The Rules of Horsemanship
The co-evolution of humans and horse comes with a manual
The Rule of Law tradition is recognizing the principle that all people are subject to the same rules and laws. No one is allowed special treatment under the rule of law. We carry that tradition into our private systems of governance like resolving disputes in Ebay, and the complex rules of professional sports.
Competitions in horsemanship are also governed by some hefty rulebooks. The primary rulebook is the USEF United States Equitation Federation that applies to all breeds of horses. But there are also special chapters that apply only to particular breeds, like Arabian Horses.1 Equitation rules and standards vary depending on the discipline, such as dressage, show jumping, and Western riding. Governing bodies like the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) establish and regulate these rules. There are also rule books for dressage competitions, roping, and several other very specialized horsemanship competitions. At any one show you could use all of these rulebooks. Key aspects of the rulebooks include rider position, horse gaits, jumps, and other performance criteria.
When did we start writing rules for horsemanship?
The first manual for equitation (how to properly ride a horse) came from Greece. The first known equitation manual was written by Xenophon, an ancient Greek philosopher and military leader, around 360 BC. His work, titled "On Horsemanship," laid the foundation for the principles of horse riding and care. Xenophon emphasized the importance of humane treatment of horses and proper training techniques.
Many equitation manuals followed over the centuries, offering guidance on various riding styles and disciplines. Notable authors include Federico Grisone in the 16th century, who wrote about horse breeding in the Kingdom of Naples.2
Equitation has been a part of military training for centuries. Cavalry units played a crucial role in warfare. Equitation manuals were developed to ensure that cavalry soldiers were skilled riders and could effectively use horses in battle. These manuals included instructions on riding techniques, cavalry formations, and horse care.
Horses and trade with Native American Tribes
The Spanish in the Southwest prohibited Native Americans from owning a horse, because it would greatly enhance their ability to fight, resist and run away.
The Trade and Intercourse Act of 1793 specifically prohibited the purchase or sale of horses with Native Americans. The punishment could be imprisonment for up to twelve months.3 Horses were considered so important to warfare, food acquisition and travel that it was tightly controlled through regulation.
Horses became part of warfare in pre-Civil War America when the Plains tribes became masters of fighting on horseback while using a bow or a gun. They were able to decimate the U.S. Army in attacks against them to drive them west. It was not until a shameful act of systematic horse slaughter by the U.S. Army that the U.S. prevailed in defeating the Plains tribes4 as well as other tribes in the Northwest.5
Horses continued to be vital to the economy and to transport in the U.S. until the turn of the 20th Century,6 when they were no longer needed except in rural farming communities which continued to use horses for agriculture.
But horses maintained their charm. Horsemanship and horse showing continued to be a part of society around the world — not just in the United States. Affection and romanticism of horses would continue despite technology turning away from the horse and a method of transport.
Revisiting the world of horsemanship after a half century away
After fifty years away from the world of horseshowing, I decided to revisit the rules of showing horses, again and see just how much things have changed.
One of the rules that has changed is the horse shoeing rule for horses that are shown in the saddleseat style. The shoes affect their gait and heavier shoes extend and heighten their gait. Half-Arabians that are shown are most affected by this rule. I showed a Half-Arabian in English and Park style, which are saddleseat styles, and so I was always working toward this but no weighed shoes were allowed. Starting in about 1980, rule changes were discussed to allow weighted shoes for these categories. Today, very specific rules govern how the weight can be added, using two pads (one must be 100% leather) and specific kinds of cross bars on the show. These can add from 1.5 pounds to 2.5 pounds for each foot!7
To be a judge in one or more specialty areas you must past a written test, oral test and a few years of apprenticing with a senior judge before you are allowed to cast your influence on the development of the breed and the competitions. This is a good thing because judges have tremendous influence on the direction of breeding programs, performance and how the standards of the breed are interpreted.
An additional requirement to be involved as a judge, trainer or coach is taking a three hour, online course called SafeSport that outlines appropriate and in appropriate contact with young competitors and students under the age of 16 and under. Safesport is actually based in federal law, administered by the U.S. Center for SafeSport. It was authorized by Congress in 2017, triggered by the revelation of numerous sexual abuse stories coming from all amateur sports in the 2010s.8 The U.S. Equestrian Federation made it a requirement to take these course for all of its members over the age of 18.
Criminal laws of the state are also available to use, but these rules are more restrictive and limit texting and who is part of the conversation, as well as timing and context for conversations with students and young competitors.
Just a few weeks ago, a trainer in Ocala, Florida who had a large training stable saw his career evaporate with an arrest for inappropriate texting with a student he was training. Jerry Aguilar was given an “interim suspension” by the USEF and the US Center for SafeSport, in addition to 10 criminal counts of sending harmful material to a minor and 3 criminal counts for using a computer to solicit a child.9 So the criminal system as well as the USEF system or rules worked to protect young competitors in the sport. That safety net did not exist 50 years ago, and so this is a welcome addition to this sport and all others, and it is good to see it is working.
However, it is really criminal law that effectively results in an arrest and conviction, not SafeSport, which is a soft rule system that provides for layers of reprimand and probation. Further, disclosing the name of the accused in SafeSport could potentially take years to get to resolution10 so that the name could be released without fear of slander or libel allegations from the accused.
So what of the rule of law?
While private systems of governance like the multiple horsemanship handbooks are necessary to operate the sport in an ethical manner that is consistent in a rule of law fashion, it is still the rule of law that we depend on to enforce the restrictions on criminal behavior. New training like SafeSport does put trainers and coaches on notice on how to interact with young competitors but how many are truly discouraged from bad behavior is not really measureable. We can only hope that these additional layers of safety will make the sport better than it was in the past.
https://www.usef.org/compete/resources-forms/rules-regulations/rulebook
https://worksofchivalry.com/a-very-important-discovery-the-equestrian-treatise-of-the-lord-of-lugny/
https://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/na025.asp
https://orionmagazine.org/article/bone-of-conciliation/
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/oct/01/slaughter-of-horses-leaves-lasting-mark
https://historydaily.org/when-we-switched-from-horses-cars-how-did-we-stop-riding-horseback-everywhere/3
https://hoofcare.blogspot.com/2016/10/arabian-show-horse-shoeing-rules-proposed-pad.html
https://uscenterforsafesport.org/about/our-story/
https://www.chronofhorse.com/article/ocala-trainer-suspended-after-solicitation-of-minor-arrest
https://horsesport.com/due-south/california-trainer-jailed-accusations-sexual-assault/