1.
Rodeo
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Rodeo is a competitive sport that arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain, Mexico, and later Central America, the United States, Canada, South America, Australia and New Zealand. It was based on the skills required of the vaqueros and later, cowboys, in what today is the western United States, western Canada. Today it is an event that involves horses and other livestock, designed to test the skill and speed of the cowboys. American style professional rodeos generally comprise the events, tie-down roping, team roping, steer wrestling, saddle bronc riding, bareback bronc riding, bull riding. The events are divided into two categories, the rough stock events and the timed events. Depending on sanctioning organization and region, other such as breakaway roping, goat tying. American rodeo, particularly popular today within the Canadian province of Alberta and throughout the western United States, is the state sport of Wyoming, South Dakota. The iconic silhouette image of a Bucking Horse and Rider is a federal, the Legislative Assembly of Alberta has considered making American rodeo the official sport of that province. However, enabling legislation has yet to be passed, associations also exist for Native Americans and other minority groups. Rodeo has provoked opposition from animal rights and animal welfare advocates, the American rodeo industry has made progress in improving the welfare of rodeo animals, with specific requirements for veterinary care and other regulations that protect rodeo animals. However, rodeo is opposed by a number of animal welfare organizations in the United States, some local and state governments in North America have banned or restricted rodeos, certain rodeo events, or types of equipment. Internationally, rodeo is banned in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, the American English word rodeo is taken directly from Spanish rodeo, which roughly translates into English as round up. The yearly rodeos for separating the cattle were overseen by the Juez del Campo, the term was also used to refer to exhibitions of skills used in the working rodeo. This evolved from these yearly gatherings where festivities were held and horsemen could demonstrate their equestrian skills and it was this latter usage which was adopted into the cowboy tradition of the United States and Canada. The term rodeo was first used in English in approximately 1834 to refer to a cattle round-up, today the word is used primarily to refer to a public exhibition of cowboy skills, usually in the form of a competitive event. Many rodeo events were based on the tasks required by cattle ranching, the working cowboy developed skills to fit the needs of the terrain and climate of the American west, and there were many regional variations. The skills required to manage cattle and horses back to the Spanish traditions of the vaquero. Early rodeo-like affairs of the 1820s and 1830s were informal events in the western United States and northern Mexico with cowboys, following the American Civil War, rodeo competitions emerged, with the first held in Cheyenne, Wyoming in 1872
2.
Calf
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A calf is the young of domestic cattle. Calves are reared to become adult cattle, or are slaughtered for their meat, called veal, the term calf is also used for some other species. Calf is the term used from birth to weaning, when it becomes known as a weaner or weaner calf, the birth of a calf is known as calving. A calf that has lost its mother is an orphan calf, bobby calves are young calves which are to be slaughtered for human consumption. A vealer is a fat calf weighing less than about 330 kg which is at about eight to nine months of age, a young female calf from birth until she has had a calf of her own is called a heifer. In the American Old West, a motherless or small, runty calf was sometimes referred to as a dogie, the term calf is also used for some other species. Calves may be produced by means, or by artificial breeding using artificial insemination or embryo transfer. Calves are born after a gestation of nine months and they usually stand within a few minutes of calving, and suckle within an hour. By a week old the calf is able to follow the mother all the time, some calves are ear tagged soon after birth, especially those that are stud cattle in order to correctly identify their dams, or in areas where tagging is a legal requirement for cattle. A calf must have the very best of everything until it is at least eight months old if it is to reach its maximum potential, typically when the calves are about two months old they are branded, ear marked, castrated and vaccinated. The single suckler system of rearing calves is similar to that occurring naturally in wild cattle and this system is commonly used for rearing beef cattle throughout the world. Cows kept on poor forage produce an amount of milk. A calf left with such a mother all the time can easily drink all the milk, leaving none for human consumption. For dairy production under such circumstances, the access to the cow must be limited, for example by penning the calf. In more intensive farming, cows can easily be bred and fed to produce far more milk than one calf can drink. In the multi-suckler system, several calves are fostered onto one cow in addition to her own, more commonly, calves of dairy cows are fed formula milk from a bottle or bucket from soon after birth. Purebred female calves of cows are reared as replacement dairy cows. Most purebred dairy calves are produced by artificial insemination, by this method each bull can serve very many cows, so only a very few of the purebred dairy male calves are needed to provide bulls for breeding
3.
Equestrianism
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Equestrianism, more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding, refers to the skill of riding, driving, steeplechasing or vaulting with horses. This broad description includes the use of horses for practical working purposes, transportation, recreational activities, artistic or cultural exercises, Horses are trained and ridden for practical working purposes such as in police work or for controlling herd animals on a ranch. They are also used in sports including, but not limited to, dressage, endurance riding, eventing, reining, show jumping, tent pegging, vaulting, polo, horse racing, driving. Some popular forms of competition are grouped together at horse shows, Horses are used for non-competitive recreational riding such as fox hunting, trail riding or hacking. There is public access to trails in almost every part of the world, many parks, ranches. Horses are also used for therapeutic purposes, both in specialized paraequestrian competition as well as non-competitive riding to improve health and emotional development. Horses are also driven in harness racing, at shows and in other types of exhibition, historical reenactment or ceremony. In some parts of the world, they are used for practical purposes such as farming. Horses continue to be used in service, in traditional ceremonies, police and volunteer mounted patrols. Riding halls enable the training of horse and rider in all weathers as well as indoor competition riding, though there is controversy over the exact date horses were domesticated and when they were first ridden, the best estimate is that horses first were ridden approximately 3500 BC. Indirect evidence suggests that horses were ridden long before they were driven, however, the most unequivocal early archaeological evidence of equines put to working use was of horses being driven. Chariot burials about 2500 BC present the most direct evidence of horses used as working animals. In ancient times chariot warfare was followed by the use of war horses as light, the horse played an important role throughout human history all over the world, both in warfare and in peaceful pursuits such as transportation, trade and agriculture. Horses lived in North America, but died out at the end of the Ice Age, Horses were brought back to North America by European explorers, beginning with the second voyage of Columbus in 1493. Humans appear to have expressed a desire to know which horse were the fastest. Gambling on horse races appears to go hand-in hand with racing and has a history as well. Thoroughbreds have the pre-eminent reputation as a breed, but other breeds also race. Under saddle, Thoroughbred horse racing is the most popular form worldwide, in the UK, it is known as flat racing and is governed by the Jockey Club in the United Kingdom
4.
Horse
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The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus. It is an ungulate mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature, Eohippus, into the large, humans began to domesticate horses around 4000 BC, and their domestication is believed to have been widespread by 3000 BC. Horses in the subspecies caballus are domesticated, although some domesticated populations live in the wild as feral horses. There is an extensive, specialized vocabulary used to describe equine-related concepts, covering everything from anatomy to life stages, size, colors, markings, breeds, locomotion, and behavior. Horses anatomy enables them to use of speed to escape predators and they have a well-developed sense of balance. Related to this need to flee from predators in the wild is an unusual trait, female horses, called mares, carry their young for approximately 11 months, and a young horse, called a foal, can stand and run shortly following birth. Most domesticated horses begin training under saddle or in harness between the ages of two and four and they reach full adult development by age five, and have an average lifespan of between 25 and 30 years. There are more than 300 breeds of horse in the world today, horses were historically used in warfare, from which a wide variety of riding and driving techniques developed, using many different styles of equipment and methods of control. Many products are derived from horses, including meat, milk, hide, hair, bone, humans provide domesticated horses with food, water and shelter, as well as attention from specialists such as veterinarians and farriers. Specific terms and specialized language are used to describe equine anatomy, different life stages, colors, depending on breed, management and environment, the modern domestic horse has a life expectancy of 25 to 30 years. Uncommonly, a few animals live into their 40s and, occasionally, the oldest verifiable record was Old Billy, a 19th-century horse that lived to the age of 62. In modern times, Sugar Puff, who had listed in Guinness World Records as the worlds oldest living pony. The exception is in endurance riding, where the age to compete is based on the animals actual calendar age. The following terminology is used to describe horses of various ages, Colt, a common terminology error is to call any young horse a colt, when the term actually only refers to young male horses. Filly, A female horse under the age of four, foal, A horse of either sex less than one year old. A nursing foal is sometimes called a suckling and a foal that has been weaned is called a weanling, most domesticated foals are weaned at five to seven months of age, although foals can be weaned at four months with no adverse physical effects. Gelding, A castrated male horse of any age, mare, A female horse four years old and older
5.
Lasso
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A lasso, also referred to as a lariat, riata, or reata, is a loop of rope designed as a restraint to be thrown around a target and tightened when pulled. It is a tool of the American cowboy. The word is also a verb, to lasso is to throw the loop of rope around something. Although the tool has several names, such terms are rarely employed by those who actually use it, nearly all cowboys simply call it a rope. To most cowboys, the use of other terms — especially lasso — identifies the user as a layman, a lasso is made from stiff rope so that the noose stays open when the lasso is thrown. It also allows the cowboy to easily open up the noose from horseback to release the cattle because the rope is stiff enough to be pushed a little, a high quality lasso is weighted for better handling. The lariat has a small reinforced loop at one end, called a honda or hondo, the honda can be formed by a honda knot, an eye splice, a seizing, rawhide, or a metal ring. The other end is sometimes tied simply in a small, tight, the reata is made of braided rawhide and is made in lengths from 50 ft to over 100 ft. Mexican maguey and cotton ropes are also used in the longer lengths. The lasso is used today in rodeos as part of the events, such as calf roping. It is also used on working ranches to capture cattle or other livestock when necessary. After catching the cattle, the lasso can be tied or wrapped around the horn, with the lasso around the horn, the cowboy can use his horse as the equivalent of a tow truck with a winch. Part of the culture of both the vaqueros of Mexico and the cowboys of the Western United States is a related skill now called trick roping. Will Rogers was a practitioner of trick roping and the natural horsemanship practitioner Buck Brannaman also got his start as a trick roper when he was a child. Huns are recorded as using lassos in battle to ensnare opponents prepared to defend themselves in combat around AD370. They were also used by Tatars and are used by the Sami people. In Mongolia, a variant of the lasso called an uurga is used, lassoes are also mentioned in The Greek History of Herodotus, seventh book. It is not the wont of this people to arms, either of bronze or steel, except only a dirk, but they use lassoes made of thongs plaited together. Such is the manner in which this people fight, and now their horsemen were drawn up with the Persians, bolas Hogtie The Lasso, A Rational Guide to Trick Roping by Carey Bunks Footage of multiple Lasso World Champions How to Handle a Rope - Champ Gives Lessons
6.
