or getting them back into the groove of things after winter.) My arms, legs and abs are exhausted by the time I'm done riding. The only relaxing riding I get is on trail, and even then I have to watch my horse's head set. People need to actually understand what they're talking about before making stupid assumptions.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I'm going to go ahead and assume you've never ridden competitively, because if you had you wouldn't be saying that.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Barrel racing, jumping, and dressage are sports. Pleasure just isn't. You can definatly tell, just by looking at people, if they've rode horses before or if it's their first time. Only certain things about horse riding are sports.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Ok let's just make all the un athletic people happy and call horseback riding a sport. On one conditon..its considered one the least athletic.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Are you kidding? Do you ever see obese riders? When I go to riding shows, I'm one of the biggest people there and I'm only 135. You're completely making that up. Riders are some of the most athletic people.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I guess until you ride you really don't get it ..

by Anonymous 13 years ago

yeah, YOU try loping over ground poles with 10 other riders in the ring, all while looking like it's the easiest thing ever. only people who have never ridden think it's easy.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

You are seriously kidding right? My legs are rock solid from horseback riding. It does make you fit.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

i can't believe so many people here actually spend their time riding horses...and defending the 'sport'..

by Anonymous 13 years ago

@692895 (Vivideventer): Excuse me, hey. You're an ass.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

excuse me, hey. you're actually offended? get a life.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

uhm, calm yourself, if a post made my someone you don't know makes you mad, its a bit sad, i dont know you so im not gonna insult you,but seriously, its a post.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

ok you wouldn't understand how annoying it is to hear people say your hard work extreme amounts time and yes physical exertion isn't hard or tiring or even a sport unless you actually have done the sport (yes I am commenting 2 years later) because this means a lot to me saying it is only the horse doing work it like saying soccer isn't a sport because its the ball is the one being kicked around. Yea the horse works just as hard but the rider is working extremely hard as well when people say I'm not working hard when I have been for years I get mad. How would you feel if you ran a marathon and someone told you you weren't really working at all what you were doing was actually easy and it's not a sport you just moved your feet back and forth you'd probably be angry because they had no idea what they were talking about...

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Your ignorance pains me

by Anonymous 10 years ago

To the people that dont believe its a sport; have you ever been on a horse? A real hunter or jumper? Not a freaking 16 yr old pony ride horse a real sport horse? Have you ever been flung 10ft in the air, hit the ground then want to get back on? Have you ever risked your life for a sport? Have you ever flewn straight towards a 4ft wooden/metal jump that probobly ways more than you? Ill tell you it doesn't feel like landing on clouds when you fall off and hit one of those things. Have you ever trusted something so unpredictable? Sonething with a mind if its own? We're not talking about the petty ponies jumping cross rails, were talking about 1000lbs animals jumping 10 4ft HARD fences in under a minute. This animal could potentially kill you any time it pleases just my stepping on you. So tell me have you ever communicated with a giant using only body language and a bit of leather? What sport do you play, huh? Softball? Basketball? Next time you play one of those sports and your ball flings you to the ground then you can talk to me.

by Anonymous 10 years ago