Equestrian Sports at the Olympics
The ultimate competition in any sport is, of course, the Olympic Games where Equestrian Sports are one of the oldest categories. The horse’s involvement in the Olympics dates back almost 3,000 years. Horse sports were incorporated into the Olympic Games shortly after their initial inception when the four horse chariot race was introduced. In fact when you think of the Olympics, the huge stadium or hippodrome is one of the most powerful images. The word “hippodrome” which describes an open air sports stadium with a track around the edge, comes from the Greek word “hippos” for horse and “dromos” for racecourse. The equestrian events are made up of three disciplines – dressage, show jumping and the three-day event which includes both the other disciplines together with a gruelling cross country ride over testing jumps. Each of the disciplines has both an individual and a team competition.
Dressage is often referred to as ‘horse ballet’. It is a training method designed to develop a horse’s natural abilities and responsiveness to instructions from the rider. The original intent was to train the horse to make it easy to ride in any circumstances, and to enhance the horse’s natural gymnastic abilities. The earliest roots of modern dressage go back to very clearly defined sequential training methods used by riding masters in Europe and classical dressage techniques are still viewed as an important part of the sport today.
Show jumping is probably the most commonly recognised of the principal equestrian sports – who has not tried to mentally lift a horse over a huge jump when watching it on TV? Competitions vary in style and type but basically the horse and rider have to follow a prescribed path around the ring, jumping each of the obstacles in turn. Most exciting are the Puissance events where the fences grow ever higher round by round, or the mad dash around the shortened courses when more than one horse has had a clear round and a winner has to be found.
The Cross Country event is both an endurance test, and an examination of the teamwork developed between horse and rider as they make their way around a long and varied course with demanding obstacles. Event horses have to be at the peak of physical fitness as do their riders – they are the decathletes of the equine world. Horses are carefully monitored to ensure that they come to no harm during these events.
Equestrian Sports are one of the very few Olympic events where men and women compete on equal terms. In fact over recent years the number of women competing has dramatically increased with around 80 percent of the competitors now being female. This has brought about many changes in the way the sport is developing. Far more emphasis is being placed on fitness, diet and exercise for both horse and rider, rather than just sheer physical strength. Equestrianism is one of the ultimate in team sports, a horse and rider work together for years to develop their skills, combining grace and delicacy with endurance and strength in a way that no other sport can, it is the only Olympic sport where man and animal are established team-mates on an equal footing as the one cannot take part without the other.
Watch the video related to sports fitness
gymnastic horizontal bar Bar-barians Muscle Ups barras Gimbarr Extremo Bartendaz Gimnasia Callejera Equilibre Handbalance Barbarians Highlandaz Seedman Sports Workout Body Fitness Gym Bucley Handwalk Trials Handstands Urban Free running Balance Exercise Gymnastics Arts Street Training Freestyle Metaphysics Agility ?????????? ???? acro 5run Bar-Barians Gymnast Great Moves Unbelievable
Help answer the question about sports fitness
I am looking to get into the health/fitness/sports/nutrition kind of careers…how can i go about this?I am 25 currently in full time employment which i dont like. I want to find a career. I dont think i can afford full time education again, best way would be to work and gain a qualification as i go, anyone know how i could go about his?
Equestrian sports, and modern pentathalon when I can see it, which is rare.
only makes ya wonder how far ireland would have went for it was a weak group and makes uraguay look like world beaters
very color full but no canvas !!!!!
maybe evra can try and play out that scene in his play station at home now, like he said when france cheated their way to the world cup. “The replay, I’ll do it when you want on a PlayStation” Zidane carried them for ten years and now they are shown up for the loosers they are.
That would simply be unfair — to women.
Though there are some women who are stronger/more agile than some men, in general, when it comes to sports, men and women do not belong in the same playing field (except, for instance, say, chess). Men in general would trounce women in such physically demanding sports.
@yinzx7 you’re talking about a thing you don’t know…But it’s true that this team is a shame and Ireland was much better because this team is a group of stars who says “go to hell” to their supporters and their country they are a shame, I repeat.
Well as an archer, you just lost my vote (And the votes of every horse, hunting and boating fan in the world).
Archery, Canoeing, Rowing, Shooting, Handball, Equestrian, Fencing, Sailing altheletes work just as hard and usually more. These sports are individual and "team" based, meaning the ones who go actually have no excuse or a shift of blame.
..You asked….I'm just being honest
I agree ballroom dancing, WWE/TNA(pro wrestling), and dominoes are not sports.
I laughed when I learned BMX had been added…as if that's a globally popular sport. I can't remember the last time I saw anyone in Africa racing around a BMX track…or anyone outside of North America, for that matter.
And ping pong…give me a break. They might be talented but…I hardly consider that a sport.
As for equestrian…it takes skill but it's a different type of skill than most olympic sports. It's based more on skill than pure strength and athleticism. I enjoy watching it (because I love horses) but I don't think it fits in well with the rest of the sports either, personally.
I can't believe they don't have cricket. That's so weird to me. So that should definitely be added.
I also wouldn't mind seeing some sort of pankration or no-hold-barred fighting. I mean, they had it in the original olympics, and wrestling just isn't the same.
@TheJewwatcher French are the gipsies of Europe???XD go to hell you’re wrong France has always fuck all countries of Europe and can do it again if the country is prepared, and we’re prepared…WAKE UP!!!WW2 is over we’re now the first military strengh of Europe and the third Economic Strengh after a totally rebuild of our country only Germany an France are signifiant in Europe GB our great allies (lot of thanks to them) are great too but too arrogant to admit it.
Wow I have no chance at ever being a pentathlon champion…..there goes my dream
Or …
Rat Race
June Beetle Fights
Spider Fights
Dog Fights
Cock Fighting
Rodeo
Bullfighting
I don't understand why they have to include horses in this. Animals shouldn't be used in the Olympics. Now they are even drugging them. God. Poor horses.
@yinzx7 if that was true Italy wouldn’t have a single star on their jersey
There really is no logical explanation for why auto racing isn't an Olympic sport. There are many Olympic sports where the athlete is reliant upon equipment for their performance: rowing, pole vaulting, archery, shooting, cycling, and so on.
I would assume that one of the prime reasons you will never see it as a sport is because the general public feels that the car "is doing all the work" and they do not appreciate the skill that the driver brings to the equation.
If autoracing were ever to be added, it would probably be in the form of time trials ("Time Attack") as opposed to direct head-to-head racing. This would allow drivers to make multiple attempts at setting a good time in the event of equipment failure.
@TheJewwatcher but I agree they’re too black people in this team^^
they probably figure that since they have a section in pets for horses that they don't want to have a full section in sports
@JulySky04 you’re wrong, Anelka said “fuck off son of a bitch” to his trainer, even if Domenech is bad, as a player he has to respect his trainer and show the example. Plus, see the match against Mexico and you’ll see him walking IT’S A SHAME
@littledaly Well said because you separate French people and this team of the shame