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UNIVERZITA PALACKÉHO V OLOMOUCI

FILOZOFICKÁ FAKULTA

Katedra anglistiky a amerikanistiky

Equestrianism in Great Britain as a Cultural Phenomenon

Bakalářská práce

Autor práce: Eliška Doleželová

Vedoucí práce: Mgr. Pavlína Flajšarová, Ph.D.

Olomouc 2015

Prohlašuji, že jsem bakalářskou práci na téma “Equestrianism in Great Britain as a Cultural Phenomenon” vypracovala samostatně pod odborným dohledem vedoucího práce a uvedla jsem v ní předepsaným způsobem všechny použité podklady a literaturu.

V Olomouci dne …………………….. Podpis ………………………

I would like to express my gratitude to Mgr. Pavlína Flajšarová, Ph.D. for her guidance, valuable advice and support throughout the process of writing the thesis.

Content

1 Introduction ...... 6 2 History of Equestrianism...... 7 2.1 The Evolution and Horse-Breeding Origin ...... 7 2.2 The History of Equestrianism in Great Britain...... 10 2.3 System in Great Britain ...... 13 2.3.1 ...... 13 2.3.2 Middle-weight Half Bred ...... 15 2.3.3 Heavy-weight Draught Horses ...... 15 2.4 Equestrianism and the Royal Family ...... 16 3 Equestrianism as a Leisure Time Activity ...... 17 3.1 ...... 17 3.1.1 National Identities ...... 18 3.1.2 Equestrian Sport in Olympics ...... 19 3.2 Equestrianism in Great Britain (institutions) ...... 19 3.2.1 Horse Riding Establishments ...... 22 3.2.2 Overview of Disciplines ...... 22 3.3 The Horse and Man – the Relationship ...... 23 3.4 Statistics ...... 24 3.5 Publicizing Equestrianism ...... 25 3.5.1 Equestrianism in Press ...... 26 3.5.2 Equestrianism on TV...... 27 4 as a part of British Culture ...... 28 4.1 The History of Horse Racing ...... 28 4.2 English ...... 29 4.2.1 Club ...... 31 4.3 Steeplechasing ...... 31 4.4 Famous Horses, Jockeys and Races ...... 32 4.5 The Royal Patrons ...... 33 4.5.1 The Royal Ascot ...... 34 5 Foxhunting ...... 36 5.1 The History of Foxhunting in Great Britain ...... 36 5.2 Controversy ...... 36 5.3 Current Status ...... 38 6 ...... 39 6.1 The History of Polo in Great Britain ...... 39 6.2 Rules and Equipment ...... 40 6.3 Polo and the Royal Family ...... 41 7 Conclusion ...... 43 Resumé ...... 46 Works Cited ...... 49 Anotace ...... 52 Abstract ...... 52

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No hour of life is wasted that is spent in the . Winston Churchill

1 Introduction

From time immemorial Great Britain1 is considered as a cradle of equestrianism, equestrian sport and several equestrian disciplines for their origin and their long tradition in British history. Since my childhood, I have been personally very interested in horse riding. So I have chosen to focus on this cultural phenomenon in British society and I will deal with their attitude towards this typical British leisure time and sport activity. This thesis is divided into five chapters. In the first two parts of my thesis I will outline the importance of equestrianism and horse breeding system in British history. Then I will investigate the close relation between the Royal Family and equestrian sport and how much the equestrian sport was influenced by the support from the British monarchs. Furthermore, I will provide an overview of the most popular equestrian activities substantiated by statistical data and I will present the most influential British equestrian organizations and their main aims and visions to the future of horse riding in Great Britain. In the following three chapters of my thesis I will introduce each of the most significant equestrian disciplines in Great Britain, such as horse racing, fox and polo. The purpose is to define their value and meaning in British lifestyle and culture. Each of these chapters will include brief view of the history. The aim of my thesis is to make an attempt to bear out the claim which states that equestrianism has an important role in British culture, using a detailed study of particular factors concerning and defining equestrian sport in Great Britain. I would like to prove and then emphasize the close relation between British nation, horse breeding and equestrianism.

