11/05/24
August 11, 2008
Equestrian sport too deadly?: ....more than a dozen riders many, top level athletes have died around the world, in less than two years.
posted by tommytrump to olympics at 12:57 PM - 5 comments
A 21-year-old equestrian rider died here in Florida last year. Personally, my interest in a sport is inversely proportional to the number of people who die competing in it. If equestrian promoters think that people will keep tuning in while so many riders are paralyzed or worse, I think they'll be proven wrong.
posted by rcade at 07:09 PM on August 11, 2008
While one is never safe doing any sport, I do wonder how we would react if a similar percentage of baseball, football, whatever athletes were killed each year.
Equestrian sports do not have a wide following, and while I do not know the actual ratio, it has to be minuscule compared to football or baseball. Thus, those 12 deaths would be multiplied many times to even out on a per participant level. No way those sports would be allowed if that many people died.
BTW, does the horse get a medal too? Seems as if they're doing most of the work.
posted by dviking at 07:51 PM on August 11, 2008
Two years ago I was thrown from a horse, and without a helmet, would probably have been dead. Even so, I still think equestrian sports are probably safer than many others, like motorcycle or auto racing, and certainly skydiving.
posted by owlhouse at 08:32 PM on August 11, 2008
Eventing evolved directly from calvary exercises and is not for the faint of heart in fact the number of horses put down during and after events exceeds the number of riders( having witnessed a Soviet horse take one for the Sickle & Hammer on course in Montreal in 1976) it is NOT a sport for 16 year olds girls from Scripps Ranch or Greenwich Ct. although Princess Anne of the British Royal Family was a world class rider in the 70's (to bad Charlie's the oldest) Horse show mothers are the worst type of stage mother period.
posted by thatch at 12:12 AM on August 13, 2008
But, he's sure, there's no way anyone not even the best riders in the world can be completely safe while running over hill and dale, at full speed, on a 1300-pound animal.
Are we completely safe doing anything at all?