Animal welfare
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Animal welfare is the well-being of animals. The standards of animal welfare vary considerably between different contexts. These standards are under constant review and are debated, created and revised by animal groups, legislators. These concerns can include how animals are slaughtered for food, how they are used in research, how they are kept. Animal welfare was a concern of some ancient civilizations but began to take a place in Western public policy in 19th-century Great Britain. In the 21st century, it is a significant focus of interest in science, ethics, there are two forms of criticism of the concept of animal welfare, coming from diametrically opposite positions. One view, dating back centuries, asserts that animals are not consciously aware, however, some still maintain that consciousness is a philosophical question that may never be scientifically resolved. The other view is based on the animal rights position that animals should not be regarded as property, accordingly, some animal rights proponents argue that the perception of better animal welfare facilitates continued and increased exploitation of animals. Some authorities therefore treat animal welfare and animal rights as two opposing positions, others see the increasing concern for animal welfare as incremental steps towards animal rights. There are many different approaches to describing and defining animal welfare, providing good animal welfare is sometimes defined by a list of positive conditions which should be provided to the animal. This approach is taken by the Five Freedoms and the three principles of Professor John Webster, in the past, many have seen farm animal welfare chiefly in terms of whether the animal is producing well. g. Others in the field, such as Professor Ian Duncan and Professor Marian Dawkins and this approach indicates the belief that animals should be considered as sentient beings. In any assessment of welfare, it is these feelings that should be assessed, Dawkins wrote, Let us not mince words, Animal welfare involves the subjective feelings of animals. Yew-Kwang Ng defines animal welfare in terms of economics, Welfare biology is the study of living things. Despite difficulties of ascertaining and measuring welfare and relevancy to normative issues and they have offered the following eight principles for developing and evaluating animal welfare policies. Decisions regarding animal care, use, and welfare shall be made by balancing scientific knowledge, Animals must be provided water, food, proper handling, health care, and an environment appropriate to their care and use, with thoughtful consideration for their species-typical biology and behavior. Animals should be cared for in ways that minimize fear, pain, stress, procedures related to animal housing, management, care, and use should be continuously evaluated, and when indicated, refined or replaced. Conservation and management of animal populations should be humane, socially responsible, Animals shall be treated with respect and dignity throughout their lives and, when necessary, provided a humane death
7.
Ranch
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A ranch is an area of land, including various structures, given primarily to the practice of ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle or sheep for meat or wool. The word most often applies to livestock-raising operations in Mexico, the Western United States and Canada, people who own or operate a ranch are called ranchers, cattlemen, or stockgrowers. Ranching is also a used to raise less common livestock such as elk, American bison or even ostrich, emu. Ranches generally consist of areas, but may be of nearly any size. In the western United States, many ranches are a combination of owned land supplemented by grazing leases on land under the control of the federal Bureau of Land Management. If the ranch includes arable or irrigated land, the ranch may also engage in an amount of farming, raising crops for feeding the animals, such as hay. Ranches that cater exclusively to tourists are called guest ranches or, colloquially, most working ranches do not cater to guests, though they may allow private hunters or outfitters onto their property to hunt native wildlife. Ranching is part of the iconography of the Wild West as seen in Western movies, the person who owns and manages the operation of a ranch is usually called a rancher, but the terms cattleman, stockgrower, or stockman are also sometimes used. If this individual in charge of management is an employee of the actual owner. A rancher who primarily raises young stock sometimes is called an operator or a cow-calf man. This person is usually the owner, though in cases, particularly where there is absentee ownership. The people who are employees of the rancher and involved in handling livestock are called a number of terms, including cowhand, ranch hand, people exclusively involved with handling horses are sometimes called wranglers. Ranching and the tradition originated in Spain, out of the necessity to handle large herds of grazing animals on dry land from horseback. During the Reconquista, members of the Spanish nobility and various military orders received large land grants that the Kingdom of Castile had conquered from the Moors and these landowners were to defend the lands put into their control and could use them for earning revenue. When the Conquistadors came to the Americas in the 16th century, followed by settlers, they brought their cattle, huge land grants by the Spanish government, part of the hacienda system, allowed large numbers of animals to roam freely over vast areas. A number of different traditions developed, often related to the location in Spain from which a settlement originated. For example, many of the traditions of the Jalisco charros in central Mexico come from the Salamanca charros of Castile, however, there were cattle on the eastern seaboard. Deep Hollow Ranch,110 miles east of New York City in Montauk, New York, claims to be the first ranch in the United States, the prairie and desert lands of what today is Mexico and the western United States were well-suited to open range grazing
8.
Cowboy
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A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the traditions of northern Mexico and became a figure of special significance. A subtype, called a wrangler, specifically tends the horses used to work cattle, in addition to ranch work, some cowboys work for or participate in rodeos. There are also cattle handlers in many parts of the world, particularly South America and Australia. The cowboy has deep historic roots tracing back to Spain and the earliest European settlers of the Americas, over the centuries, differences in terrain, climate and the influence of cattle-handling traditions from multiple cultures created several distinct styles of equipment, clothing and animal handling. As the ever-practical cowboy adapted to the world, the cowboys equipment and techniques also adapted to some degree. The English word cowboy has an origin from several earlier terms that referred to both age and to cattle or cattle-tending work, the word cowboy appeared in the English language by 1725. It appears to be a direct English translation of vaquero, a Spanish word for an individual who managed cattle while mounted on horseback and it was derived from vaca, meaning cow, which came from the Latin word vacca. Another English word for a cowboy, buckaroo, is an anglicization of vaquero, originally, the term may have been intended literally—a boy who tends cows. By 1849 it had developed its sense as an adult cattle handler of the American West. Variations on the word cowboy appeared later, cowhand appeared in 1852, and cowpoke in 1881, originally restricted to the individuals who prodded cattle with long poles to load them onto railroad cars for shipping. Names for a cowboy in American English include buckaroo, cowpoke, cowhand, the word cowboy also had English language roots beyond simply being a translation from Spanish. Originally, the English word cowherd was used to describe a cattle herder, and often referred to a preadolescent or early adolescent boy and this word is very old in the English language, originating prior to the year 1000. In antiquity, herding of sheep, cattle and goats was often the job of minors, on western ranches today, the working cowboy is usually an adult. Responsibility for herding cattle or other livestock is no longer considered a job suitable for children or early adolescents. However, both boys and girls growing up in a ranch environment often learn to ride horses and perform basic ranch skills as soon as they are physically able, such youths, by their late teens, are often given responsibilities for cowboy work on the ranch. The term cowboy was used during the American Revolution to describe American fighters who opposed the movement for independence, in the same period, a number of guerilla bands operated in Westchester County, which marked the dividing line between the British and American forces. These groups were made up of local farmhands who would ambush convoys, there were two separate groups, the skinners fought for the pro-independence side, the cowboys supported the British
9.
Livestock branding
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Livestock branding is a technique for marking livestock so as to identify the owner. Originally, livestock branding only referred to a hot brand for large stock, other forms of livestock identification include inner lip or ear tattoos, earmarking, ear tagging, and RFID tagging with a type of microchip. The semi-permanent paint markings used to identify sheep are called a paint or colour brand, in the American West, branding evolved into a complex marking system still in use today. The act of marking livestock with fire-heated marks to identify ownership has origins in ancient times, among the ancient Romans, the symbols used for brands were sometimes chosen as part of a magic spell aimed at protecting animals from harm. In English lexicon, the brand, common to most Germanic languages, originally meant anything hot or burning, such as a firebrand. By the European Middle Ages, it identified the process of burning a mark into stock animals with thick hides, such as cattle. The practice became widespread in nations with large cattle grazing regions. These European customs were imported to the Americas and were refined by the vaquero tradition in what today is the southwestern United States. In the American West, a branding iron consisted of a rod with a simple symbol or mark. After the branding iron turned red hot, the cowboy pressed the branding iron against the hide of the cow, the unique brand meant that cattle owned by multiple ranches could then graze freely together on the open range. Cowboys could then separate the cattle at roundup time for driving to market, cattle rustlers using running irons were ingenious in changing brands. The most famous brand change involved the making of the X I T brand into the Star-Cross brand, brands became so numerous that it became necessary to record them in books that the ranchers could carry in their pockets. Laws were passed requiring the registration of brands, and the inspection of cattle driven through various territories, penalties were imposed on those who failed to obtain a bill of sale with a list of brands on the animals purchased. From the Americas, many cattle branding traditions and techniques spread to Australia, livestock branding has been practiced in Australia since 1866, but after 1897, owners had to register their brands. These fire and paint brands could not then be duplicated legally, free-range or open-range grazing is less common today than in the past. However, branding still has its uses, the main purpose is in proving ownership of lost or stolen animals. Many western US states have laws regarding brands, including brand registration. In many cases, a brand on an animal is considered prima facie proof of ownership, in the hides and leather industry, brands are treated as a defect, and can diminish the value of hides
10.
Head start (positioning)
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In positioning, a head start is a start in advance of the starting position of others in competition, or simply toward the finish line or desired outcome. Depending on the situation, a start may be inherent, obtained by special privilege, earned through ones accomplishments. While not guaranteeing success, a head start will increase such chances, in competitive sports, such as a race, a head start refers to a start ahead of other competitors, allowing a shorter distance to the finish line. The idea of a start may seem unfair. But in some cases, a start is an advantage that may be earned by one more of the competitors. Also, adults who are racing against children may provide children with a start, knowing the children are slower. In modern pentathlon, the leader after the first four events takes a head start in the 3,000 metre cross country event based on his lead over his opponent. The first competitor to the line wins. In baseball, base runners who are attempting to steal bases or advance more bases in the event of a hit may attempt to get a start off their base before the pitcher throws his pitch. In traffic, at a red light, many motorists will start to inch up in anticipation of the light turning green and this will give them a head start on other motorists on the road. A head start could be a start in an attempt to achieve some goal. In such cases, the start is usually earned by working harder or by using more efficient means of reaching that point
11.
