Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in West Asia. Located in the centre of the Middle East, it covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula and has a land area of about , making it the List of Asian countries ...

, the horse is an integral part of both

culture Culture ( ) is a concept that encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and Social norm, norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, Social norm, customs, capabilities, Attitude (psychology), attitudes ...

and

sport Sport is a physical activity or game, often Competition, competitive and organization, organized, that maintains or improves physical ability and skills. Sport may provide enjoyment to participants and entertainment to spectators. The numbe ...

. The country has become a major force in competitive riding, particularly

show jumping Show jumping is a part of a group of English riding equestrian events that also includes eventing, hunters, and equitation. Jumping classes are commonly seen at horse shows throughout the world, including the Olympics. Sometimes shows ar ...

, thanks to riders like Abdullah Al-Sharbatly, who have won several Olympic medals since the beginning of the 21st century.

History

What appear to be

bridle A bridle is a piece of equipment used to direct a horse. As defined in the ''Oxford English Dictionary'', the "bridle" includes both the that holds a bit that goes in the mouth of a horse, and the reins that are attached to the bit. It prov ...

marks discovered in 2011 on a depiction of an equine saw the birth of a theory of

horse domestication It is not entirely clear how, when or where the domestication of the horse took place. Although horses appeared in Paleolithic cave art as early as 30,000 BCE, these were wild horses and were probably hunted for meat. The clearest evidence o ...

around 7,000 BC near

Abha Abha (, ') is the capital of Asir, Asir Province in Saudi Arabia. It is situated above sea level in the fertile Asir Mountains of south-western Saudi Arabia, near Asir National Park. Abha's mild climate makes it a popular tourist destination fo ...

in the province of Asir. According to Saudi archaeologists, the al-Maqar civilization was highly advanced during the

Neolithic period The Neolithic or New Stone Age (from Greek 'new' and 'stone') is an archaeological period, the final division of the Stone Age in Mesopotamia, Asia, Europe and Africa (c. 10,000 BCE to c. 2,000 BCE). It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wid ...

, notably in its craftsmanship and artistic representations, including a metre-high bust of an equine. This discovery, which has been widely publicized but given little credence by specialists, requires further serious study.

Investments

The Saudi royal family is particularly active in horse racing. In 2009, the Kingdom of

decided to invest $500 million to build up a national

team. In early 2012, in preparation for the Olympic Games in London, the kingdom purchased world-class show jumping horses.

Culture

Horses are considered respectable in

, and any public mistreatment of this animal arouses indignation. On the other hand, women's access to

horse riding Equestrianism (from Latin , , , 'horseman', 'horse'), commonly known as horse riding ( Commonwealth English) or horseback riding (American English), includes the disciplines of riding, driving, and vaulting. This broad description includes the ...

is highly restricted: they can only practice the sport within the confines of an equestrian center. In September 2014, a woman defied this law by riding on the outskirts of

Mecca Mecca, officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, is the capital of Mecca Province in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia; it is the Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow valley above ...

. Although a Saudi woman rider took part in the

Youth Olympic Games Youth Olympic Games is an international multi-sport event for athletes aged 15 to 18 years old. Organized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Games are held every four years in staggered summer and winter events consistent with ...

in Singapore in 2010, the country was nabbed for non-compliance with the Olympic Charter. In June 2013, the Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh denounced horse statues in the southern province of Jizan as idolatrous. They were then removed or destroyed.

Controversies

Like its neighbors in the Middle East (

Dubai Dubai (Help:IPA/English, /duːˈbaɪ/ Help:Pronunciation respelling key, ''doo-BYE''; Modern Standard Arabic, Modern Standard Arabic: ; Emirati Arabic, Emirati Arabic: , Romanization of Arabic, romanized: Help:IPA/English, /diˈbej/) is the Lis ...

and

Qatar Qatar, officially the State of Qatar, is a country in West Asia. It occupies the Geography of Qatar, Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East; it shares Qatar–Saudi Arabia border, its sole land b ...

), Saudi Arabia has been the subject of controversy on the international equestrian scene due to doping scandals.

References

{{Horses by region Equestrian sports in Saudi Arabia Horse racing

History

Investments

Culture

Controversies

See also

References