1 Under the term Great Britain I understand the whole United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

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2 History of Equestrianism

2.1 The Horse Evolution and Horse-Breeding Origin

The history of existence of horses in our planet goes to the era of the Tertiary, approximately 60 million years ago, long before the existence of human beings. However, contrary to current form of slim, long-legged and high-grade modern horse body, their historic ancestor called Eohippus was the size of fox. Eohippus, also called as dawn horse, was found in the North America continent in the Early Eocene stage, adapted to life in forest and on the soft ground by having four fingers on forelimbs and three toes on the legs. Many scientists argued that there was hardly a similarity between these two species. They rather assimilated them with beast of prey, because of the jaw full of sharp teeth and the shape of their back giving the impression to be alert to attack immediately. Nevertheless, the horses have ever been herbivore animals. After a time, by Mesohippus and Merychippus were the premolars replaced by molars, the number of fingers reduced to three and it became equal, the horseback became straighten up and also the height of horse increased. Although the evolutionary process was quite slow, a major climate change in Miocene environment caused the extinction of primeval forests and formation of and plains (Draper 10). The horse which was the most similar to the forerunner of modern horse in this taxonomic family called was named Pliohippus, being the last connection between the progressions from Eohippus to . His resemblance to Equus was visible while looking at his limbs – long legged horse, one finger on each limb protected by horny hoof. Also the skeletal system of a modern horse differs from his ancestors a lot. Finally, the evolution of homo habilis started in the end of Pliocene era. The horse evolution progress terminated after more than 50 million years. The human beings as primitive tribes met this wild animal for the first time approximately 2 million years ago. In this very long period, the and first relationships between horses and men were slowly created. Humans began to domesticate horses around 4000 BC and the widespread of domestication has been by 3000BC (Draper 11). According to Mahler, the horse positively participated in human evolution from the cave to the evolutional stage of Homo sapiens (Mahler 17). As Edwards in

7 his book says: “The first association between man and horse was between the hunter and the hunted” (Horses 9). The change of human depiction from food gatherer to hunter came soon when primitive human started to regard horses as their catch in the vision of satisfaction of starvation. As a remainder of this hunting era can be considered archaeological site near French town called Solutreé, where horse necropolis full of skeletal relics has been found, spreading out in the area of 4000 square meters. If the hunters were less successful, they were convinced that if they portray horse bodies on the walls in caves, the supernatural will have a mercy on them. These cave paintings were found on 130 places in and . Nowadays, we can admire these drawings as a source of information about the then life. Edwards says that: “Cave drawings represent one of the earliest forms of human ” (Horses 10). The notion of domestication is connected with primitive people inventiveness. Also Edwards adds that: “In the later stages of the Ice Age, primitive man used herds as a convenient larder on the hoof” (Horses 9). Their settlements were surrounded by herds of horses or dogs, but the first companions were sheep, goats, barrows and oxen. Going back to the era of people inventiveness as stated above, our ancestors admired horses because of their power, quickness of mind and also their speed. On the basis of their gained experience with this majestic animal, they started to think about the way to use horse power the most effectively. They completely changed their opinion and reconsidered the role of horses in their lives. The horses were not only a source of food from now but they turned into the role of animal which could serve them. As a matter of fact, their relationship was well developed mainly by working together, side by side as true partners, dealing better with hard times. As Edwards in his book points out: “In time there came domestication, quickly, too, the horse must have been pressed into service as a , enabling nomadic peoples to cover greater distances” (Horses 9). This people’s invention of beast of burden was soon followed by idea of getting on the horse. The very last step, when people become riders and the horses became working and riding animals, was revolutionary in the relationship between horses and men. Moreover, the human race gained a big advantage of superiority to other species. Consequently, new possibilities were enabled, such as travelling and exploring the beauties of all

8 continents of the world, building a prosperous society based on knowledge gained from the journeys and so forth. Since then the expansion and development of civilizations have been made from the horseback. Some of these civilizations were highly-developed. Especially the Romans who developed horses for special purposes – they had travelling animals, drought and pack horses, circus performers, racers, amblers, and general utility and so on. However, Edwards suggests that: “Where the horses did not exist, people continued to live in very much the same way as their primitive forefathers” (Horses 11). As for the issue of , the biggest boom would not be possible without the horsepower. On the one hand, ancient farmers and peasants used horsepower to and harrow the soil. On the other hand, drovers checked and protected their herds from predators from the horseback. Not surprisingly, draught horses highly participated in trade by the goods . To sum it up, horse ability to manage work was so beneficial that people were able to use the rest of time for producing fabrication and trade establishment where the transport was especially realized using two newly constructed routes called The Amber Road and The Salt Road situated in Europe. People showed appreciation to the horses’ reliability by creating a cult. Horse cults and horse sacrifice were originally a feature of Eurasian cultures that worshipped horses so much that they became patrons of the elements and thunderbolts. People also associated horses with the beginning and the end of life (Mahler 20–21). According to Edwards: “Transport, communication, war and, in time, agriculture were all dependent upon horse-power” (Horses 10). Speaking about war, horse posed a big threat to enemies. In brief, horsepower played an important role in all wars from time immemorial. During the Ice Age, in the Pleistocene era, the expansion of Equus begun from Europe, and Africa. At that time, there were no gaps between continents, so the crossing from one continent to another was possible. Unfortunately, after formation of the Strait of Gibraltar or the Bering Strait ten thousand years later, specimen became extinct on the American continent, because they could not reproduce on their own without human help. Paradoxically, it was the place where they came into existence. However, several thousand years later, in the late 15th century, , a European colonist, brought them there again in below decks of his ships (Mahler 15).