Horse gait
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Horse gaits are the various ways in which a horse can move, either naturally or as a result of specialized training by humans. Special training is required before a horse will perform an ambling gait in respond to a riders command. Another system of classification that applies to quadrupeds uses three categories, walking and ambling gaits, running or trotting gaits, and leaping gaits. The British Horse Society Dressage Rules require competitors to perform four variations of the walk, six forms of the trot, five leaping gaits, halt, and rein back, the British Horse Society Equitation examinations also require proficiency in the gallop as distinct from the canter. The so-called natural gaits, in increasing order of speed, are the walk, trot, canter, and gallop. Some consider these as three gaits, with the canter a variation of the gallop, even though the canter is distinguished by having three beats, whereas the gallop has four beats, all four gaits are seen in wild horse populations. While other intermediate speed gaits may occur naturally to some horses, in some animals the trot is replaced by the pace or an ambling gait. Horses who possess an ambling gait are usually able to trot. The walk is a gait that averages about 4 miles per hour. When walking, a horses legs follow this sequence, left leg, left front leg, right hind leg, right front leg. At the walk, the horse will alternate between having three or two feet on the ground, a horse moves its head and neck in a slight up and down motion that helps maintain balance. In detail, suppose the horse starts by lifting its left front leg and it then lifts its right hind leg. Next, the front foot touches the ground, then the horse lifts its right front leg. Then it lifts its rear leg, puts down the front right, lifts the left front, puts down the rear left. Ideally, the rear hoof oversteps the spot where the previously advancing front hoof touched the ground. The more the rear hoof oversteps, the smoother and more comfortable the walk becomes, individual horses and different breeds vary in the smoothness of their walk. However, a rider will almost always some degree of gentle side-to-side motion in the horses hips as each hind leg reaches forward. The fastest walks with a footfall pattern are actually the lateral forms of ambling gaits such as the running walk, singlefoot
12.
Half hitch
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The half hitch is a simple overhand knot, where the working end of a line is brought over and under the standing part. Insecure on its own, it is a component of a wide variety of useful and reliable hitches, bends. Two successive half hitches tied around an object makes up the clove hitch. Two successive half hitches tied around the part a rope is known as two-half-hitches or double half hitch. One instance where a half hitch stands on its own without additional embellishment is when added to a timber hitch to help stabilize a load in the direction of pull. A timber hitch is tied on the far end of the load to bind it securely, in this instance, the half hitch combined with a timber hitch is known as a killick hitch or kelleg hitch. The knot is attractive to the eye and so is used decoratively for French whipping which is known as half hitch whipping
13.
Rein back
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The rein-back is a dressage term to indicate the two-beat movement in which a horse is asked to back up. The horse picks up and sets down its feet almost in diagonal pairs, the horse should remain on the aids during the rein-back. The rein-back should be practiced sparingly, as it can easily over-stress the horses back and this is especially true if the rider tries to force the horse into the movement. To perform the rein-back, the rider applies both leg aids and a resisting hand, the leg asks the horse to move, but the hand prevents the horse from going forward, so it instead releases that energy in a step back. As soon as the horse begins to back, the aids are released. The rein-back should be performed in a line, with the riders legs used softly behind the girth to keep the hindquarters straight. The upper body of the rider stays upright, leaning neither forward nor back, leaning back is especially bad, as it drives the seat bones of the rider into the horse, causing the animal to hollow its back. It is sometimes useful to transfer the weight of the seat onto the thighs when asking for the back, so that the horse may easily round up through its back. When the rider wishes the horse to stop moving back, the rider sits deeper into his seat, adds more leg, one of the most common faults in the rein-back is resistance by the horse. Instead of remaining on the aids, the animal tenses up and this is usually the case if the rider tries to pull the horse backwards rather than asking with the legs aids or if the rider sits too heavily on his mounts back. Other faults may include crookedness, laziness, or rushing, the rein-back is occasionally asked for in equitation classes, in dressage tests, reining competition, and is also invaluable on the trail, as it can be used to maneuver out of a tight situation. The rein-back is also an excellent training tool, the movement requires the horse to engage and move his weight to his hindquarters
14.
Calgary Stampede
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The Calgary Stampede is an annual rodeo, exhibition and festival held every July in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The events roots are traced to 1886 when the Calgary and District Agricultural Society held its first fair, in 1912, American promoter Guy Weadick organized his first rodeo and festival, known as the Stampede. He returned to Calgary in 1919 to organize the Victory Stampede in honour of returning from World War I. Weadicks festival became an event in 1923 when it merged with the Calgary Industrial Exhibition to create the Calgary Exhibition. Rodeo and chuckwagon racing events are televised across Canada, Calgarys national and international identity is tied to the event. It is known as the Stampede City, carries the nickname of Cowtown. The Calgary and District Agricultural Society was formed in 1884 to promote the town, the society held its first fair two years later, attracting a quarter of the towns 2,000 residents. By 1889, it had acquired land on the banks of the Elbow River to host the exhibitions, but crop failures, poor weather, the land passed briefly to future Prime Minister R. B. Bennett who sold it to the city. The area was called Victoria Park, after Queen Victoria, the exhibition grew annually, and in 1908 the Government of Canada announced that Calgary would host the federally funded Dominion Exhibition that year. Seeking to take advantage of the opportunity to promote itself, the city spent C$145,000 to build six new pavilions and it held a lavish parade as well as rodeo, horse racing, and trick roping competitions as part of the event. The exhibition was a success, drawing 100,000 people to the fairgrounds over seven days despite a recession that afflicted the city of 25,000. He initially failed to sell civic leaders and the Calgary Industrial Exhibition on his plans, mcMullen, Weadick convinced businessmen Pat Burns, George Lane, A. J. McLean, and A. E. Cross to put up $100,000 to guarantee funding for the event. The Big Four, as came to be known, viewed the project as a final celebration of their life as cattlemen. The event generated $120,000 in revenue and was hailed as a success, Weadick set about planning the 1913 Stampede, promoting the event across North America. However, the Big Four were not interested in hosting another such event, businessmen in Winnipeg convinced Weadick to host his second Stampede in their city, but the show failed financially. A third attempt held in New York State in 1916 suffered the same fate, Weadick returned to Calgary in 1919 where he gained the support of E. L. Richardson, the general manager of the Calgary Industrial Exhibition. The two convinced numerous Calgarians, including the Big Four, to back the Great Victory Stampede in celebration of Canadas soldiers returning from World War I, while the 1919 Stampede was successful, it was again held as a one-time event. Richardson was convinced that it could be an annual event
15.
Cattle
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Cattle—colloquially cows—are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, cattle are raised as livestock for meat, as dairy animals for milk and other dairy products, and as draft animals. Other products include leather and dung for manure or fuel, in some regions, such as parts of India, cattle have significant religious meaning. From as few as 80 progenitors domesticated in southeast Turkey about 10,500 years ago, according to an estimate from 2011, in 2009, cattle became one of the first livestock animals to have a fully mapped genome. Some consider cattle the oldest form of wealth, and cattle raiding consequently one of the earliest forms of theft. Cattle were originally identified as three species, Bos taurus, the European or taurine cattle, Bos indicus, the zebu, and the extinct Bos primigenius. The aurochs is ancestral to both zebu and taurine cattle and these have been reclassified as one species, Bos taurus, with three subspecies, Bos taurus primigenius, Bos taurus indicus, and Bos taurus taurus. Complicating the matter is the ability of cattle to interbreed with other related species. Hybrid individuals and even breeds exist, not only between taurine cattle and zebu, but also one or both of these and some other members of the genus Bos – yaks, banteng. Hybrids such as the breed can even occur between taurine cattle and either species of bison, leading some authors to consider them part of the genus Bos. However, cattle cannot successfully be hybridized with more distantly related bovines such as water buffalo or African buffalo, the aurochs originally ranged throughout Europe, North Africa, and much of Asia. In historical times, its range became restricted to Europe, breeders have attempted to recreate cattle of similar appearance to aurochs by crossing traditional types of domesticated cattle, creating the Heck cattle breed. Cattle did not originate as the term for bovine animals and it was borrowed from Anglo-Norman catel, itself from medieval Latin capitale principal sum of money, capital, itself derived in turn from Latin caput head. Cattle originally meant movable personal property, especially livestock of any kind, the word is a variant of chattel and closely related to capital in the economic sense. The term replaced earlier Old English feoh cattle, property, which today as fee. The word cow came via Anglo-Saxon cū, from Common Indo-European gʷōus = a bovine animal, compare Persian gâv, Sanskrit go-, Welsh buwch. The plural cȳ became ki or kie in Middle English, and a plural ending was often added, giving kine, kien. This is the origin of the now archaic English plural, kine, the Scots language singular is coo or cou, and the plural is kye
16.
Steer wrestling
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The event carries a high risk of injury to the cowboy. Historically, steer wrestling was not a part of ranch life, there are several versions of the story, some claiming that he developed the idea after he observed how cattle dogs worked with unruly animals. The event features a steer and two mounted cowboys, along with a number of supporting characters, the steers are moved through narrow pathways leading to a chute with spring-loaded doors. A barrier rope is fastened around the neck which is used to ensure that the steer gets a head start. The rope length is determined by arena length, when the steer wrestler is ready he calls for the steer by nodding his head and the chute man trips a lever opening the doors. The suddenly freed steer breaks out running, shadowed by the hazer, when the steer reaches the end of his rope, it pops off and simultaneously releases the barrier for the steer wrestler. The steer wrestler attempts to catch up to the steer, lean over the side of the horse which is running flat out. The steer wrestler then is pulled off his horse by the steer and plants his heels into the dirt further slowing the steer. He then takes one hand off the horns, reaches down and grabs the nose of the steer pulling the steer off balance, once all four legs are off the ground, an official waves a flag marking the official end and a time is taken. The steer is released and trots off, one then lets the horse carry his feet by the steer until his feet naturally fall out of the stirrups. The steer wrestler then slides with his feet turned slightly to the left, twisting the head of the steer toward one by pushing down with the hand and pulling up. Breaking the rope barrier early adds a 10-second penalty to the bulldoggers time, if the steer stumbles or falls before the bulldogger brings it down, he must either wait for it to rise or help it up before wrestling it to the ground. If the bulldogger completely misses the steer on his way down, typical professional times will be in the range of 3.0 to 10 seconds from the gates opening to the waving of the flag. The steers used today are generally Corriente cattle or longhorns, which weigh between 450–650 pounds, and the human steer wrestlers typically weigh 180–300 pounds. While steer wrestlers have an injury rate than bull riders or bronc riders. Like all other events, steer wrestling is under fire by animal rights advocates. Modern rodeos in the United States are closely regulated and have responded to accusations of cruelty by instituting a number of rules to guide how rodeo animals are to be managed. In 1994, a survey of 28 sanctioned rodeos was conducted by independent veterinarians
17.
