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Horseback Riding

"If you thought horse riding was just for sweet little girls, you’ve got it wrong."

Listen to this Commentary!

By Denise Chu

To many people, horseback riding is not a “real” sport.

I’m Denise Chu with a commentary from Youth Radio.

The common view of riding a horse is that the horse does everything and you just kick it, which is definitely not the case. Learning to ride a horse takes focus and concentration.

Training is rigorous — a workout drains as much energy from the rider as it does from the horse. And if you thought riding doesn’t hurt, think again. Building the muscle takes years. I myself started riding when I was seven and now that I’m 15, my legs and arms have serious muscles.

I’ve had my share of falls as well. The times I landed on my head could have been as serious as the multiple concussions Steve Young has had playing football.

So if you thought horse riding was just for sweet little girls who like pretty ponies, you’ve got it wrong. We “little girls” get a lot from riding horses. We endure as much as anyone in any supposed “real” sport on TV.

For Youth Radio I’m Denise Chu.