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The theory of modern horse evolution associated with James Cossar Ewart from Scotland and Johann Ulrich Duerst from says that horses evolved from three primitive types of ancestors, according to the climatic conditions. It was The Forest Horse in the Northern Europe, the ancestor of draught horses; then the primitive wild Przewalski’s horse in Asia; and finally the Tarpan horse in the Eastern Europe. Moreover, while Elwyn Hartley Edwards adds a fourth, the Tundra Horse, the ancestor of the Yakut , hippologists largely unconsidered this hypothesis. Later on, the history of horse domestication theories says that 4 subfamilies came into existence, which were two types of ponies and two types of horses. The Pony type 1, resistant to cold and wet, was similar to the modern and occupied northwest of Europe. The Pony type 2, similar to the modern and the , was larger than type 1 and occupied northern Eurasia. The Horse type 1, with taller and thinner body structure than two previous ponies, was similar to the modern Achal-theke or Sorraria and was by contrast resistant to heat and drought and occupied . The Horse type 2, similar to the modern , but even with smaller body structure was also resistant to heat and drought, occupied western Asia (Draper 11).

2.2 The History of Equestrianism in Great Britain

The horse has always been a part of life in Britain. Even Queen Boadicea in AD 61 was drawn by her two chargers into battle with the Romans. The ancient British people were so inspired by these superb animals that they worshiped them by carving figures of giant horses into the chalk hills, mainly in southern . Nowadays, we can still admire some of these prehistoric figures such as the , the oldest one situated in Wiltshire, the , the second oldest one situated in Oxfordshire and managed and owned by National Trust, the , the third oldest one also situated in Wiltshire, or the Kilburn White Horse, situated in . These hill figures characterize British equestrian tradition, which is held in this country even from the Iron or the Bronze Age. Since the Middle Ages, the good luck is associated with hanging up a horseshoe over the door, in terms of superstition and folklore (Johnson, “Horses”).

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The awareness of the importance of horses came with the historic encounter of two dynasties in 1485. In the War of Roses, the House of York was represented by a white rose and the House of Lancaster by a red rose. When King Richard’s III horse died in the Battle of Bosworth Field, he was enlightened by idea of similarity between the fallen horse as well as his throne. The monarch’s pre-death quote was: “A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!” His quote is forever connected with this defeat of the House of York. Even William Shakespeare used this unforgettable quote in his play called Richard III. Afterwards, the following insular monarchs not surprisingly procured spare with forethought (Mahler 27). In 1492, when the export of horses out of English land was banned during the reign of Henry VII, the era and overview of horse racing starts here. Opening the grandiose import programme was a response to this fact. The quality and also the specificity of English horses were on higher level and raised very fast. In that time, very detailed and elaborated horse breeding system came into existence, it was based on precise specimen selection. The horses which were no more able to participate in battles mainly served as draught animals for the monarch. The first monarch who made a request for being drawn by six white horses in her was Queen Elizabeth I. This royal example caused the establishment of the first public in Britain (Ceplová 10). In 1784, the First Mail Coach was established by Royal Mail, thanks to John Palmer’s experiment. The carriage was drawn by four horses, operating between and Bristol, where the stops were situated in ten-mile intervals. During few years a complex system of inns and also change-over-stations arose through the whole Island of Great Britain. In the time of its greatest success, right before the railway construction and first mail train establishment in 1830, there were more than two thousand horses stabled. Also, the roads quality improvement led to expansion of private coaches and carriages. Heavy load coaches were driven by coachmen and drawn by four horses. Thanks to Great Britain, nowadays, draught horses play a very important role in modern world. Moreover, British brewers came to a conclusion that horse-drawn beer distribution is more economical than distribution by lorry (Mahler 29–32). One problem, which occurred with respect to Royal Mail coaches, was that gallop was forbidden by law. This problem was solved and also got round by including the Parliamentary horse in the team – the very shift trotter, which would not break his