Team roping
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Team roping also known as heading and heeling is a rodeo event that features a steer and two mounted riders. Once the steer is caught by one of the three legal catches, the header must dally and use his horse to turn the steer to the left. The second is the heeler, who ropes the steer by its feet after the header has turned the steer. Team roping is the rodeo event where men and women compete equally together in professionally sanctioned competition. Cowboys originally developed this technique on working ranches when it was necessary to capture, over the years as the sport has grown a numbering system was added to rate each ropers individual talent level. The numbers go from one to nine for headers and one to ten for heelers, using these numbers a handicap systems has been developed to even the competition. Today there are tens of thousands of amateur ropers who compete for millions of dollars in prize money. There is specialized equipment used by team ropers, Rope - made of fibers, used to rope the steer. The headers rope is usually 30 to 32 feet in length and is a lot softer, the heelers rope is usually 35 or 36 feet in length and is a lot stiffer. Horn wraps - protective wraps that go around the horns of the steer to prevent rope burns and reduce the risk of a horn breaking when roped. Bell boots and splint boots are placed on the legs for protection Steers used for roping are moved from a holding corral through a series of narrow alleyways that lead to the roping arena. The alleyways allow the steers to be lined up in single file, then, one at a time, a steer is moved into a chute with spring-loaded doors in front and a solid gate behind, so that only one animal is released at a time. On each side of the chute is a called the box that is big enough to hold a horse. An electronic barrier, consisting of an electric eye connected to a device, is sometimes used in place of the barrier rope. When the header is ready, he or she calls for the steer, the freed steer breaks out running. When the steer reaches the end of the rope, the barrier releases, the header must rope the steer with one of three legal catches, a clean horn catch around both horns, a neck catch around the neck or a half-head catch around the neck and one horn. The header then takes a dally, a couple of wraps of the rope around the horn of the saddle, some ropers have lost fingers in this event. Once the header has made the dally, the turns the horse, usually to the left
18.
Cruelty to animals
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Cruelty to animals sometimes encompasses inflicting harm or suffering for personal amusement, as in zoosadism. Laws concerning animal cruelty are designed to prevent the needless cruelty, divergent approaches to such laws occur in different jurisdictions throughout the world. For example, some laws govern methods of killing animals for food, clothing, or other products, Cruelty to animals is not necessarily the same thing as disrespect towards animals. In broad terms, there are three approaches to the issue of cruelty to animals. Utilitarian advocates argue from the position of costs and benefits and vary in their conclusions as to the treatment of animals. Some utilitarians argue for an approach which is closer to the animal welfare position. Animal rights theorists criticize these positions, arguing that the unnecessary and humane are subject to widely differing interpretations. They say that the way to ensure protection for animals is to end their status as property. Certain thinkers, however, still viewed cruelty against animals as an injustice, renaissance polymath Leonardo da Vincis regard for animal welfare, for example, is well-documented. He was particularly troubled by the sight of birds in captivity, da Vinci also expressed anger within his notebooks with the fact that humans use their strength and power to raise animals for slaughter. René Descartes contrarily believed that non-humans are automata, complex machines with no soul, mind, in Cartesian dualism, consciousness was unique to human among all other animals and linked to physical matter by divine grace. However, close analysis shows that many features such as complex sign usage, tool use. Charles Darwin, by presenting the theory of evolution, revolutionized the way that humans viewed their relationship with other species, Darwin believed that not only did human beings have a direct kinship with other animals, but the latter had social, mental and moral lives too. Later, in The Descent of Man, he wrote, There is no difference between man and the higher mammals in their mental faculties. Some philosophers and intellectuals, such as Peter Singer and Tom Regan, have argued that animals ability to feel pain as humans does make their well-being worthy of equal consideration, There are many precursors of this train of thought. Jeremy Bentham, the founder of utilitarianism, famously wrote in his An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation, The question is not, can they reason nor can they talk. These arguments have prompted some to suggest that animals well-being should enter a social welfare function directly, in one survey of United States homeowners, 68% of respondents said they actually consider the price of meat a more important issue. Animal cruelty can be broken down into two categories, active and passive
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Equitation
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Equitation is the art or practice of horse riding or horsemanship. More specifically, equitation may refer to a position while mounted. In horse show competition, the rider, rather than the horse is evaluated, such classes go by different names, depending on region, including equitation classes, rider classes, or horsemanship classes. The performance of the horse is not judged per se, but a poorly performing horse is considered to reflect the ability of the rider, Equitation classes occur in the Hunt seat, Saddle seat, Dressage, and Western disciplines. In the United States, the largest organizer of equestrian competitions is the United States Equestrian Federation, the organization offers equitation classes at its recognized shows, including those in hunt seat, dressage seat, saddle seat, and Western. The hunt seat style of riding is derived from the hunt field and it is correct for the riders to have a light and steady contact with their horses mouth the entire ride. Incorrect leads, break of pace, and wrong diagonals are penalized, loss of a stirrup or dropping the reins are also faults, and may be cause for elimination. In over fences classes, the competitor rides over a course of at least six jumps. Equitation over fence classes rarely have fences higher than 3 feet 6 inches, classes for more accomplished riders may require at least one flying lead change, and one or more combinations. The rider is judged not only on position and effectiveness of riding aids and these championships and their qualifying classes may include bending lines, roll back turns, narrow fences, and fences with a long approach to test the rider. Fences must be at least 36 and may be up to 5 wide, the course may include liverpool or open water elements, depending on the class specifications. Equitation tests may be chosen by the judge to place the top riders. These tests are required in the medal classes, riders may also be asked to switch horses at higher levels of competition, such as at a national final. Switching of horses is no longer common at competitions, usually only championships. Today it is seen most often at horse shows organized for exhibitors of the American Saddlebred, Morgan, Arabian, Tennessee Walking Horse, and it is also sometimes seen in competition for Andalusian horses. There are open and breed-specific national championships as well as a championship held every other year. Gaits shown in Saddle Seat classes include the walk, trot, some competitions may call for extended gaits, particularly the trot. In some cases, breeds who can perform five gaits add equitation classes that require two additional gaits, the gait and rack. All classes require Rail work, where competitors show and are judged as a group going both ways of the arena, Saddle seat equitation may include individual tests or a pattern to be ridden
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International Federation for Equestrian Sports
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The International Federation for Equestrian Sports is the international governing body of equestrian sports. The FEI headquarters are in Lausanne, Switzerland, an FEI code of conduct protects the welfare of the horses from physical abuse or doping. Jumping, Dressage and Eventing have been a part of the Olympics since 1912, para-Equestrian Dressage has been part of the Paralympic games since 1996. The FEI has organized the FEI World Equestrian Games every four years since 1990, the idea of the World Equestrian Games came into being in the mid-1980s and was strongly supported by HRH Prince Philip, who was then FEI President. The WEG encompasses the World Championship titles in all the FEI global disciplines, the FEI World Cup is an indoor series and takes place throughout the world with qualifying leagues leading to a final in each of the disciplines. The FEI World Cup series began with Show jumping in 1978 and has since extended to the disciplines of Dressage. Today, there are 134 National Equestrian Federations affiliated with the FEI, there have been 13 different presidents of the organization. Major Jhkr Karl F. Quarles van Ufford is the individual to have served twice. Nowadays, a President can serve for a maximum of two terms, since 2014, the President of the FEI is Ingmar De Vos from Belgium. Official website FEI TV, Official Video Website Official Facebook Page
21.
Equestrian at the Summer Olympics
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Equestrianism made its Summer Olympics debut at the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. It disappeared until 1912, but has appeared at every Summer Olympic Games since, the current Olympic equestrian disciplines are Dressage, Eventing, and Jumping. In each discipline, both individual and team medals are awarded, women and men compete together on equal terms. Equestrian disciplines and the component of Modern Pentathlon are also the only Olympic events that involve animals. The horse is considered as much an athlete as the rider, the International Governing Body for equestrian sports is the Fédération Équestre Internationale. The 1924 Olympics were the first at which equestrian competitions were held under the authority of the FEI, equestrian events were first held at the 1900 Paris Olympic Games, although it did not include any of the disciplines seen today. There were 4 different equestrian events, the polo competition consisted of 4 teams made up of players from Britain, France, Mexico, Spain, and the United States. Grand Prix Jumping, which was similar to show jumping event, for which 45 competitors entered. The first and second place was taken by riders from Belgium, while a French rider, Louis de Champsavin, on his mount Terpsichore, got the third place. However, Constant van Langendonck and Extra Dry were able to clinch the gold in the Long Jump competition, clearing a distance of 6.10 meters. Trissino and Oreste won the silver, clearing 5.70 meters, equestrian competition was dropped from the 1904 Olympic Games, and owed its return to Count Clarence von Rosen, Master of the Horse to the King of Sweden, for bringing it back. The 1906 IOC Congress agreed to his proposal to add dressage, eventing, however, due to problems with the newly formed International Horse Show Committee, they were not introduced until the 1912 Games in Stockholm and only a polo event was held in 1908. These three disciplines would be held at every Summer Olympic Games through to the present day, in 1952, however, all men were permitted to compete in all equestrian disciplines, and women were permitted to compete in Dressage. Women were later permitted to compete in Jumping in 1956 and in Eventing in 1964, since then, equestrianism has been one of the very few Olympic sports in which men and women compete with and directly against one another. Following the 1900 Olympic Games, polo would be held an additional 4 times, at the 1908 London Games, the 1920 Antwerp Games, the 1924 Paris Games, the 1908 Olympics had just 3 polo teams, all representing Great Britain. The 1920 Games included a team from Belgium, Great Britain, Spain, and it was not until 1924, after Argentina sent a team to Paris, that the gold changed hands. Argentina also won gold at the 1936 Olympic Games, vaulting was only held once, at the 1920 Antwerp Games. Vaulting included both a team and a competition, with the entrants having to perform movements at the canter and at the halt
22.
