Looking at horse sports means taking a look at equestrian sports. Usually what this means is that there is a horse and a rider in which the horses may be pulling some type of apparatus or vehicle.
There are some horse sports that are more known and more favored than others. There are actually several of them that have been carried out for several years and some are more popular in various countries and regions than others.
Horse Racing
Horse racing is one that is very popular and is also used in the betting community. There are different types of racing with some of the most common ones being a Flat racing or Harness racing. The most common type of horse that is used in these equestrian activities are the thoroughbreds.
Western Riding
There are many categories of horse sports that come in to the Western category. These can be classed as for horse showing, and rodeo events such as calf roping and barrel racing.
English Riding
English riding can come under the category of dressage. Riders that specialize in this category will also compete and participate in shows in various events. It can include English Pleasure riding as well as Foxhunting and Show Jumping, as just a few examples.
Harness Sports Events
Harness events are gaining in popularity and they include events such as Pleasure Driving as well as Draft Horse showing.
Team Horse Sports
In the equestrian world when it comes to team horse sports one of the most well known is Polo.
Horse Sports and the Economy
As can be seen by the wide range of categories that are included in horse sports it is easy to see how beneficial these events can be to the economy. How beneficial it is depends on the country that the sport is being carried out in. For example, in the UK horse sports are one of the most favored sporting events.
It is estimated that Great Britain alone is home to over 1 million horses. When looking at how it contributes to the economy, what has to be considered is not only the money that is brought in through the spectators but the amount of jobs that are created within the industry itself.
While the basic emphasis is put on the horse and rider for many of the different types of events, it takes a collection of people to be involved in its success. Horse racing is just one of the many categories that lends to helping the economy in the UK and at the same can be said about the US. Dressage is another event that is highly regarded throughout the UK while in the US one of the leading categories is in the Western horse sports industry.