Horses have occupied the imagination of young children for as long as they have shared the earth together. Through the Black Stallion series, Black Beauty and the countless other children’s books that have made them the primary subject, we have all dreamed of owning a horse or just observing them in their natural environment.

Horses have also been central characters in the history of the world. To own a horse was very similar to the way in which we view today’s automobile. How ironic that the automobile replaced the horse but auto power is measured by horsepower. With the advent of the Industrial era, the horse was repurposed for farm and leisure activities but did you know that there are many events where horses can participate? There is also a distinction between English and Western riding styles and the events related to them.

As a kid growing up in New York, I was fortunate to have an uncle who worked as a veterinarian at Belmont Park and quickly learned the nuances of the Thoroughbred racehorse, but I was also blissfully unaware that there was an entire world of diversified horse activities just waiting to be discovered. So let’s take a look at some of the activities that one can participate in as a competitor or spectator in the equine world.

Eventing or combined training, was developed by the military, where horses were required to have endurance and stamina, while also demonstrating obedience to their rider and agility. Eventing incorporates cross country jumping, dressage, and stadium jumping. All types of horses can take part in eventing activities, meaning that horses that aren't elegant or fancy enough to compete in the hunter classes can participate in eventing. At the extreme level, eventing requires stamina, obedience, and courage from the horse, to clear daunting fences on the cross country course, but at the lower levels, it's an event that everyone can participate in.

Dressage is a very technical equine event where horse and rider follow a set pattern of movements, including straight lines and circles, changes of pace and direction and, at the higher levels, lateral movements and collections and extensions of gait. The team is judged on accuracy, the response of the horse to his riders aids, correctness, straightness, and presence. Dressage has often been compared to the western reining discipline.

Show Jumping or stadium jumping is a diverse sport, involving a broad range of jumping classifications which differ in the height at which the jumps are set, the number of jumps that create the course, and whether it is the performance of the rider, horse, or both that is being judged. Stadium jumping has been growing in popularity at an enormous rate by spectators interested in seeing the melding of horse and rider. There are several events in the area where you can see some amazing riders compete in stadium jumping-most notably the Old Salem horse show.

Horse Racing is one of the most thrilling disciplines in the equine world and certainly not for the faint of heart. It has been called the “Sport of Kings” as it is considered one of the richest sports in the world. The riders responsible for the daily riding of racehorses, are called exercise riders. They have to be fantastic, experienced riders, but also fearless. Young racehorses are often excitable and hard to handle for an inexperienced rider. These riders have one of the hardest jobs in the equine world. Those who ride in the races are called jockeys, and they must be extraordinarily fit both mentally and physically. While racing is a hard discipline to get into, there are opportunities at every level if you do your research and align yourself with those who have experienced the thrill of the Thoroughbred race horse.

Barrel racing is a timed rodeo event in which the rider and horse complete a clover leaf pattern around preset barrels in the fastest time. It is primarily a rodeo event for women but gaining popularity among men. It combines horsemanship and the athletic ability of the horse to safely and successfully maneuver a pattern around three barrels (typically three 55 gallon metal or plastic drums) placed in a triangle in the center of an arena.

Western pleasure is a style competition at equine events that evaluates the horse on manners and suitability of the horse for a relaxed but collected gait cadence and relatively slow speed of gait, along with calm and responsive disposition.

These are just a few of the styles associated with the equine athlete and not a comprehensive list. There are so many more styles that go beyond the scope of this column. When horses are involved, it doesn’t matter what style of riding you choose, you’ll be sharing the moment with one of the greatest animals and sports on the face of the Earth!

Margaret A. Reed, PhD, is the coauthor of the best-selling book, The Dogs of Camelot, an AKC dog show judge, thoroughbred racehorse owner, principal of Canine Training and Behavior Services LLC, and she serves on the board of Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, James A Baker Institute for Animal Health.