Dressage
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Dressage is a highly skilled form of riding performed in exhibition and competition, as well as an art sometimes pursued solely for the sake of mastery. Competitions are held at all levels from amateur to the Olympic Games, at the peak of a dressage horses gymnastic development, the horse responds smoothly to a skilled riders minimal aids. The rider is relaxed and appears effort-free while the horse performs the requested movement. The discipline has a history with ancient roots in the writings of Xenophon. Much about training systems used today reflects practices of classical dressage, in modern dressage competition, successful training at the various levels is demonstrated through the performance of tests, prescribed series of movements ridden within a standard arena. A score of 9 is very good and is a high mark, all riding horses can benefit from use of dressage principles and training techniques. The most popular horse breeds seen at the Olympics and other international FEI competitions are warmblood horses bred for dressage, in classical dressage training and performances that involve the airs above the ground, the baroque breeds of horses are popular and purposely bred for these specialties. There are two sizes of arenas, small and standard, each has letters assigned to positions around the arena for dressage tests to specify where movements are to be performed. Cones with letters on them are positioned on the sidelines of the arena for reference as to where a movement is to be performed. The small arena is 20 by 40 m and is used for the levels of eventing in the dressage phase. Its letters around the edge, starting from the point of entry. Letters also mark locations along the line in the middle of the arena. Moving down the line from A, they are D-X-G. The standard arena is 20 by 60 m, and is used for tests in both dressage and eventing. The standard dressage arena letters are A-K-V-E-S-H-C-M-R-B-P-F, the letters on the long sides of the arena, nearest the corners, are 6 m in from the corners, and are 12 m apart from each other. The letters along the line are D-L-X-I-G, with X again being halfway down the arena. There is speculation as to why these letters were chosen, most commonly it is believed because the German cavalry had a 20 × 60-meter area in-between the barracks which had the letters posted above the doors. At the start of the test, the horse enters the arena at an opening at A, ideally this opening is then closed for the duration of the test, however, this is not always logistically possible, particularly at smaller competitions with few volunteers
23.
Eventing
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Eventing is an equestrian event where a single horse and rider combination compete against other combinations across the three disciplines of dressage, cross-country, and show jumping. This event has its roots in a comprehensive cavalry test requiring mastery of several types of riding, Eventing was previously known as Combined Training, and the name persists in many smaller organizations. The term Combined Training is sometimes confused with the term Combined Test which refers to a combination of just two of the phases, most commonly dressage and show jumping. Eventing is a triathlon, in that it combines three different disciplines in one competition set out over one, two, or three days, depending on the length of courses and number of entries. This sport follows a format in Australia, Canada, Ireland, United Kingdom. The test is judged by one or more judges who are looking for balance, rhythm, suppleness, and most importantly, obedience of the horse and its harmony with the rider. The challenge is to demonstrate that a fit horse, capable of completing the cross country phase on time, also has the training to perform in a graceful, relaxed. The tests may not ask for Grand Prix movements such as piaffe or passage, therefore, if one movement is poorly executed, it is still possible for the rider to get a good overall score if the remaining movements are very well executed. The marks are added together and any errors of course deducted, if all four feet of the horse exit the arena during the test, this results in elimination. If the horse more than 20 seconds during the test. This phase consists of approximately 12–20 fences, or 30–40 at the higher levels, sometimes, particularly at higher levels, fences are designed that would not normally occur in nature. However, these are designed to be as solid as more natural obstacles. Safety regulations mean that some obstacles are now being built with a frangible pin system, speed is also a factor, with the rider required to cross the finish line within a certain time frame. Crossing the finish line after the optimum time results in penalties for each second over, at lower levels, there is also a speed fault time, where penalties are incurred for horse and rider pairs completing the course too quickly. For every disobedience a horse and rider incur on course, penalties will be added to their dressage score, after four disobediences altogether or three disobediences at one fence the pair is eliminated, meaning they can no longer participate in the competition. A horse and rider pair can also be eliminated for going off course, if the horses shoulder and hind-quarter touch the ground, mandatory retirement is taken and they are not allowed to participate further in the competition. If the rider falls off the horse they are eliminated, however, in the US this rule is currently being revised for the Novice level and below. The penalties for disobediences on cross country are weighted relative to the other phases of competition to emphasize the importance of courage, endurance
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Show jumping
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Show jumping, also known as stadium jumping, open jumping, or simply jumping, is a part of a group of English riding equestrian events that also includes dressage, eventing, hunters, and equitation. Jumping classes are seen at horse shows throughout the world. International competitions are governed by the rules of the International Federation for Equestrian Sports, Show jumping events have hunter classes, jumper classes and hunt seat equitation classes. Hunters are judged subjectively on the degree to which they meet a standard of manners, style. Jumper courses tend to be more complex and technical than hunter courses because riders. Courses often are colorful and at times, quite creatively designed, hunters have meticulous turnout and tend toward very quiet, conservative horse tack and rider attire. Hunter bits, bridles, crops, spurs, and martingales are tightly regulated, formal turnout always is preferred, a neat rider gives a good impression at shows. In addition to hunters and jumpers, there are classes, sometimes called hunt seat equitation. The equipment, clothing, and fence styles used in more closely resemble hunter classes. Jumper classes are held over a course of show jumping obstacles, including verticals, spreads, the intent is to jump cleanly over a set course within an allotted time. Time faults are assessed for exceeding the time allowance, Jumping faults are incurred for knockdowns and blatant disobedience, such as refusals. Horses are allowed a number of refusals before being disqualified. A refusal may lead to a rider exceeding the time allowed on course, placings are based on the lowest number of points or faults accumulated. A horse and rider who have not accumulated any jumping faults or penalty points are said to have scored a clear round. Tied entries usually have a jump-off over a raised and shortened course, and the course is timed, if entries are tied for faults accumulated in the jump-off, the fastest time wins. In most competitions, riders are allowed to walk the initial course, going off course will cost time if minor errors are made and major departures will result in disqualification. The higher levels of competition, such as A or AA rated shows in the United States, or the international Grand Prix circuit, present more technical and complex courses. Not only is the height and width of an obstacle increased to present a challenge, technical difficulty also increases with tighter turns
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Combined driving
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Combined driving is an equestrian sport involving carriage driving. In this discipline, the driver sits on a vehicle drawn by a single horse, the sport has three phases, dressage, cross-country marathon and obstacle cone driving, and is most similar to the mounted equestrian sport of eventing. It is one of the ten international equestrian sport horse disciplines recognized by the Fédération Equestre Internationale, the FEI classification system denotes driving competitions as Concours dAttelage, which may be either National or International. A National Event is limited to competitors of that nation, who take part according to the regulations of their National Federation. Foreign athletes may take part by invitation, an International Event must be organised under the FEI Statutes, General Regulations and Sport Rules, and may be open to competitors of all NFs. CAIs are primarily for individual athletes, however, at World Championships, competitions for national teams of three or four members run concurrently with the individual competition. There are two categories of international competitions – CAI-A and CAI-B, the CAI-A category denotes a higher level of organisation and facilities provided. Normally, it is assumed that a CA classified competition is for horses, if pony classes are involved, the letter P is added to the classification. Numbers denote the arrangement of horses in the class, World championships are denoted as Championnat du Monde Attelage. There are three World Championships for horses – Singles, Pairs and Four-in-Hand and these are held every two years, with Single Horse and Four-in-Hand Championships in an even-numbered year and Horse Pairs every odd year. In addition, a World Combined Pony Championships are held every odd-numbered year, FEI World Cup Driving, is a series of competitions for four-in-hand horse teams. Introduced in 2001, it provides a style of competition which takes place in an indoor arena. The course combines marathon and cone driving obstacles, five or six drivers, each with a team of four horses take turns to drive the course against the clock. World Cup Driving events are classified as CAI-W and take place throughout the winter months, competitions for drivers with disabilities are classified as CPEAI and the championships are held in every odd-numbered year. At the National level the sport is governed by each countrys National Federation, sometimes through a body, which will have rules based on the FEI Rulebook. Most countries hold their own National Championships, most people will start driving by joining a local organisation or club, who organise training sessions and one- or two-day competitions. Keen drivers can qualify to take part in events from which they may put themselves forward to be selected to represent their country at international competitions or World Championships. Because a driver needs a groom, its possible to take part as such
26.
Endurance riding
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Endurance riding is an equestrian sport based on controlled long-distance races. It is one of the international recognized by the FEI. There are two types of long-distance riding, competitive trail riding and endurance rides. In the United States, most endurance rides are either 50 or 100 miles long, shorter rides, called Limited Distance rides, are organized for new riders to the sport or young horses being trained. However, LDs have evolved into a competition of their own, in more experienced riders. There are also longer, usually multi-day, rides as well, as with human marathon running, many riders will participate to improve their horses personal best performance and consider finishing the distance with a proper vet completion record to be a win. In the USA, the American Endurance Ride Conference sanctions endurance rides, in the UK, Endurance GB is the governing body. Winning riders can complete 100-mile rides in 14 to 15 hours, any breed can compete, but the Arabian generally dominates the top levels because of the breeds stamina and natural endurance abilities. Endurance rides and races can be any distance, though they are rarely over 160 km for a one-day competition. Organized endurance riding as a sport began in 1955, when Wendell Robie. They followed the historic Western States Trail and this ride soon became known as the Tevis Cup, and it remains the most difficult of any 100-mile ride in the world because of the severe terrain, high altitude, and 100-degree temperatures. Endurance riding first was brought to Europe in the 1960s, before the ride, horses are inspected by a veterinarian to ensure they are fit to perform in the ride. Riders may be given a map or GPS waypoints for the course, which shows the route, the places for compulsory halts, the trails frequently are marked with colored surveyors tape ribbons at regular intervals with additional ribbons or small arrow markers at turns in the trail. The ride is divided into sections, with different names, depending on sanctioning organization, after each section, horses are stopped for a veterinary inspection, where they are checked for soundness and dehydration, with their pulse and respiration taken. The riders time keeps running until their horses reach the required target, any horse deemed unfit to continue is eliminated from further competition. After the veterinary inspection, the horse must be held for a hold time. If the veterinary inspection is on the rather than at base camp, ride management usually delivers to the inspection location a cache of riders personal gear, food. While riders may compete without additional aid, sometimes referred to as riding cavalry, in upper level competition this is particularly important to efficiently prepare the horse for the vet as well as care of both horse and rider during the mandatory hold times
27.
