Is riding horses a sport? Riders are athletes?

[David]

So my last two big Facebook fights have revolved around people and their perceptions of what a sport or athlete are. I feel a sport is something physically demanding (which can conveniently be measured in calories burned), and an athlete is someone who partakes in these physically demanding sports. By my definition, Nascar is not a sport (this is not to say it is not difficult), nor are the drivers athletes.

So my question to you is this: are horseback riders really "athletes," or is it just the horse? I said that the horse was the only thing that could be considered an athlete in that scenario and was "ripped apart" (i.e. "u so dumb l0l!") by a never ending tide of rather ditzy women

For those of you who want content, it started over this stupid facebook chain image...

I thought this was absolutely hilarious for several reasons. For one, I put in something retarded like "driving to Wal Mart" in place of "riding horses," made the explanations dangerous and harrowing, and it came out perfect. Two, "You run 1 mile, I RIDE 10." enough said.

Anyways, after having a good 5+ people tell me how I'm "truely ignoreant" (seriously), I lost all faith in humanity. I even looked up the calories burned per hour for a 200lb man who rode a horse at walking speed. 228 calories. The same as brushing your teeth (for one hour) and less than cooking for the same period (240). My facts and quantitative analysis were quickly drowned out by the "OMG IT IS SO HARD" from people who have never done a sport in their lives.

Looks like the definition of sport and/or athlete is the next thing to be grossly distorted by the pussifying of America.

[Blake]

How can you ride 10 miles in 2 minutes?I would say horse riding is a sport, just because it has a set of rules, a way to judge a winner, events, etc. Of course that opens the door for stupid activities to be declared as sports, but I think most people can work out the difference in those cases.As far as them being athletes though, I would have to say no. Even though the conventional definition of an athlete is somebody who plays a sport, I try to narrow that down a bit to sports that are actually physically demanding; again a definition open for interpretation but I think the average person can work it out. That being said, I don't see how drivers, riders, and similar players can be called athletes.As far as the picture goes, just lol. If Facebook is good for anything, it's the type of pictures that are poorly thrown together, yet somehow carry a mass of fans.

[Brad]

Hell yeah there athletes a few reasons why:1. They train, breed and raise the horses from scratch.2. The riders have trained for years, if you don't move with the horses motion or sit wrong or twist your wrist at the wrong time your going to seriously hurt the horse (that's hard to explain to someone who's never ridden)3. Look up the calories for cantering on a horse, walking a horse is fuck all, that's why we started using horses.4. Horse riding is very broad as a sport. What particular part are you talking about?5. Horse Riders are great in the sack ;)I used to ride horses quite a lot, dated girls who own them and my sister has one too. This doesn't make me biased though. My sisters horse cost me a lot of damn cool shit when I was younger. There so fkn expensive.But yer there athletes, they train like every other sport. There's a lot more to riding a horse if you don't know what your looking at.

[Tynisa]

5. Horse Riders are great in the sack

Agreed. My bitch rides horses, and her legs come up to her armpits. Not literally, but you get the picture.

[David]

1. They train, breed and raise the horses from scratch.

2. The riders have trained for years, if you don't move with the horses motion or sit wrong or twist your wrist at the wrong time your going to seriously hurt the horse (that's hard to explain to someone who's never ridden)

3. Look up the calories for cantering on a horse, walking a horse is fuck all, that's why we started using horses.

4. Horse riding is very broad as a sport. What particular part are you talking about?

5. Horse Riders are great in the sack

1. Maybe some in the UK, but I personally don't know any who do that.

2. Yeah, I'm not saying it's not difficult, just that they're not really doing anything physically relative to the horse.

3. FTR the walking was basically trotting while on a horse (I believe). Racing is like ~530 per hour (if you raced at strong gallop for an hour which isn't happening).

4. Well, I'd say in general. Most of the people I know, though, just ride them around on the weekends and maybe do the occasional show. Most I think just show them, one does obstacle courses.

5.

I guess I'd compare it to Nascar in that although it's difficult to do, I wouldn't consider them athletes. It's difficult to drive in heavy traffic and study for organic chemistry as well.If you go by Blexun's definition of a sport as a "competition had through explicit rules" or something, it would be a sport though.

