by Lindsey Valdiviez

“You just sit there.”

“The horse does all the work.”

“You don’t do anything”

“It’s not even a sport.”

This is what I hear from my 13-year-old twin younger brothers about every week. They consider my hobby, my lifestyle and my future to be nothing more than just sitting in the saddle and looking pretty. Their argument is understandable, though, because their hobby, lifestyle and future lies with wrestling. Their concept of sport is proving to your opponents that you have the utmost muscle power and will to easily take them down.

Though horseback riding seems easy and boring to those with this concept of sports, it is far from that. No, I do not come out of the show ring drenched in sweat or breathing heavily or with a bloody nose, but that doesn’t mean that showing horses isn’t just as challenging. Horsemanship, one of the many classes at a horse show, requires extreme precision and skill from both the rider and the horse. You must successfully pilot a horse through a pattern without moving your legs, arms or gaze, all the while making it look effortless to the judges that scrutinize your every move. Not only must you have impeccable posture, but you must be able to communicate with a 1,200 pound animal using only your spurs and one hand. Not to mention that a horse is capable of bucking you off into the dirt whenever they feel like it.

I myself also participate in one of the most physically grueling sports out there – cross country running. Even after doing this sport, that has literally broken my foot and drained the iron from my body, I still consider equestrian just as much of a sport.

I will admit, my horse is often much more tired after a ride than I am, but that doesn’t discount the fact that showing requires so much preparation. On top of making myself presentable on show day, my horse (and his fake tail) needs at least two baths, his mane braided, and his hooves painted. My horse also needs to be ridden at least five days a week leading up to a show to ensure that he is totally prepared on show day to enter an arena with around 20 other horses at once. The fact that horse showing requires the intense preparation of both the horse and the rider is one of the main reasons it is undoubtedly a sport. So the next time you’re getting cleaned up for a track race or a golf tournament, be thankful you only have yourself to worry about and not another anxious animal.

Within the past 15 years, Equestrian has earned its spot on the national collegiate level. Six colleges began to feature equestrian as an NCAA sport back in 1998, and there are currently 23 colleges that offer equestrian as a varsity sport, according to varsityequestrian.com. Just like other NCAA sports, Equestrian teams have competitions in which riders go head to head against riders from other schools. Just like other sports, Equestrian teams have conference championships. Just like other sports, Equestrian teams have a national championship. Just like other sports, girls compete who have a passion for their sport and who love it enough to practice five days a week out of their busy college schedule.

Choose what you may as your standards for a sport. I understand that others have different ideas of what classifies a sport. But don’t discredit those that do what they love. I don’t wake up with sore arms, legs and hands from something that isn’t a sport. I don’t spend five days a week riding and spending time with my horse for something that isn’t a sport. I don’t dream everyday about going to college to be on a team who competes for something that isn’t a sport. However, I don’t let others discrimination keep me from doing what I love.