Horseball
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Horseball is a game played on horseback where a ball is handled and points are scored by shooting it through a hoop with a diameter of 1m. The sport is like a combination of polo, rugby, and it is one of the ten disciplines officially recognized by the International Federation for Equestrian Sports. The sports predecessor, pato, originated in Argentina in the early 1700s and it was outlawed in 1790 due to high mortality among players. In 1941 the Federacion Argentina de Pato was created, in 1953 was declared as Argentinas national game. The name of the game derives from the use of a live duck instead of the six-handled ball which is used in the modern sport. The game as its known today, including the use of a instead of an animal, was defined in the 1930s. It gained success and has spread across Europe and overseas, the International Horseball Federation has eighteen members including eight outside of Europe, Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Kyrgyzstan and Mexico. The basic rules involve a team of 4 players making a minimum of 3 passes between 3 different players of their team and then scoring a goal through a vertical hoop goal, the game is played on a soft, non slip surface, usually sand. The pitch is rectangular, approximately 65m x 25m, a match begins with a pick up, the rules for the first pick up are simple, the horse has to be cantering. In this situation, each rider must remain seated in the saddle, if both stay seated and the defender manages to keep hold of the ball for 3 seconds then their team earns a penalty. Simple tactics of the game involve the attacking team going towards goal crossing paths as this helps to manoeuvre the defence. Players can return home if they feel an attack is failing, when the ball is dropped or falls to the ground, anyone can pick it up so long as they are travelling in the same direction as play was when the ball was dropped. This is to avoid any riders coming head on whilst someone is picking up, whilst picking the ball up during the game the player must not come to a stand still. This is a teams tournament. There have been seventeen editions of this tournament with Saint-Lô2013, France is the only national team to have won this tournament, the Portuguese team has the most Silver, and Belgium the most Bronze. Currently the titles are, Gold for France, Silver for Spain, the European Lady Championship is the female only tournament, the first was in 2003 in Abano Terme 2003. There have been eight editions of this tournament with Saint-Lô2013, France is again the only national team to have won this tournament, tied for most silver are Belgium, Germany and Spain, and tied with the most bronze are Belgium, Great Britain and Spain. Currently the titles are, Gold for France, Silver for Spain, the European Under-16 Championship is the youth tournament with mixed-sex teams, the first was in 2004 in Lamotte-Beuvron 2004
28.
Reining
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Reining is a western riding competition for horses where the riders guide the horses through a precise pattern of circles, spins, and stops. All work is done at the lope, or the gallop, the horse should be willingly guided or controlled with little or no apparent resistance and dictated to completely. Cattle were moved, branded, doctored, sorted, and herded, often on open range without the benefit of fences, a good cowboy needed a quick and nimble horse, one that could change directions quickly, stop on a dime, and sprint after an errant cow. Other nations with traditions of herding livestock on vast areas, such as Australia and Argentina, the reining pattern includes an average of eight to twelve movements which must be executed by the horse. Patterns require the following movements, Circles, the horse must perform large, fast circles at a near-gallop and smaller and they should be perfectly round, with the rider dictating the pace of the horse. There should be an easily seen change of speed as the rider transitions from the large, fast to the small, most circles incorporate changes of direction that require a flying change of lead. Flying lead change, the horse changes its leading front and hind legs at the lope mid-stride, the horse should not break gait nor change speed. Rundown, the horse gallops or runs along the side of the arena. A rundown is a required movement prior to a sliding stop, the back should be raised upward and hindquarters come well underneath. A particularly powerful stop may, depending on conditions, produce flying dirt. The movement should finish in a line, and the horses position should not change. This movement is a favorite, along with spins. Back or Backup, the backs up quickly for at least 10 feet. The horse must back in a straight line, stop when asked. It is judged on how quick, smooth and straight the line is, rollback, the horse immediately, without hesitation, performs a 180-degree turn after halting from a sliding stop, and immediately goes forward again into a lope. The horse must turn on its hindquarters, bringing its hocks well under, spins or Turnarounds, beginning from a standstill, the horse spins 360 degrees or more in place around its stationary inside hind leg. The hind pivot foot remains in essentially the same throughout the spin, though the horse will pick it up. Spins are judged on correctness, smoothness, and cadence, speed adds to the difficulty and will improve the score of a correctly done spin
29.
Tent pegging
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Tent pegging is a cavalry sport of ancient origin, and is one of only ten equestrian disciplines officially recognised by the International Equestrian Federation. Used narrowly, the term refers to a mounted game with ground targets. More broadly, it refers to the class of mounted cavalry games involving edged weapons on horseback. Cavaliers have practised the specific game of tent pegging since at least the 4th century BC, as a result, the games date and location of origin are ambiguous. In all accounts, the sport evolved out of cavalry training exercises designed to develop cavaliers prowess with the sword. However, whether tent pegging developed cavaliers generic skills or prepared them for combat situations is unclear. However, other sources suggest that the sport originated earlier in Central Asia or the Middle East and was later on popularised in India. However, there are few accounts of a cavalry squadron ever employing such tactics. The specific game of tent pegging has a mounted horseman riding at a gallop and using a sword or a lance to pierce, pick up, the broader class of tent pegging games also includes ring jousting, lemon sticking, quintain tilting, and Parthian archery. Today, tent pegging is practised around the world, but is popular in Australia, India, Israel, Oman, Pakistan, South Africa. The Olympic Council of Asia included tent pegging as a sport in 1982. From the results of the 2008 International Tent Pegging Championships, the three leading national teams are currently Canada, India, and Oman. Members of cavalry regiments and mounted police forces remain dominant in world-class tent pegging, the United States Tent Pegging Federation is working on introducing tent pegging on the sidelines of polo in the United States. In late 1990s, many efforts were mostly solo efforts by individuals like H. E Prince Malik Ata Khan and Maharaja of Dunlod. EFI tent pegging pioneers provided much encouragement to export tent pegging to the USA, also H. E Prince Malik Ata Khan, the icon of modern-day tent pegging supported the idea of formation of a Tent Pegging as an organized sport in the USA. All of their thrust was to establish an organization in the United States so that USA could represent itself on the international front, at present the USTPF, working hard to promote Tent Pegging in the USA. The promotion efforts include two Tent Pegging Training Clinics initiated in October 2014 and June 2015 to compete in the international Arena, the USTPF was recognized by the USEF as Alliance Partner in 2015 and an NGB for Tent Pegging in the USA. The USEF granted the Alliance Partnership to the USTPF with permanent Alliance Partnership number 5347848, New and emerging national tent pegging associations have helped spread the sports popularity
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Equestrian vaulting
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Equestrian vaulting, or simply Vaulting, is most often described as gymnastics and dance on horseback, which can be practiced both competitively or non-competitively. Vaulting has a history as an act at circuses. It is open to men and women, and is one of ten equestrian disciplines recognized by the International Federation for Equestrian Sports. Therapeutic or interactive vaulting is also used as an activity for children and adults who may have balance, attention, gross motor skill, vaultings enthusiasts are concentrated in Europe and other parts of the Western world. It is well established in Germany and Switzerland and is growing in other western countries, Vaulting was first introduced in the United States in the 1950s and 60s but was limited only to California and other areas of the west coast. More recently, it is beginning to gain popularity in the United States northeast and it is believed by some that the origins of vaulting could be traced to the ancient Roman games, where acrobats usually displayed their skills on cantering horses. Others, however, believe that vaulting originated in ancient Crete, in either case, people have been performing acrobatic and dance-like movements on the backs of moving horses/animals for more than 2,000 years. Renaissance and Middle Ages history include numerous references to vaulting or similar activities, the present name of the sport/art comes from the French la voltige, which it acquired during the Renaissance, when it was a form of riding drill and agility exercise for cavalry riders. Modern vaulting developed in post-war Germany as an initiative to introduce children to equestrian sports, in 1983, vaulting became one of the disciplines recognized by the FEI. European championships were first held in Ebreichsdorf, Austria in 1984, Vaulting was included in the World Equestrian Games in Stockholm in 1990 and in all subsequent editions of the games. It was demonstrated as an art during the 1984 and 1996 Olympic Games events and it has been included in the Inter-Africa Cup since 2006. The first World Cup Vaulting competition was held in Leipzig on 29–30 April 2011, in competitive vaulting, vaulters compete as individuals, pairs, and teams. Beginning vaulters compete at the walk or trot while experienced vaulters compete at the canter, the vaulting horse moves in a 15-metre circle and is directed by a lunger who stands in the center. In competitive vaulting, the rider will first be judged on a score from 1 to 10, if two competitors tie, then the horse is judged. Vaulting competitions consist of compulsory exercises and choreographed freestyle exercises done to music, there are seven compulsory exercises, mount, basic seat, flag, mill, scissors, stand and flank. Each exercise is scored on a scale from 0 to 10, horses also receive a score and are judged on the quality of their movement as well as their behavior. Vaulters compete in team and individual freestyles, an individual Kur is a 1-minute freestyle and team is 4 minutes. They are both choreographed to music, the components of a freestyle vaulting routine may include mounts and dismounts, handstands, kneeling and standing and aerial moves such jumps, leaps and tumbling skills
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Para-equestrian