11 gait and start galloping. The result of this step was that other three horses from the team might gallop and be in compliance with law (Edwards, Horses 210). During the Regency period, 1811-1820, a team at high speed down to Brighton was a fashionable form of entertainment. According to William Cobbett, an English pamphleteer, farmer and journalist, “Next to a foxhunt the finest sight in England is a stage coach” (qtd. in Edwards, Horses 211). Nowadays, this sport has a growing tendency and spreads into many different forms. Horses and horse-drawn carriages served as one very frequent transportation method in London during 19th century and in the beginning of the 20th century. The three most common types of carriages in London were the broughams, the four wheelers and the hansoms. However, this type of transport service was exclusively for the rich, mainly upper class people, who could afford to breed their own horses as well as to own private carriages. Other means of transport were the omnibuses and grand Hackney Cabs, named after the carriage called Hackney. Nevertheless, both these operating carriages were quite expensive and therefore only wealthy passengers could be seen in them (Dařílková 10–11). As Edwards states in his book, “the most notable feature of the coaching era was the enormous interest which the coach and the whole glamour of the road aroused in the British people” (Horses 210). He also compares two phenomena – people watching the coaches in London yards and people watching the comings and goings of the aircraft in Heathrow. He describes this social event as a “wonderful sight, a unique of spectacle” (211). Between the wars, people who kept horses for the recreational purposes were also interested in using horses for hunting, especially in the hunting season from November to April or May. In Britain, several years after the Second World War, an extraordinary phenomenon in the history of the man-horse relationship was marked. In the preceding decades, the horse-ownership was considered to be the prerogative of the well-off, as it had also been during the beginnings of an equine-based aristocracy. However, these speculations and prejudices about the term wealth changed in the early 1950s, when the old class system barriers broke down and the time has come to the advent of a more affluent society. Horse-riding and horse- ownership were accessible for more social classes, as well as greater opportunities for leisure. Thanks to the influence of television, broadcasting show- and other equestrian disciplines, both urban and suburban dwellers participated in this

12 activity and the number of supporters increased. The popularization of the recreational aspect of the horse was rapid and successful. Consequently, as a result of big participation and public attention of spectators, horse-riding became soon a sport (Edwards, Horses 208).

2.3 Horse Breeding System in Great Britain

According to Edwards, “the human intervention in the development of the horse has been beneficial to the species” (Horses 13). In other words, the development of breeding would not be without human participation as successful as it is now. The current breeding theory points at limited number of , combined with repeatedly inserted wild into herds. The horse breeding systems all around the world were improved and the number of horses increased. As Edwards in his book claims: “The recent standard work on modern horse and pony breeds lists as many as one hundred and fifty breeds and types” (14). The British Isles have always been ideal place for the horse evolution thanks to their climatic conditions. Fortunately, most of horse breeds survived climatic changes during millennia and nowadays there can be still found representatives of many breeds in great numbers. Each of these breeds is registered in the stud book of the particular breed society. In the following lines will be stated the most significant horse breeds originated from Great Britain, divided into sections according to classes and features of their origin.

2.3.1 Ponies

Speaking about small horse breeds, called ponies, this evolution branching comes from inclement highlands and moorlands of British and the nearby northern isles. They are usually named after the districts where they occurred. The smallest representatives (their minimum height is approximately 28 inches) coming from the Shetland Isles, have heavy coat, thick hair and tail and short legs adapted to the terrain, where they were developed. They are considered to be quite intelligent and proof against bad weather conditions. The origin of the Shetland pony dates back to the Bronze Age. In the history, they used to work in coal mining shafts as draught animals. They are very strong breed of pony, widely used for children riding, driving and pack purposes (Draper 142–143).

