Every little boy or girl begins to dream big once they find their sport or artistic avenue of choice. Their willingness to participate swells, and they begin to fight to conquer their fears, train their hardest, and begin to win. Winning becomes a habit; these boys or girls spend their young lives fighting for greatness and build impressive resumes that yield to higher opportunities like world games, national conferences and the Olympics. To the man who said equestrian sports should not be in the Olympics, I beg you to reconsider your logic and recognize that any individual who manages to train and teach a 1,200 plus pound animal to perform intricate physical feats, leap over jumps taller than some people, and race through cross country trails that beg for poise, guts and fearlessness.
To the man who said horses shouldn't be in the Olympics, maybe you think you're funny with your comedic commentary about horses prancing in front of spectators. Maybe you think there is some humor in the sport. In order to test your theory, I suggest you find a stable in your area that is dedicated to dressage. When you walk down the aisle, massive heads will look over the stall doors at you. It'll smell sweet like hay, but sweat will tinge the air. I hope the trainer picks a large horse for you because you might be a tall man. The horse will be well-developed in its physique; years may have been put into this creature to teach it the proper way to carry itself, a rider, and move with grace. I suggest that when you're finished with the horse because you were frustrated you couldn't even make the horse walk, you thank the trainer for their hard work and what must be endless patience. When you watch Dressage next, you'll find yourself in awe of the finesse those horses have. The way they are in constant communication with their rider, who, by the way, looks as if they're doing nothing. After they ride, the horse will probably lean against the shoulder of his or her rider and trainer, acknowledging their shared feat.
To the man who said horses shouldn't be in the Olympics, find a rider or trainer who specializes in the Jumpers' discipline. They are likely to be found on the backs of some talented animal, holding onto whatever might keep them secure in the tack over obstacles that might even be taller than them. Now, before you say that's simply a game of holding on... Remember, these riders and trainers are piloting an animal over massive jumps. On a good day, if you asked your wife to do something, she is likely to be unamused with you. Try asking a 1,300-pound female horse who has more opinions than a female political scholar to do something she doesn't want to. Unbeknownst to you, there are monsters in that water the horse must save herself from and she absolutely will not jump it. Having the intellect to think with equine logic, having the strength to use your legs to guide the animal to something it doesn't want to do, and having the right training for yourself will get you over this jump. Without strong legs, she will not go. Without practicing on hundreds of horses before, learning how to coax the animal, she will not go. Without studying the horse's mind, you cannot get your teammate to do as you wish. Walk a course with one of these riders, and they'll explain how they need to understand the distances between jumps and how that correlates with their horse's stride. They'll explain that every step counts. Every stride counts.
To the man who said horses shouldn't be in the Olympics, I guess I shouldn't suggest you go to the Eventing cross country course, and watch the water complexes. Riders pilot their horses down steps, over ditches, hell... even over the flat beds of trucks if the course designer feels like testing them. I guess I shouldn't suggest that you clock the times of these horse and rider pairs, tested to their limits over miles of cross country track. I wouldn't suggest it—you might get a taste for the adrenaline, the enthusiasm, the dedication, and the incredible feats that are equestrian sports.
To the man who said horses shouldn't be in the Olympics, look to every other sport that utilizes something other than the simple human body. Shooting, cycling, basketball, hockey. You can't shoot without a rifle, you can't ride without a bike, you can't play without a ball, and you can't skate without a stick. Hey, if you're serious, let's scrap all those sports too so the Olympics can be for the human again?
