What Does Gender Equality Have to Do with Eventing in the Olympic Games?

       There is no sport in the world quite like horseback riding. First off, you won't find a bond in any stadium as unique as that between horse and rider- the sports are just trust exercises, with a few dangerous obstacles in the mix. Secondly, it might be the only sport in the world where people of all ages, races, genders, and body types can compete in the same arena as respected equals.
         It wasn't always that way, however. Eventing became popular in the late 1800s, and competition resembling the current first took place in 1902 at the Champonniat du Cheval d-Armes, in France. Equestrian sports were first introduced into the Olympic Games in 1900, and, ironically, none of those sports (polo, for example) are in today's Olympics. Eventing came around in 1912, and then, it was very exclusive.
         "Exclusive" meaning that only young commissioned officers in uniform, along with their military horses could compete- women were considered too delicate and weak. In fact, until 2004, the Classic format was used, a form originally developed to test cavalry troops. The first woman to compete was Lana DuPont Wright, in 1964. It should be noted that not only did she compete, she won a silver medal for the United States. Non-commissioned Army officers couldn't compete until 1956; male civilians were allowed to participate in 1924. Those weren't the only limitations- in addition, all Olympic athletes had to be amateurs.
           Classic format became the standard by 1924, at which point the five cross country phases totaled more than twenty miles. I can't imagine that, as that one person who has trouble getting the stubborn horse over a single fence I could step over.
          This, of course, isn't considering the ancient Olympic Games, where women couldn't even watch. The ancient Games included mounted and chariot races, but, instead of the jockeys, horse owners stood on the podium. Today, horse owners still get the bulk of the purse, but riders get to stand on the podium as well- regardless of their gender, thank goodness.
          As I've said before, riding is one of the few sports where everyone can compete as equals. This raises the question, why don't all sports have the same expectations for men and women? At our all-school track meet, we (as in, the girls) use the boy's shot in shot put, and we run, jump and throw the same distance. Using that different equipment, going that extra stride, jumping that extra foot, helps me develop my physical abilities better. If I could do this in more sports, and other girls could as well, we would be, as a whole, more physically fit and, in addition, more sports would probably be co-ed. Negative stereotypes, like the suffix "like a girl" might fall out of use, as they should have way earlier.
         Eventing is a truly special sport. You get a workout and you make a friend- surviving many near-death experiences with your horse and all the time you spend grooming them will pay off. As an equestrian today, I'm ridiculously thankful that eventing has come as far as it has. I might not be able to ride at all, or ride in breeches, if it hadn't. And, for those skeptics- if you think riding isn't a sport, you're invited to my barn any time.

Before 1924, only male commissioned officers could compete in eventing competitions. 

The first link is a history of eventing, the second is about Lana DuPont Wright (remember her?)
http://practicalhorsemanmag.com/article/jim-wofford-history-of-eventing-29598
http://theequestrianista.com/?p=2363

The Evolution of English Riding Apparel

English Horse Back Riding

Back in the time when we like to call ‘the olden days’ there was a sport in which miraculously still exists today, however a bit modified. English Horseback Riding used to be an only mens sport, until everybody started using it as transportation. Not just in carriages (which is a whole different topic), but individuals, too. Horseback riding required a lot of equipment, such as the saddle, bridle, martingale, breastplate, horse shoes, breeches, and boots. Like any other everyday use, technology has brought these items along a very long road, and today, these things are very very different from what they were in the 1700s.

The saddle, invented by Francois Robinchon de la Gueriniere (what a name!), was first used as a seat to be mounted on a horse for long travels. People of the higher class would mostly be seen using saddles, because they were expensive. Soon, people started using saddles for a storage compartment on mules, however those were different kinds of saddles. Back then, there was one kind of saddle. A leather one. Now, you can get a custom fit saddle, a jumper saddle, a hunter saddle, a workhorse saddle, and all these fancy things for and about your saddle, and just think about Francois Robinchon de la Gueriniere sitting there, watching these people getting custom fit saddles, when he just invented a saddle so it wouldn’t cause blisters in unwanted places.

What would you use to make your horse move? Stop? Turn? The bridle, invented by the Mesopotamians, was an invention that looked like a leather net, made to slip over the horse’s head with a metal piece that went in the horse’s mouth, connected to the reins in which the rider held. the first bridles, were made with twine and rope, with no metal piece, but just a few parts: the nose band, which was slipped around the nose (duh), in which the reins were also connected to,  the throatlatch, which was a piece connected to the crown piece, and went under the throat, the crownpiece which went behind the horse’s ears, the browband, which went in front of the horse’s ears, and the cheek pieces, which kept everything from falling apart on both sides. Now, the bridle is most commonly used with a bit, a metal piece that fits on an extension of the cheekpiece and goes into the horse’s mouth. If the rider was to ask the horse to stop, he/she/it would pull on the reins, which is connected to the horse.

On a totally different topic, what the rider wore on their legs. Breeches, britches, or simply, riding pants. In English riding, riders wore breeches, a legging-like pant which was normally made out of cotton. However, up until the late 1800s, people (mostly men) wore britches as everyday pants. They wouldn’t change out of their britches when it was time to ride, so the concept of riding in britches, breeches was more commonly followed.

A lot of things changed with the tack and attire of English riding over time, but almost all of it had to do with the current technology and how it would affect, or change the way people could ride and how to make it better. This seems to be the case with almost everything that was invented more than 200 years ago. Almost nothing stays the same on this earth. Everything changes.

Sources:
"Saddle." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 02 July 2014. Web. 08 Feb. 2014.
"The Saddle Evolves." EquiSearch The Saddle Evolves Comments. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Feb. 2014.
"Riding Equipment: The English Bridle." ASPCA. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Feb. 2014.
"Breeches." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 02 June 2014. Web. 08 Feb. 2014.
My Horse Knowledge-Filled Brain