The Latin word equitatio came to Spanish as equitation and is used to refer to the discipline linked to the management of a horse . It is a specialty of horse riding that is usually treated as either an art or a sport and in whose practice the athletes (called horsemen, if they are women; riders, if they are men) must give proof of their skill when it comes to riding. riding a horse overcoming various challenges that depend on each competition.
For example: “My daughter has been attending riding school since she was 8 years old,” “The fifth date of the National Riding Tournament will take place next weekend at Club El Progreso,” “The riding teacher told me a series of exercises to strengthen my arms.”
In the sporting discipline of horse riding, exams are carried out to evaluate the good work of riders and horses. They not only rate the rider's position and posture when riding, but also their abilities to relate to the animal . It is therefore very important that a close relationship has been established between both participants, because the better this is, the better the results will be.
The International Equestrian Federation is the body in charge of establishing the regulations for the competitions and setting the evaluation criteria. It should be noted that horse riding is present in the Olympic Games through three disciplines : equestrian jumping (the rider must guide the horse to jump certain obstacles in a certain order), classical dressage (the animal has to execute the commands of the rider in a balanced and harmonious manner) and the complete course (which combines equestrian jumping, classical dressage and the modality known as cross-country).
According to various studies, horse riding is a sport that provides many benefits to humans as it helps improve posture, tones muscles, burns calories, strengthens the cardiovascular system and minimizes stress. However, it also has detractors, since in order to be realized it requires the domination and deprivation of freedom of another living being.
Ethics and horsemanship
In recent years, numerous debates have developed around the ethics of this sport . As with other disciplines where animals are tortured for the amusement of human beings, horse riding has been called into question.
If we analyze it from a biological point of view, we can sense that it is not natural for one species to obey another , especially given that in this case it is not a decision in which the interest of both is taken into account but only that of the dominant. Aside from that, and although today training methods have become less aggressive, the intention to dominate and demand obedience from a species that would naturally be indifferent to us is, at the very least, questionable.
Horse riding poses certain risks for animals. Not only are the training demands to which they are exposed to be sometimes physically exhausting , but in addition, in many cases they are given certain supplements to improve their performance, which (and especially their abuse) in the long term result in physical ailments and health problems.
On the other hand, even disregarding the gadgets intended for this activity (including the saddle, bits and spurs), the discomfort and ailments that this exchange can cause to horses are common knowledge. And, although attempts are made to maintain a certain secrecy around the subject, there are numerous documents that show how harmful the world of equestrianism can be for horses.
Taking all this into account, we could conclude by saying that horse riding is not good for horses and is therefore unethical because it does not respect their rights or vital needs.