In horse riding or “equestrian” we can encompass all the equestrian sports that exist today. It should be noted that these sports have been practiced throughout history. Some people consider that horse riding is a luxury sport.

Within the horse riding we encompass the practice of all kinds of equestrian sports. Here we can incorporate from recreational horse riding through equestrian jumping to horse racing. That is why to say that horse riding is a luxury sport is to make an exaggerated generalization.

And it is necessary to understand that the horse is not only a tool of the sport, but it is a living being. That is why its maintenance brings with it some restrictions for this sport.

Today we will seek to dismantle the myth that horse riding is a luxury sport and we will introduce you to the world of equestrian as a sport for everyone.

Is horse riding a luxury sport or a sport with associated additional costs?

Perhaps we consider horse riding to be a luxury sport because we intend to compare it with other sports. The truth is that horse riding as a sport can become expensive if we make this comparison. This is because horse riding is a sport, which although it is not luxury, has additional associated costs that other sports do not have.

It is well known that horse riding is a sport that requires the maintenance of the horse, a large animal. That is why we must add to our idea the maintenance in good condition of these horses. Apart from the spaces necessary for the practice of equestrian sports should also be wide. This will be to a greater or lesser extent depending on the equestrian sport chosen.

What is certain is that horse riding is a sport that does not lack logistical complexity. For equestrian sports it is required:

• Horses in good health, which involves veterinary consultations and regular check-ups.
• Food for horses: These animals eat a lot, by the way. In addition, their diet should be well adjusted to avoid diseases such as colic or laminitis.
• Stables to protect them: These spaces are quite large and must protect them from inclement weather.
• Large spaces for the practice of sport: Whether it is a race track or a jumping circuit, large spaces are required. In addition, horses require space to run and stay in shape. We also have the case of horseback riding that usually requires ample spaces to be given, although they do not necessarily belong to the organizers of the club.

Considering all this, perhaps we should rethink our idea that horse riding is a luxury sport. But let’s not stay in this, let’s find out a little more about the sport and its options.

What do we relate to horse riding?

Horse riding is a sport, but it is also art and culture. In many countries it is related to elitism, luxury and money. In fact, in ancient Medieval societies horses measured people’s social status and wealth. It was expensive to keep one, and not everyone could give themselves that privilege.

In this order of ideas, many of us believe that whoever rides or has a horse, must have a very high economic level. One of the reasons for this belief is because the heart press shows famous people who are dedicated to participating in horse competitions, or who attend horse riding events. In addition, you can see big luxury brands sponsoring international riders.

However, having horses in rural areas is more common than we think. In addition to being a means of transport, they can also be a great support in the work of the field. And we can’t say that rural areas are luxury areas.

Simply in rural areas they have more space to have a horse. In addition, in rural areas they have grasses and plants that can serve as food naturally.

Certainly, practicing horse riding in the city is more difficult, but not impossible. Space and food are limitations of cities. If we want to enjoy this beautiful sport, we must rethink the way we conceive the practice of it.

Economic alternatives for the practice of horse riding.

The first thing we must clarify is that practicing equestrian sports does not require buying a horse. That is the first thing we must be clear about. High-level competitors require a horse because the competitive level is high. However, not all of us are going to be sports professionals.

Just as not everyone buys special soccer shoes to practice it, not everyone must buy a horse to ride it. For this there are horse riding clubs and equestrian associations that can provide us with the experience of learning to ride.

Many tennis professionals started with borrowed rackets. Not all footballers start by buying a ball. The ball is shared between 22 players, 11 for each team. In the same way, a horse can be used by several people to ride it and therefore there is no sense of exclusivity.

Equestrian clubs are the most viable alternative to start in the world of horse riding. In many cases you can start with single classes to see how we feel. Then we can move on to having prepaid class packages, if we decide to commit more. Finally, we can pay for monthly class packages where we will get 1 or 2 weekly classes depending on our interest level.

One class per week can go in one 70 to 90 euros in Spain, depending on the club and the community in which we are. We must consider the reputation of the place and the quality of its teachers.

Horse riding is a sport within everyone’s reach thanks to the different alternatives they offer us. No doubt we realize that horse riding is not a luxury sport. We can also choose to take occasional walks if competitive is not our thing. We will always find a way to enjoy horses.

Nowadays horse riding is not a luxury sport.

At present, horse riding is within everyone’s reach. In recent years, many equestrian clubs have been created that offer the public the opportunity to make their debut in this sport.

Whether with walks, classes or camps, for a more than reasonable price. There is also the possibility for riders and amazons, who cannot afford to run official competitions, to compete without making a large economic outlay.

Perhaps in another era horse riding was a luxury sport, today it is a sport within everyone’s reach.

Is horse riding a luxury sport, or not?

This does not mean that equestrian is a “cheap” sport. It must be considered that the additional costs guarantee the welfare of the horse.

On the other hand, it is a sport that requires certain sacrifices. In turn, it means getting up early to spend hours and hours on the block, getting dirty, having to be aware of the care of an animal. As well as taking care of your diet, talking to veterinarians, farriers, taking care of your home, either in a box or in the meadow.

Horse riding is not a sport for everyone because it deserves sacrifices and therefore some consider it to be a luxury sport. However, for horse lovers, horse riding is well worth all the sacrifices that must be made.