Centered in the Saddle

Yeah…it’s a thing. Apparently it’s been around since the 1970s, and is like a cross between polo, basketball and rugby.

You know what? Just watch the video.

What really impresses me (beyond the tackling, the riders hanging out of their saddles at full tilt and the precision of the scoring) is that the riders seem to spend a lot of time sprinting down the pitch with both hands on the ball an no hands on the reins. Dang. Talk about training. I can’t really imagine doing that while alone in an arena, let alone when navigating through a pack seven other horses, four of which are specifically trying to get a ball out of my hands.

The only other sport that seems similarly insane is the hunt chase, in which competing teams run a relay-style race over cross-country obstacles within an arena…at the same time.

Who wants to see Horseball as an Olympic sport? (I do! I do!)
Who secretly wants to try a hunt chase? (Me!)

Learn more about Horseball from Horse Collaborative.