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María Alejandra Ramelli

MAGNUS TALKS

Equestrian sports have been in the Olympics since the
1900 Summer Olympic Games in Paris, France. The equestrian
Olympic disciplines are jumping, dressage, and eventing, where
men and women compete together on equal terms (International
Olympic Committee, 2017). Equestrian sports all over the world
are ruled by the rules of the International Federation for Equestrian
Sports (FEI). Besides the Olympic Games that are held every four
years, there are other world-class competitions where the best rid-
ers in the World compete together. Some other great competitions
are The World Equestrian Games, The FEI World Cup, The FEI
European Championships, The Pan American Games, and my fa-
vorite one, The CHI of Geneva Top Ten Final, where only the top
ten showjumping riders in the World can participate.

Just like any other sport, if it is performed regularly,
there are a lot of physical benefits that can be gained
not just by riding horses but also by taking care of
them. Horseback riding is an aerobic exercise (Platkin,
2010), which means that it promotes the circulation of
oxygen through the blood (Weil, 2017). Riding and grooming your horse
is a great way to burn calories and stay in shape. Horse riding reduces stress,
improves your coordination, increases your balance, improves your respira-
tory and cardiovascular systems, increases muscle strength, especially in your
arms and legs, and improves your general physical condition (Platkin, 2010).
Moreover, all those times you thought you were going to die because you were
missing a stride, you were actually improving your visual perception of space
(Donegal Equestrian Center, 2018).

Taking care of horses may be considered a physical activity in our era of tech-
nology. Saddling, unsaddling, cleaning stables, feeding and grooming provide
more physical activity than many people normally get. Carrying a saddle or a
bale of hay could be considered a weight-bearing exercise that improves mus-

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