The Risks
Every sport has its risks, and they do need to be acknowledged.
Horseback riding can be physically dangerous. Horses are stronger than us and outweigh us. Acceptance of this risk is fairly high because of the common view of horses as unpredictable, fearful, and dangerous. Kirrilly Thompson explains the danger of the combination of the acceptance of this risk and low outrage – or in other words, there is a wide-spread recognition of risk but a high degree of complacency or inaction.
Thompson focuses on mitigating this risk by improving the predictability of horses and raising rider’s competence in the physical skills that make them more resilient to injury and falls. Thompson would likely approve of both Cho and Bass’s (who studied elderly riders and autistic children respectively) methods because in both studies the beginner riders had a person leading the horse and two side-walkers (who keep an arm over the rider’s leg while mounted).
This reduces the risk of riding in both studies and still allows the benefits which is what Thompson is arguing for.
In addition to the physical risk, there is a mental risk due to a sometimes toxic environment. Toni Torres-McGehee examines the risk of developing an eating disorder. Competitions in the equestrian world are very subjective and it is an aesthetic sport, so thinner riders will often place higher. The advertisements often only use skinny models. A typical example is like this:
Torres-McGehee examines the prevalence of eating disorders among collegiate level riders. Eating disorder prevalence was found in 42% of the total sample,
“Overall, participants perceived their body images as significantly larger than their actual physical sizes (self-reported BMI) and wanted to be significantly smaller in both normal clothing and competitive uniforms” (Torres-McGehee).
This can be particularly dangerous especially as risk among this demographic (college age women) is already high for eating disorders.
As a heavier woman, I have felt the effects of my weight in this community. I’ve never had a trainer tell me I have to loose weight, but I have been too heavy to ride smaller horses. I have lost competitions, not for a lack of riding ability, but for being the heaviest rider in the ring. It is a danger for women to develop eating disorders. You need to find the right trainer for you and be aware of the warning signs from people around you.
The study concludes by urging instructors to be aware of their words, not comment on riders’ bodies, and be aware of the warning signs.
Thompson and Torres-McGehee are both examining the risks of riding, but they are only arguing for instructors and professionals to be careful, they are not urging people to stop riding horses. They both acknowledge the benefits of being an equestrian, they are examining the potential risks and what behaviors people in the field can enact to reduce this risk.