Outside Horses, Inside Men: Equestrian Sport, Disability, and Theology

ABSTRACT

Equestrian sport is unique in many ways among the sporting disciplines, but is rarely inspected by theologians. The author undertakes one of the first studies of Christian theology, disability, and equestrian sports. She considers four themes (interdependence, vulnerability, mutual enabling, and normalcy) through case study and theory and highlights central features of equestrian sport. The author starts by investigating disability and equestrian sport, before using results of this study to re-examine frequently discussed theological issues such as inclusion, vulnerability, faith, trust, and healing. Bringing theology, disability, and equestrian sport into dialogue amplifies voices that support, challenge, and provoke important topics in academic and practical theology.

KEYWORDS:

• disability
• enabling
• equestrian sport
• inclusion
• interdependence
• theology

Acknowledgments

Many thanks are due to several people who have provided resources and read portions of this article: Angela Sly from RDA, Andrew Parker, Nick Watson, Julia Watts-Belser, and Clark Glasgow. The author is indebted to the Cambs College RDA group, Cambridge University Riding Club, and Springhill Stables for their ongoing support; and to Elizabeth Bennet, Tess Ganderton, Chloe Ganderton, the RENEW Therapeutic Riding Centre, and Julia Watts-Belser for allowing me to tell some of our stories.

Notes

1. According to the British Horse Society (n.d.), in 2015 there were 1.3 million regular riders in the United Kingdom.

2. Similar organizations and groups exist internationally: the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists in Therapeutic Riding and Hippotherapy, Horses in Education and Therapy International; Equine Assisted Practitioner Network, and PATH (Riding for the Disabled Association, 2016).

3. Natural aids are the hand, leg, seat, and voice; artificial aids include whips and spurs (used to reinforce natural aids).

4. See the British Dressage Members Hand Book (2016): “The use of the voice or clicking the tongue repeatedly is a serious fault” (p. 149).

5. For perspective, recall how difficult it is to know where your legs are when they go numb after “pins and needles.”

6. Unlike the accounts of Chloe and Lizzie, the study of James and Murphy is a synthesis of several experiences for the purpose of brevity.

7. This is not to say that without a horse James is trapped in his wheelchair, or by his physical impairment (I am grateful to Julia Watts-Belser for pointing this out). All riders, regardless of physical ability, are able to move in a completely different way because of their horse, with freedom to move at speed, clear large obstacles, and cover huge distances on horseback.

8. “Manifestations of incapacity that do not relate directly to any physical damage that might have occurred to an individual” (Swinton, 2012a).