Equestrians are widespread across the entire planet, and there are many misconceptions about them. Most people only know that they ride horses, and have no idea what else being an equestrian involves. First off, they guide a 1000 pound animal through risky situations. They also have to haul 45 pound bags of hay and grain around every day. They have to lift saddles, push wheelbarrows full of manure, and set up heavy wood logs. Being an equestrian is a lot of work, as they have to care for their horses as well as ride them.

A few sports in horse riding are horse ball, dressage, hunt seat, western games, endurance, and pleasure. Jumping, dressage, western, and endurance all have different tack purposed for them. Saddles have to be shaped a certain way for certain activities, to keep the horse and rider comfortable and in top condition. Each sport comes with its own risks. In racing and jumping horses have broken legs, crushed their riders, or had other serious accidents. Safety wise, dressage, western, and pleasure are the better sports for new riders, but sometimes a challenge is fun. There are even obstacle courses to compete in. Some riding clubs host makeover shows, where students compete to train horses.

          Riding is also not as simple as it sounds. Horses still have wild instincts and equestrians have to deal with all the stunts their horses pull. From bucking and refusing jumps to bolting, they have thold their ground and get their animals back into control. Just recently two teenage horse eventing stars died from a fall with their horse during practice, an example of how dangerous the sport really is. A typical day in the life of an equestrian includes waking up at 5am for chores, setting up obstacles, tacking up, and riding. Not to mention on show weekends they have to clean their trailers and haul their horses. Overall, while having a horse is hard work it’s very much worth it.