I posted a while back about skijoring, the wild sport where horses tow skiers. There are many variations (over obstacles, on a track, in the backyard). See this older post for some links to organizations.
I recently found this new, longer (four minute) video documenting the preparation for and running of a skijoring race in Switzerland. There's lots of fun footage and details of how the races are set up and how the horses are equipped. It can't be embedded, but you should check it out on YouTube.
In the US we usually think of Standardbreds as harness racing horses. But here and in other parts of the world the Standardbred and similar breeds are also raced under saddle. The US Trotting Association has an interesting article about the hows and whys of under saddle racing here.
One interesting feature of under saddle racing is that many of the riders are women. This has been true historically, too. The famous Standardbred Greyhound broke a record back in 1940 with a woman riding.
And more recently the speedy mare Moni Maker broke that record, with jockey Julie Krone riding.
A nice little 10 minute documentary tells the story of Moni Maker's achievement, with footage of historic races, an interview with Julie Krone, and Moni Makers record breaking trot.
This is just a bit of fun, from some video I shot in Brazil. These are Lusitano colts, running loose in large pastures until they grow up and begin training. They are not handled, really, though the trainer you hear whistling spends time with them every day. These colts were so curious and delightful to spend time with!
The traditional Turkish sport called jereed or cirit is played by teams who hurl (blunted) javelins at members of the opposing team. This video has a nice collage of still photos, and the one after it shows some footage of game in action:
This promo for a PBS program about Polo provides a really nice glimpse of the sport. I'd love to see the full episode (there's more info about it here). Even in this six minute segment you get a look behind the scenes, game footage, and interviews with riders and caretakers.
Brazil has a wide variety of riding styles, and the saddles and tack vary quite a bit regionally. Here is a quick look at two kinds of saddles used in southern Brazil. The basto sela is a particularly interesting one - the two sides of the saddle are held together by stitching, making it a very flexible saddle. The "four headed" kind mentioned in the video is split all the way through the pommel and cantle, making it even more flexible. There is an image of one on this site, and you can see how the pommel and cantle each consist of two unconnected sections (thus making the four "heads" in the name).
Here is an interior photo from a tack shop in the gaucho region of the south, that shows a variety of saddles, including a fancy red sidesaddle on the upper left, and a dressy white one in the center. It is typical to store saddles by hanging them on pegs or hooks, like they are here.
Finally, here is a short video showing a saddle be adjusted on a horse's back. You can see the way the tack is layered on - first the thick wool pads, then the leather saddle (notice that the stirrups are attached externally), then a girth to hold the saddle (the girth is not sewn onto the saddle in any way), then the sheepskin, then a second girth to hold the sheepskin in place.
Thanks, Paulo, for the explanations and demonstrations!
There is an ancient New Year's custom in parts of Wales that has been resurrected (!) a bit recently, after suffering a strong decline in the mid 1900s. The Mari Lwyd (also spelled Fari Lwyd, but still pronounced mah-ree loo-ed or mah-ree loyd) is a mask representing a dead horse come to life - after all, the dark winter in Northern countries is full of festivals that use symbols of new life and light, from Yule logs to Christmas trees.
The Mari Lwyd is a rather spooky creature - the skull of a horse is mounted on a pole, then draped in a white cloth which hides the person carrying the pole. Ribbons and bells adorn the mask, and the festive troupe carrying it goes door to door singing songs. Sometimes the mask is made so that the jaws can be moved, and the Mari Lwyd snaps at people passing by. Traditionally the songs culminated in an exchange of insults in rhyming form at each door; today it is more common for the group to sing Christmas carols.
Here are some more resources for learning more about this interesting pagan tradition:
This Welsh folklore website has detailed info and a good picture, as well as info on related customs.
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