Horse riding

by Dr. Ferenc Bóka

The human–horse relationship dates back to the earliest times of civilization. We have influenced the development of horses just as much as they have influenced ours. The significance of horses changed from time to time but has always been indisputable. Nowadays, horses no longer serve people in the same form as before. We used to keep them first for their meat, then for their power, which we used in agriculture, until we sat on their back. At this point horses became a means of transport and at the same time, people’s life changed decisively. Distance and time became reinterpreted. However, technical development ended the period of horse travel and the role of horses in our lives changed. Horses became our friends, our helpers and sports-mates. Equine therapy is the greatest evidence to support this statement. Horseback riding itself can be divided into two categories: horse racing and equestrian sports.