[CarnivalofSoulz]

i think its a sport.. i ride horses.. i trail ride and i show jump some and i also ride broncos, and if you think it isnt physically demanding i would ask you how many times you have riden? because i can tell you this much, u gotta move with the motions of the horse and when you ride for a feew hours and you get off that horse youre gonna be sore as fuck... it takes all your muscles to stay on let alone to keep up with moving.. yea.. even upper body muscles.. yea the horses do more work... but if you think its so easy, jump on a horse and we shall see well theres my opinion

[Tynisa]

i think its a sport.. i ride horses.. i trail ride and i show jump some and i also ride broncos, and if you think it isnt physically demanding i would ask you how many times you have riden? because i can tell you this much, u gotta move with the motions of the horse and when you ride for a feew hours and you get off that horse youre gonna be sore as fuck... it takes all your muscles to stay on let alone to keep up with moving.. yea.. even upper body muscles.. yea the horses do more work... but if you think its so easy, jump on a horse and we shall see well theres my opinion

I rode a horse for an hour. I worked muscles in my legs i never knew existed. Was the most painful next day ever. Worse than German Volume Training my Shoulders!?!

[CarnivalofSoulz]

I rode a horse for an hour. I worked muscles in my legs i never knew existed. Was the most painful next day ever. Worse than German Volume Training my Shoulders!?!

haha yea its pretty rough. i love riding horses though

[Tynisa]

haha yea its pretty rough. i love riding horses though

I won't be doing it again.It was scary as hell. Like, really scary. Horses are big, and scary. Did i mention they are scary?

[CarnivalofSoulz]

lmao yea ive been riding since i was 5 years old so ive never really been scared of um. they arent that bad haha just gotta get used to um

[Snuggles]

1. Maybe some in the UK, but I personally don't know any who do that.

Colorado is one of the biggest horse states in the US. You can't drive five miles without seeing a camp or people with their own personal horses for shows. They take it very seriously too.

Lets look at the definitions of a few things here

sport/spôrt/

Noun: An activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others.

Activity involving physical exertion. Horseback riding does fit into that category. Skill, that's a check. Individual or team competes against another or others. That's a check too. So Horseback riding would fit under the category of a sport.

ath·lete/ˈaTHlÄ“t/

Noun: A person who is proficient in sports and other forms of physical exercise.

Proficient in sports. I guess this means if you aren't good you aren't an athlete. I can accept that, lol.

So this makes me ask, are pro-gamers considered Athletes? Is MLG technically a sport? How about people who play competitive Chess? It may not be much physical exertion but I bet they lose plenty of calories sweating out each move.

I'd really have to say the only part of the 'sport' definition I disagree with is the physical exertion. That's because I like the idea of video games being a sport though, lol. Skill is the most important thing in any sport. I also think that exertion of the brain is just as difficult as of the body.

As for being an athlete. You're either one of the best ( an athlete ) or you're just a random it seems.

[Jake]

So this makes me ask, are pro-gamers considered Athletes? Is MLG technically a sport?

I wouldn't ever say that. I say a sport needs to be:1. Physical exertion2. Objective scoringThis means that gaming and cheerleading are not sports. Just my opinion, though. I'm kind of on the fence about horse riding.If you disagree with gaming not being a sport, think about this...would you ever call a professional gamer an "athlete?"

[Brad]

I wouldn't ever say that. I say a sport needs to be:1. Physical exertion2. Objective scoringThis means that gaming and cheerleading are not sports. Just my opinion, though. I'm kind of on the fence about horse riding.If you disagree with gaming not being a sport, think about this...would you ever call a professional gamer an "athlete?"

what about darts, snooker, javelin, shotput even high jump? do you consider them athletes?

[Snuggles]

I wouldn't ever say that. I say a sport needs to be:1. Physical exertion2. Objective scoringThis means that gaming and cheerleading are not sports. Just my opinion, though. I'm kind of on the fence about horse riding.If you disagree with gaming not being a sport, think about this...would you ever call a professional gamer an "athlete?"

Cheerleading takes no physical exertion? You try doing a double somersault after someone THROWS you into the air while landing on your feet. Sounds pretty physical to me. In fact it sounds more physical than some Olympic 'sports' you see at times.Also, how much physical exertion is needed for it to be a sport? I mean, I know I get physically tired after playing Battlefield for a few hours. My fingers hurt, my eyes hurt, my heart rate has risen.Also, for the record. Pro-gamers are called athletes last I checked. Since they are playing what is considered an 'e-sport' by the general public now.

[CarnivalofSoulz]

i love all the attention topics like this bring lol rather entertaining to read lol

[David]

Gaming is not a sport, and gamers are not athletes. This is literally the first I've ever even heard this come up. Sweating/heart rates are not a measure of physical assertion. Is taking a calculus test a sport? Does seeing someone you have a crush on make you an athlete?Physical activity can be measured with calories burned / time frame.