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The other is para-equestrian driving, which operates under the same basic rules as combined driving but places competitors in various grades based on their functional abilities. The first official Paralympic Games was held in Rome in 1960, the Games were initially open only to athletes in wheelchairs, at the 1976 Summer Games, athletes with different disabilities were included for the first time at a Summer Paralympics. Competitors with cerebral palsy classifications were allowed to compete at the Paralympic games for the first time at the 1984 Summer Paralympics, para-equestrian dressage was added to the Paralympic Games program at the 1996 Summer Paralympics. The FEI brought para-equestrian sport under its umbrella in 2006, riders with physical disabilities may compete on the same team as people with vision impairment. There are two separate para-equestrian events sanctioned by FEI, the governing body. Dressage events include Walk Only Tests for Grade 1 and Walk, the dressage events open to Grade 3 classification included Walk and Trot but Canter allowed in Freestyle. The dressage events open to Grade 4 classification included Walk, Trot and Canter, in these three grades, participants use a 40 x 20 metre arena. The dressage events open to Grade 5 classification included Walk, Trot, Canter, Canter Half-Pirouettes,3 and 4 sequence changes, at Grade 5 participants move up to the 60 x 20 metre arena. All class events are mixed gendered, for national team competitions such as the Paralympics, each team consists of three riders, one of whom must be a Grade 1, Grade 2 or Grade 3 rider. As of 2012, people with physical and visual disabilities are eligible to compete, the other para-equestrian event is para-driving. It was previously called Carriage Driving, all class events are mixed gendered. The sport is the one with one of the highest rates of injury, for this reason, much of the equipment for the sport is developed with this in mind. Much of the equipment uses Velcro and rubber bands so that things can easily breakaway, there is also a constant balance in developing equipment for para-equestrian to assure that the rider remains in control, and that they are not dragged along by the horse. One of the made to saddles for para-equestrian is extra padding. One of the companies that specializes in making saddles for people with disabilities is Superacor, in addition to saddles, para-equestrian riders may use some other form of padding such as a fleece covering for the saddle. Para-equestrian competitors have both a class and a disability profile number, the profile number impacts which equipment a rider can use, with equipment differences existing in the same class. The Paralympic games host a para-equestrian dressage competition, and have done so since 1996, the Paralympic Games are the second largest equestrian event in the world, only behind the Olympic Games. It is the sport on the Paralympic program that includes a live animal
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Horse racing
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Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys or driven over a set distance for competition. Horse races vary widely in format, often, countries have developed their own particular horse racing traditions. Variations include restricting races to particular breeds, running over obstacles, running over different distances, running on different track surfaces, Horse racing has a long and distinguished history and has been practised in civilisations across the world since ancient times. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in Ancient Greece, Babylon, Syria and it also plays an important part of myth and legend, such as the contest between the steeds of the god Odin and the giant Hrungnir in Norse mythology. Chariot racing was one of the most popular ancient Greek, Roman, both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC and were important in the other Panhellenic Games. This was despite the fact that racing was often dangerous to both driver and horse as they frequently suffered serious injury and even death. In the Roman Empire, chariot and mounted horse racing were major industries, fifteen to 20 riderless horses, originally imported from the Barbary Coast of North Africa, ran the length of the Via del Corso, a long, straight city street, in about 2½ minutes. In later times, Thoroughbred racing became, and remains, popular with the aristocrats and royalty of British society, historically, equestrians honed their skills through games and races. Equestrian sports provided entertainment for crowds and honed the excellent horsemanship that was needed in battle, Horse racing of all types evolved from impromptu competitions between riders or drivers. The various forms of competition, requiring demanding and specialized skills from both horse and rider, resulted in the development of specialized breeds and equipment for each sport. The popularity of sports through the centuries has resulted in the preservation of skills that would otherwise have disappeared after horses stopped being used in combat. There are many different types of racing, including, Flat racing. Jump racing, or Jumps racing, also known as Steeplechasing or, in the UK and Ireland, National Hunt racing, Harness racing, where horses trot or pace while pulling a driver in a sulky. Breeds that are used for flat racing include the Thoroughbred, Quarter Horse, Arabian, Paint, Jump racing breeds include the Thoroughbred and AQPS. In harness racing, Standardbreds are used in Australia, New Zealand and North America, light cold blood horses, such as Finnhorses and Scandinavian coldblood trotter are also used in harness racing within their respective geographical areas. There also are races for ponies, both flat and jump and harness racing, Flat racing is the most common form of racing seen worldwide. Track surfaces vary, with turf most common in Europe, dirt more common in North America and Asia, individual flat races are run over distances ranging from 440 yards up to two and a half miles, with distances between five and twelve furlongs being most common. Short races are referred to as sprints, while longer races are known as routes in the United States or staying races in Europe
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Harness racing
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Harness racing is a form of horse racing in which the horses race at a specific gait. They usually pull a cart called a sulky, although in Europe racing under saddle is also conducted. Orlov trotters race separately in Russia, the light cold-blooded Coldblood trotters and Finnhorses race separately in Finland, Norway and Sweden. Today, most harness races are won by Standardbreds who post times of 2 minutes or less, the horses have proportionally shorter legs than Thoroughbreds, and longer bodies. Standardbreds generally have a placid disposition, due to the admixture of non-Thoroughbred blood in the breed. The founding sire of todays Standardbred horse was Messenger, a gray Thoroughbred brought to America in 1788 and purchased by Henry Astor, from Messenger came a great-grandson, Hambletonian 10, who gained a wide following for his racing prowess. However, it is his line for which he is most remembered. The lineage of virtually all North American Standardbred race horses can be traced from four of Hambletonian 10 sons, races can be conducted in two differing gaits – trotting and pacing. The difference is that a trotter moves its legs forward in diagonal pairs, in continental Europe, races are conducted exclusively among trotters, whereas in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States races are also held for pacers. Pacing races constitute 80% to 90% of the harness races conducted in North America, Pacing horses are faster and less likely to break stride. One of the reasons pacers are less likely to break stride is that they often wear hobbles, the belief that hobbles are used to create this gait is a common misunderstanding. The pace is a natural gait for many horses, and hobbles are an aid in supporting the gait at top speed, most harness races start from behind a motorized starting gate. The horses line up behind a slow-moving, hinged gate mounted on a motor vehicle, at the line, the wings of the gate are folded up and the vehicle accelerates away from the horses. This enables handicaps to be placed on horses with several tapes, many European – and some Australian and New Zealand – races use a standing start. The sulky is a light, two-wheeled cart equipped with bicycle wheels, the driver carries a light whip chiefly used to signal the horse by tapping and to make noise by striking the sulky shaft. There are strict rules as to how and how much the whip may be used, in some jurisdictions, for exercising or training, the drivers use what is known as a jog cart, which is a sulky that is heavier and bulkier than a racing unit. The Prix dAmérique is considered to be the number-one trotting race in the world and it is held annually at the gigantic Vincennes hippodrome in eastern Paris late in January. The purse for the race in 2016 is 1 million euros, the horses are entered in the race based on life-time earnings, unless they have qualified by performing well in the preceding six qualifying races
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Point-to-point (steeplechase)
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A point-to-point is a form of horseracing over fences for hunting horses and amateur riders. In Ireland, where the sport is open to licensed - i. e. professional - trainers, many of the horses will appear in these races before they compete in National Hunt races. Consequently, the Irish point-to-point is more used as a nursery for young stars. Whilst professional trainers are specifically excluded from running horses in point-to-points in Great Britain, increasingly, horses are run from livery yards - unlicensed but otherwise professional training establishments, sometimes closely allied with a licensed yard. Horses running in Point-to-Points must be Thoroughbreds, save in the case of Hunt Members races, the owner must be a member, subscriber or farmer of a recognized pack of Hounds and obtain a Hunter Certificate from the Master to that effect. Similarly, potential riders must also obtain a Riders Qualification Certificate from a Hunt Secretary, Point-to-Point racing is also sometimes referred to as racing between the flags. The first Steeplechase ever was run locally between Buttevant and Doneraile, County Cork, over 250 years ago, by keeping the steeple of the church in sight both riders could see their finishing point. The first traceable use of the phrase point-to-point in connection with a race is in Bells Life on 10 January 1874. A race is described that took place on the 2 January from Sutton-on-the-Forest to Brandsby and it was won by Langar, ridden by his owner the Hon. E. Willoughby. In Great Britain, local hunts combined in 1913 to form the Master of Hounds Point‐to‐Point Association, control passed to the National Hunt Committee in the mid 1930s and The Jockey Club in the late 1960s. In recent years, pony racing has been staged at British meetings in an attempt to more young riders into point to pointing. It includes races for children and veteran riders, the majority of the races are for riders on purebred New Forest ponies, but some races are open to horses and ponies of other breeds. Point-to-Point races are run over a minimum of three miles, but certain races, including some blue riband events are longer, and Maiden races for young horses can be run over 2½ miles. Most Point-to-Point courses are laid out on ordinary farm land, although a few are placed on the inside of professional courses such as Bangor-on-Dee racecourse or Hexham, there are 110 point-to-point courses throughout the United Kingdom divided into nine regions. East,8 - Ampton, Cottenham, Fakenham, High Easter, Higham, Horseheath, Marks Tey, scotland,4 - Balcormo Mains, Friars Haugh, Mosshouses, Overton. South & Central,4 - Hackwood Park, Kimble, Kingston Blount, south,7 - Aldington, Catsfield, Charing, Godstone, Parham, Penshurst, Peper Harow. Wales,11 - Bangor-on-Dee, Cilwendeg, Howick, Llanfrynach, Llanvapley, Lower Machen, Lydstep, Pentreclwydau, Pyle, Trecoed, a three-mile race is almost invariably two circuits of a typical point to point course although there are one or two exceptions. Every course must have a number of 18 fences and at least two fences must have ditches
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Steeplechase
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A steeplechase is a distance horse race in which competitors are required to jump diverse fence and ditch obstacles. Steeplechasing is primarily conducted in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Canada, United States, Australia, modern usage of the term steeplechase differs between countries. In Ireland and the United Kingdom, it only to races run over large, fixed obstacles. The collective term jump racing or National Hunt racing is used referring to steeplechases. Elsewhere in the world, steeplechase is used to refer to any race that involves jumping obstacles. The most famous steeplechase in the world is the Grand National run annually at Aintree Racecourse, in Liverpool, since its inception in 1836, which in 2014 offered a prize fund of £1 million. The steeplechase originated in Ireland in the 18th century as an analogue to cross-country thoroughbred horse races which went from church steeple to church steeple, an account of the race was believed to have been in the library of the OBriens of Dromoland Castle. Most of the earlier steeplechases were contested cross-country rather than on a track, the first recorded steeplechase over a prepared track with fences was run at Bedford in 1810, although a race had been run at Newmarket in 1794 over a mile with five-foot bars every quarter mile. The first recognised English National Steeplechase took place on Monday 8 March 1830, the 4-mile race, organised by Thomas Coleman of St Albans, was run from Bury Orchard, Harlington in Bedfordshire to the Obelisk in Wrest Park, Bedfordshire. The winner was Captain Macdowall on The Wonder, owned by Lord Ranelagh, report of the event appeared in the May and July editions of Sporting Magazine in 1830. In Great Britain and Ireland, steeplechase only refers to one branch of jump racing, collectively, Great Britain and Ireland account for over 50% of all jump races worldwide, carding 4,800 races over fences in 2008. Jump racing in Great Britain and Ireland is officially known as National Hunt racing, French jump racing is similar to British and Irish National Hunt races, with a few notable differences. Hurdles are not collapsible, being akin to small brush fences. Chases often have large fences called bullfinches, a large hedge up to 8 ft tall that horses have to jump rather than over. There are also a number of cross-country chases where horses have to jump up and down banks, gallop through water. Auteuil in Paris is perhaps the best known racecourse in France for French jump racing, the Velká pardubická Steeplechase in Pardubice in the Czech Republic is the location of one of the longest steeplechase races in Europe. The first Velka Pardubice Steeplechase was held on 5 November 1874, in the United States, there are two forms of steeplechasing, hurdle and timber. National fences stand 52 inches tall at the highest point, but are made of synthetic brush that can be brushed through
