opinions please!

[budweiser]

Hi,

I am writing a piece for uni on the social change of horse riding from being primarly the upper class and royalty to how it is now available to many different people from all backgrounds, inlcuding for example children and disabled people, but how the stereotype of it being an upper class activity still exixts among people that don't ride.

I wondered if anyone might be able to help on this, what do you think of this issue? Why do you think riding has become so popular? What do you see as the benefits of hose riding? How do you think we can get rid of the stereotype even more?

Thank you!!

 

[sevoflurane]

Hello

I don't think you'll ever get rid of the stereotyping that horse riding/ownership is an upperclass activity. People always give me the impression that they think I must be wealthy because I have a horse.....but in fact its just a case of priority. I know lots of people who don't have any money yet still manage to own 3, 4 and 5 horses because they would rather go without things in order to keep their horses albeit a struggle.

As for the benefits, well what can I say.....outdoor life/excercise/fitness/enjoyment of the countryside and wildlife/connection between horse and rider/continuous learning....such as improving riding technique and stable management....the list goes on and on


hope this helps xx

 

[budweiser]

thanks for that

have sent u a private message.
anyone else got any thoughts?
x

 

[Tickles]

Budweiser,

I don't want to sound too negative about your dissertation but you might want to check that what you're thinking about access to horses widening is strictly true.

In our grandparent's and great-grandparents time horses were used by very ordinary people to deliver milk & groceries, work the fields, pull guns for the military, etc, etc. Now most horses in this country are kept for recreational, competitive or ceremonial purposes which are, almost by definition, luxuries. Even the travelling communities now treat them mostly as that - not many actually pull caravans anymore!

Now, some luxuries, think, say, a nice chocolate bar, are affordable by almost everyone but most city dwellers, who now make up the majority of the UK population, and in the past would have seen horse in their streets on a daily basis would find it impossible to afford livery at ~1,000 pounds a month. Obviously the situation is different in more rural areas but then those who worked on the land in the past would have been using horses anyway.

Whatever you decide to write I wish you the best of luck with your dissertation - I really don't miss having to do them myself! - just thought you might want to anticipate other view points too...

 

[budweiser]

hey thanks for that, well its a discussion on the issue so am looking at different points and then seeing if this is the way it is sort of thing so will put a bit in about that

i know, i'm glad the uni year is nearly over!!

 

[nicolaGibb]

hi
maybe investigate the prison that breeds (or used to breed?) suffolk punches. It's hollesley bay (search for suffolk punch trust). they use the horses to rehabilitate prisoners. Clearly these horses are not a luxury item for the wealthy!