[CarnivalofSoulz]

Gaming is not a sport, and gamers are not athletes. This is literally the first I've ever even heard this come up. Sweating/heart rates are not a measure of physical assertion. Is taking a calculus test a sport? Does seeing someone you have a crush on make you an athlete?Physical activity can be measured with calories burned / time frame.

oh here we go again. let the fight begin lmao

[Blake]

Cheerleading takes no physical exertion? You try doing a double somersault after someone THROWS you into the air while landing on your feet. Sounds pretty physical to me. In fact it sounds more physical than some Olympic 'sports' you see at times.

A federal court actually ruled that cheerleading wasn't a sport as the debate came up when a school dropped it's volleyball team in favor of a cheerleading squad.http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/prep-prep-rally/federal-court-rules-once-cheerleading-not-real-sport-155124994.htmlI know they have events and stuff, but for the most part, I consider it a preforming art type deal, like dance and the likes.

Also, how much physical exertion is needed for it to be a sport? I mean, I know I get physically tired after playing Battlefield for a few hours. My fingers hurt, my eyes hurt, my heart rate has risen.Also, for the record. Pro-gamers are called athletes last I checked. Since they are playing what is considered an 'e-sport' by the general public now.

And this is the grey area that I hate. I really do see how gaming, and other touchy subjects like professional poker, can be considered a sport as it does take some degree of skill to do either and you have events, rules, etc. The same can be said about cheerleading, but that is where a line has to be drawn. So I can understand either side of the debate.But regardless of what a dictionary says, I don't think if you play a sport, you are automatically an athlete.

[Jake]

Cheerleading takes no physical exertion? You try doing a double somersault after someone THROWS you into the air while landing on your feet. Sounds pretty physical to me. In fact it sounds more physical than some Olympic 'sports' you see at times.Also, for the record. Pro-gamers are called athletes last I checked. Since they are playing what is considered an 'e-sport' by the general public now.

Cheerleading does take physical exertion, but it doesn't have objective scoring. It's based on the judge's opinion. I'm not trying to disrespect it, I'm just saying that it is not a sport.And I have never heard someone call a pro gamer an "athlete." In fact, I hope that doesn't happen. I've kind of liked the rivalry between video game and sports fans, and don't want to see the two groups mix.

what about darts, snooker, javelin, shotput even high jump? do you consider them athletes?

Darts-NoSnooker-don't know what that isJavelin-yesShotput-yesHigh jump-yesDarts don't have enough exercise involved.

[Brad]

Javelin-yesShotput-yesHigh jump-yesDarts don't have enough exercise involved.

Sorry but neither do those 3? High jump is 5 steps and a jump big whoop, shotput a spin and a throw, javelin a short sprint and a throw. How can you say they have enough exercise involved?

[Blake]

Not sure about high jump or javelin, but shot put definitely does take physical exertion if you want to be any good. Especially considering how far I threw it when I was just lulzying around at highschool.

[Jake]

Not sure about high jump or javelin, but shot put definitely does take physical exertion if you want to be any good. Especially considering how far I threw it when I was just lulzying around at highschool.

Ah yes, I remember having those events in middle school. I was so terrible, that I probably would have been embarrassed if my mind worked that way.

[David]

High Jump and Javelin both require waaay more skill than shotput, at least on amateur levels. Shot put, meanwhile, is generally populated by nothing more than the biggest (and not necessarily muscular if you know what I mean) girls (especially) and guys up, until the college level. If you're actually good and do it correctly, it is an athletic feat. It requires a great deal of strength in both the arms and core. The vast majority, though, simply arm-punt the shot incorrectly. This is as sporting as me throwing my PS3 controller against the wall.I just have an axe to grind because my track team always had 5-6 overweight people who did nothing but shot put half-assedly. I was always overloaded with more events than I should have because of their lazy asses.

[Jake]

We had our own "Olympics" in middle school, and everyone had to participate in at least 3 or so events. I figured shot put would be good because I had above average body strength. I was wrong.On another note, they DID have Guitar Hero and Rock Band, which I thought was kind of cool. The Guitar Hero one was biased, though, as people could choose any song they wanted to. Therefore, the worst GH player I've ever seen chooses Easy and then chooses the longest song in the game.

[Brad]

So clearly if you think there sports then exercise levels don't matter? Because they don't, it's like shooting, archery all those sports. There still athletes