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Thoroughbred horse racing
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Thoroughbred horse racing is a worldwide sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies, there are two forms of the sport, Flat racing and jump racing, called National Hunt racing in the UK and steeplechasing in the US. Jump racing can be divided into hurdling and steeplechasing. Traditionally racehorses have been owned by wealthy individuals. It has become common in the last few decades for horses to be owned by syndicates or partnerships. 2008 Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown, owned by IEAH stables, historically, most race horses were bred and raced by their owners. Additionally, owners may acquire Thoroughbreds by claiming them out of a race, a horse runs in the unique colours of its owner. These colours must be registered under the governing bodies and no two owners may have the same colours. The rights to certain colour arrangements are valuable in the way that distinctive car registration numbers are of value. It is said that Sue Magnier paid £50,000 for her dark blue colours. If an owner has more than one running in the same race then some slight variant in colours is often used or the race club colours may be used. The typical cost of owning a horse in training for one year is in the order of £15,000 in the United Kingdom. The facilities available to trainers vary enormously, some trainers have only a few horses in the yard and pay to use other trainers gallops. Other trainers have every conceivable training asset and it is a feature of racing that a modest establishment often holds its own against the bigger players even in a top race. This is particularly true of national hunt racing, Racing is governed on an All-Ireland basis, with two bodies sharing organising responsibility. The Turf Club is the rulemaking and enforcement body, whilst Horse Racing Ireland governs, in 2013, Ireland exported more than 4,800 Thoroughbreds to 37 countries worldwide with a total value in excess of €205 million. This is double the amount of horses exported annually from the U. S, the Jockey Club in the UK has been released from its regulatory function but still performs various supporting roles. A significant part of the BHAs work relates to the disciplining of trainers and jockeys, disciplinary enquiries usually relate to the running of a horse, for example, failure to run a horse on its merits, interference with other runners, excessive use of the whip
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Buzkashi
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Buzkashi, is the Central Asian sport in which horse-mounted players attempt to place a goat or calf carcass in a goal. It is the sport of Afghanistan, although it was not banned. Traditionally, games could last for days, but in its more regulated tournament version. From Scythian times until recent decades, buzkashi has remained as a legacy of that bygone era, during the rule of the Taliban regime, buzkashi was banned in Afghanistan, as the Taliban considered the game immoral. After the Taliban regime was ousted, the game resumed being played, today games similar to buzkashi are played by several Central Asian ethnic groups such as the Kyrgyz, Pashtuns, Kazakhs, Uzbeks, Uyghurs, Hazaras, Tajiks, and Turkmens. In the West, the game is played by Afghan Turks who migrated to Ulupamir village in the Van district of Turkey from the Pamir region. In western China, there is not only horse-back buzkashi, Buzkashi is the national sport and a passion in Afghanistan where it is often played on Fridays and matches draw thousands of fans. Whitney Azoy notes in his book Buzkashi, Game and Power in Afghanistan that leaders are men who can seize control by means foul and fair, the Buzkashi rider does the same. Kazakhstans first National Kokpar Association was registered in 2000, the Association has been holding annual kokpar championships among adults since 2001 and youth kokpar championships since 2005. All 14 regions of Kazakhstan have professional kokpar teams, the regions with the biggest number of professional kokpar teams are Southern Kazakhstan with 32 professional teams, Jambyl region with 27 teams and Akmola region with 18 teams. Kazakhstans national kokpar team currently holds a title of Eurasian kokpar champions, a photograph documents kokboru players in Kyrgyzstan around 1870, however, Kyrgyzstans kokboru rules were first officially defined and regulated in 1949. Starting from 1958 kokboru began being held in hippodromes, the size of a kokboru field depends on the number of participants. The buzkashi season in Tajikistan generally runs from November through April, High temperatures often prevent matches from taking place outside of this period, though isolated games might be found in some cooler mountain areas. Buzkashi was brought to the USA by a descendant from the Afghan Royal Family, a mounted version of the game has also been played in the United States in the 1940s. Young men in Cleveland, Ohio played a game they called Kav Kaz, the men – five to a team – played on horseback with a sheepskin-covered ball. The Greater Cleveland area had six or seven teams, the game was divided into three chukkers, somewhat like polo. The field was about the size of a field and had goals at each end, large wooden frameworks standing on tripods. The players carried the ball in their hands, holding it by the long-fleeced sheepskin, a team had to pass the ball three times before throwing it into the goal
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Equestrian drill team
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An equestrian drill team is a group of horses and riders performing choreographed maneuvers to music. Teams typically perform at rodeos, horse fairs, parades, benefits, Drill teams are intended to entertain, show sportsmanship, horsemanship, teamwork and dedication. Competition drill at the level is a controlled ride and has continuous forward motion. Some competition venues have set up divisions of competition to provide for novice, rodeo, youth, gaited and special effects such as theme. Theme drill provides a division that allows teams to showcase their uniforms, horse ability, music, members must have a uniform appearance, including outfits, hats, tack, and flags. Horses should be of the type, e. g. stock type, gaited, or miniature. Teams can range in size from four horses to 20 plus horses, categories can include Novice, Youth, 4-H, Gaited, Theme, Rodeo, Quad, or Open. The United States Equestrian Drill Association is the body for mounted drill. The USEDA sanctions competitions throughout the United States, the United States Equestrian Drill Championship is held each June at the Texas Rose Horse Park near Lindale, Texas as part of Super Ride - an International Festival of the Equestrian Arts
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Polo
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Polo is a team sport played on horseback. The objective is to score goals against an opposing team, players score by driving a small white plastic or wooden ball into the opposing teams goal using a long-handled mallet. The traditional sport of polo is played on a grass field up to 300 by 160 yards, each polo team consists of four riders and their mounts. Field polo is played with a plastic ball which has replaced the wooden version of the ball in much of the sport. In arena polo, only three players are required per team and the game involves more maneuvering and shorter plays at lower speeds due to space limitations of arenas. Arena polo is played with a small air-filled ball, similar to a small football, the modern game lasts roughly two hours and is divided into periods called chukkas. Polo is played professionally in 16 countries and it was formerly an Olympic sport. Its invention is dated variously from the 6th century BC to the 1st century AD, Persian Emperor Shapur II learnt to play polo when he was seven years old in 316 AD. The game was learnt by the neighbouring Byzantine Empire at an early date, a tzykanisterion was built by emperor Theodosius II inside the Great Palace of Constantinople. Emperor Basil I excelled at it, Emperor Alexander died from exhaustion while playing, naqsh-i Jahan Square in Isfahan is a polo field which was built by king Abbas I in the 17th century. Qutubuddin Aibak, the Turkic slave from Central Asia who later became the Sultan of Delhi in Northern India, ruled as a Sultan for only four years, from 1206 to 1210, but died accidentally in 1210. While he was playing a game of polo on horseback, his horse fell and he was buried near the Anarkali bazaar in Lahore. Aibaks son Aram died in 1211 CE, so Shams-ud-din Iltutmish, another ex-slave of Turkic ancestry who was married to Aibaks daughter, after the Muslim conquests to the Ayyubid and Mameluke dynasties of Egypt and the Levant, their elites favoured it above all other sports. Notable sultans such as Saladin and Baybars were known to play it, Polo sticks were features on the Mameluke precursor to modern day playing cards. Valuable for training cavalry, the game was played from Constantinople to Japan by the Middle Ages. It is known in the East as the Game of Kings, the name polo is said to have been derived from the Balti word pulu, meaning ball. The modern game of polo is derived from Manipur, India and it was the anglicised form of the last, referring to the wooden ball that was used, which was adopted by the sport in its slow spread to the west. The first polo club was established in the town of Silchar in Assam, India, the origins of the game in Manipur are traced to early precursors of Sagol Kangjei. This was one of three forms of hockey in Manipur, the ones being field hockey and wrestling-hockey
40.
Polocrosse
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Polocrosse is a team sport that is played all over the world. It is a combination of polo and lacrosse and it is played outside, on a field, on horseback. Each rider uses a cane or fibreglass stick to which is attached a racquet head with a loose, thread net, the ball is made of sponge rubber and is approximately four inches across. The objective is to score goals by throwing the ball between the teams goal posts. Anyone who can ride a horse can play polocrosse, which helps improve riding skills. All ages and abilities are encouraged to play and the Pony Club have recognised polocrosse as a horse sport, to get started, players need a recognized safety helmet, a racquet, a ball, leg wraps and coronet boots for the horse. Unlike polo, players are allowed only to one horse. There is no restriction on the height, although polocrosse horses are generally smaller than 16hh. Horses of all breeds play polocrosse and the Australian Stock Horse is the most popular breed playing in Australia, stallions are not permitted to play. A match comprises four, six or eight chukkas, the three players in each section play the position of a No. The team structure was designed to force players to pass the ball about amongst themselves, making it a better skilled, the field is 60 by 160 yards, with three separate areas. The goal scoring areas, on end, are 30 yards long. Only the No.1 of the team and the No.3 of the defending team can play in these areas. The middle area is 100 yards long, the line separating the goal scoring and centre areas is called the penalty or thirty-yard line. Goal posts are eight feet apart, to score, the ball must be thrown from outside an 11-yard semicircle in front of the goal. Players can pick up the ball from the ground, catch it in their racquet and they throw it to other players until the No.1 has possession in the goal scoring area. A player cannot carry the ball over the penalty line, and it can also be passed to a player over the line. When carrying the ball, a player must carry it on the stick side, a player can, however, pick-up or catch the ball on the non-stick side provided they immediately bring it back to their stick side
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