A Horse Is A Horse, Of Course

EAs you know, I have been pretty much glued to our television since the Opening Ceremonies last Friday night. What can I say? I love the Olympics and this year it's nice to have a break from presidential politics. However, I have a sneaking suspicion that my Olympic game viewing habits for the past two weeks are driving my husband nuts (he very vocally declared his unhappiness with me Saturday night when I refused to turn the channel from the women's marathon coverage. He said that he would rather watch grass grow than watch "scary thin women with weird stomach muscles run for two hours"). So there you have it - I pretty much watch any Olympic sport that happens to be on TV with great zeal and interest.

But there is one sport I have watched and don't really get: Equestrian

Oh, sure. I can appreciate the nobility and the rich history of the sport, and I even really like the way the athletes (the people, not the horses) look during competition with their Prince Charles-inspired jackets and pants. Even the horses get all dolled up, complete with little riding helmets and a braided mane. But after watching the gold medal show jumping event just moments ago on TV, I clicked off the television in a state of slight confusion and sadness. Let me explain.

First, is it really a sport for the rider? I mean, who does all the work? The horse or the rider?

Second, the gold medalist from show jumping - Canada's Eric Lamaze - was banned from the 1996 and 2000 Olympic games for substance abuse. Apparently cocaine was found in his system both times. Now, call me crazy, but the terms "equestrian" and "crack addict" don't really seem to go together. It doesn't seem to fall in line with the whole Ralph Lauren image that the equestrian world has going on. Now if we start to see Amy Winehouse riding horses, I'll then start to examine the link between equestrian and crack use more closely.

Third, I feel really bad for the horses when they miss a jump or knock over a rail or the blocks. You can just see it in the horses' eyes how sad they are to have let their rider down! All they want to do is work hard, perform well, earn their horse treats at the end of the run (a carrot, perhaps?). The last thing they want is the obligatory "good boy but better luck next time" pat on the neck from their disappointed rider following a bad ride. They don't know a gold medal is at stake, or do they? (Maybe the smart horse is just getting back at their rider for smoking dope?).

Fourth, the horses didn't just magically appear at the Beijing games. They had to fly the horses to Beijing, some from as far as way as Canada. In my opinion, I would think that would be somewhat traumatic for a horse (or any animal for that matter). I know what I feel like after I step off the plane - a little queasy, slightly bloated and with a mild headache. I wonder how a horse feels after a 16 hour plane ride half way across the world? It's a wonder they can compete at all.

So, I may not fully understand the equestrian sport, and I may feel kind of bad for the horses, but I'm sure the horses are well taken care of and provided for, and I'm sure the riders, just like all the other Olympic athletes, have a real love and passion for their sport. And that is what the Olympics are all about.

But I still don't get the sport.