A View From the Saddle

Equestrianism is one of the few sports where men and women, mares and stallions, can compete against each other on an equal footing, and women and mares have been successfully and prominently involved for decades now. In this essay, the author reflects on gender myths and facts in the equestrian disciplines of eventing and horse racing against the backdrop of her own experiences in the sport. Delving into the origins and development of these two disciplines, this essay finds that significant differences in the social and financial histories have led to entirely different environments. Whereas gender no longer appears to be an issue in eventing, horse racing still presents itself as a strongly masculine, often toxic, environment. And in both disciplines, despite the influx of women, little seems to have changed for the horses.