Equine athletes and interspecies sport

Abstract

This article draws on a range of sociological literature including studies of sport, subculture, interspecies relationships and animal advocacy to understand the social processes that have contributed to the horse being defined as an athlete in equestrian sports. Using a combination of qualitative interviews and archival analysis, we identify trends in the equine industry that have provided the foundation for the emergence of a new type of equine athlete -the sport pony -in the context of late modern societies. We conclude by arguing that the popularity of the sport pony is a reflection of a general trend within the equine industry placing value on athleticism and esthetics.

Trust in Interspecies Sport

“…As Gilbert and Gillett (2012) explain, horse breeding in Canada has reflected this shift developing the new 'equine athlete'. Canadian horse breeders are placing more value on athleticism than bloodlines (Gilbert & Gillett, 2012).…”

“…As Gilbert and Gillett (2012) explain, horse breeding in Canada has reflected this shift developing the new 'equine athlete'. Canadian horse breeders are placing more value on athleticism than bloodlines (Gilbert & Gillett, 2012). There are currently over 900,000 horses living in Canada and approximately 885,000 people active in the Canadian Equine Industry (Equine Canada, 2010;Gilbert, 2013).…”

“…Academic contributions in this broad area of study have included research on animals in sport (Sheard, 1999;Gillespie, Leffler & Lerner, 2002;Gilbert & Gillett, 2012;), the impact of animals on human health (Garrity & Stallones, 1998;Wells, 2009), therapeutic uses of animals (Burgon, 2003;Kaiser, Smith, Heleski and Spence, 2006;Yorke, Adams & Coady, 2008;Dell, Chalmers, Bresette, Swain & Rankin, 2011), animal ethics and violence toward animals (Worden & Darden, 1992;Atkinson & Young, 2005), and human-animal relationships (Robins, Sanders & Cahill, 1991;Lagoni, Butler & Hetts, 1994;Brandt, 2004;Sanders, 2007;Jerolmack, 2008;Herzog, 2011). Two areas of research within the study of interspecies relationships are important to this paper-studies of equestrian sport and post-Mead studies of animals.…”

“…The horse was once predominantly a form of functional livestock (Gilbert & Gillett, 2012, now horses are principally used in the 'entertainment/leisure sectors' of the Canadian economy (Equine Canada, 2010;Gilbert, 2013). As Gilbert and Gillett (2012) explain, horse breeding in Canada has reflected this shift developing the new 'equine athlete'.…”

Tools of the Trade or Part of the Family? Horses in Competitive Equestrian Sport

“…Many humans are now paying greater attention to trying to understand the horses in their care (Birke, 2007) and are questioning the moral status of those horses and the duty of care owed to them by humans (Hanrahan, 2007;Jonsson, 2012). At the same time, the financial and commercial value of sports horses is rising, the importance of breeding and performance is increasing, and the expanding equine industry is providing a proliferation of products and services to horse enthusiasts (Cassidy, 2002a;Gilbert & Gillett, 2011). The horse-human relationship is thus fraught with contradictions and tensions between ethics of care, respect and responsibility, and the output-focused pressures of commercialization and commodification.…”