Trot, Canter, Wealth and Power

My opinion on the industry

I have always had an underlying issue with horseback riding, no matter how much I love it. The second barn I rode at, we rode horses who were way cheaper than most and did a lot of local shows. I was unaware of the wealth and the world that was out there until I moved to the barn I am currently at. I realized how wealthy one had to be to even be competitive in the show circle. You have to be ready to drop a good chunk of money if you ever want to be competitive or move up into these highly competitive classes.

Wealth in the higher levels

The higher levels of show jumping actually allow you to win millions of dollars in prize money and fame, but you have to spend so much money to even get to that point and the chance of you winning is so slight. According to Business Insider, Equestrian jumping has long been associated with royalty. Really only the wealthiest families can afford to participate in this sport, especially at such competitive levels. Good horses can cost anything from mid-five figures to high six figures.

Issues that arise from this wealth

There are many issues that come from having this much money in the sport. A lot of kids just get thee nice horses handed to them, without having to do anything in return. They don’t have to take care of these animals so they don’t have the connection that most people have with their animals. This causes a disconnect between the animal and the rider. Most of the time, they aren’t the best riders, their horses are just trained and know what to do so they don’t have to put in much work. This is where the privilege comes in and how I said in my previous article the rich keep getting richer. A lot of these young riders don’t need the extra money they are winning as much a someone who doesn’t come from a family of wealth.

History of the relation of wealth and horseback riding

The first 1% were the first people to ride horses so long ago. According to Slate, horse domestication happened before written history, dating back to the Bronze Age. “Modern horses have as many as 77 ancestral mothers.” The wealthiest people have always had access to horses and that has stayed the same, both signifying wealth.

Overall

There is a lot of wealth in the horse world, you can go to any horse show and know who the wealthiest people are by looking at them. I have been talking about the negatives and why the horse world has so many problems, but there are many positives. Tune in next week to see my article on why I am so passionate about the sport! I will be talking about all of the friendship and relationships I have formed. I have met people who I consider family and have become a better person from it.