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Other representative comes from Exmoor in southwest of England, situated in a large area of moorland in Devon and Somerset. The Exmoor pony is the oldest British pony, whose history goes back to the Bronze Age when they were used as carriage horses. It is important to note that they were also recorded in the Domesday Book (1085). However, they became almost extinct after the Second World War, being killed by soldiers for their meat. These cold-weather-adapted pony breed is characterized by dark brown colour and hardy nature. Nowadays, there is more than eight hundred Exmoor ponies worldwide and they are used for a variety of equestrian activities (132–133). Contrary to the Exmoor pony, the was influenced by many breeds throughout the centuries, such as the Welsh Horse Pony, the Polo Pony or the , but especially by the English thoroughbred. This higher-grade pony with excellent stamina comes from Dartmoor in the south west of England. Even the Anglo-Saxons used this pony in their trade routes and over the centuries they have been used as working animals by local tin miners and quarry workers (134–135). The was developed By London New Forest surroundings. It was very strong and workmanlike pony. This good riding type pony is valued for his hardiness, strength and sure-footedness. All the ponies are owned by the New Forest commoners, who are people having a right of common of pasture over the Forest Islands. Nowadays, we can find these ponies grazing freely in their natural habitat. In past, they were used as pit ponies but nowadays we can see them participating in horse shows, , and gymkhanas or even in (137). Being considered the most beautiful and the most popular British pony is the Welsh Pony, coming from the harsh and swampland territory in Wales. They are well-known for their good temperament, hardiness and free-moving gaits. These native ponies existed in Wales even before 1600BC .The breed society for the Welsh breeds is divided into four sections, distinguished by height and qualities. Basically, it is the Welsh Mountain Pony (Section A), the Welsh Pony (Section B), the Welsh Pony of Type (Section C), and the Welsh Cob (Section D). The modern type of this breed is used for many equestrian competitive disciplines, such as show-jumping, , trekking or riding. The pony types are popular with children riding in British Pony Clubs and the Cob types are popular with adult riders, both achieving victory in competitions (136).

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The last but not least should be mentioned the and the , which are similar taller pony descendants of the Fries horse. The majority of Dales ponies and Fell ponies are typically black, with straight and silky leg feathers, and tail. Thanks to their versatility, strength, good body disposition, ability to carry heavy weights for long distances and sure-footedness, they are favoured horses for cross country, harness and hunting. Even During WWI, these two breeds were the most commonly used by the British Army (138–139).

2.3.2 Middle-weight Half Bred Horses

Moving to middle-weight breeds, the biggest number of half-bred horses occurred in places such as Yorkshire and Cleveland shire. The Cleveland Bays, also called the Chapman Horses, were used mainly for their strength, speed and stamina as coach horses. The Brits also used these horses in war during WWI because of their tenacity. Moreover, the support of this breeds from the current members of Royal Family is admirable. In fact, Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh, regularly participates in driving competitions on the highest level and he drives the Cleveland Bays himself. Also Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is interested in the preservation of these horses and she owns supreme herds in her Royal Stables (Draper 64–65). Another coach horse commonly used for in Britain is called Hackney, developed in 14th century in Norfolk. The King of England required powerful but attractive horses with an excellent . Later in 1542, King Henry VIII required to keep a specified number of trotting horse stallions for breeding use. This majestic, elegant and temperament breed participates in driving competitions and is admired because of his capability of trotting at high speed for extended periods of time (66–67).

2.3.3 Heavy-weight Draught Horses

The Suffolk horse, the Shire horse and the Clydesdale horse rank among the most frequent heavy-weight draught horses in Britain. All of these are descendants of the English Great Horse. Their typical appearance is characterized by fine, straight and silky hair on the legs and muscular body. By the way, the Shire horse is the tallest horse in the world, with its height of 17 hands and more. They have an

15 enormous capacity for weight pulling, so these horses are used for drawing carts, forestry work and leisure time riding (Mahler 86).

2.4 Equestrianism and the Royal Family

The British Royal Family has a long history linked to horses and equestrianism. It is important to note that Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, played polo until 1970 and then took up carriage driving and as FEI (Federation Equestre Internationale) President he also participated in compiling rules for the international sport. Also his son Prince Charles and his two sons Prince William and Harry all play polo. Furthermore, the Queen’s granddaughter Zara Phillips represented Great Britain at summer Olympics in 2012 in London, where she even claimed team silver medal in eventing. She also won team and individual gold at the FEI World Equestrian Games in 2006. She inherited riding talent after her mother, the Queen’s daughter Anne, the Princess Royal. Princess Anne won European title in 1971 (“HM Queen”). Speaking about Queen Elizabeth II, horses have played a huge role in her whole life. When she was four years old, she had her first riding lesson in private riding school at Buckingham Palace Mews and she was given her first Shetland pony as a birthday present from her grandfather King George V. However, one of her most favourite horses was a Burmese, which even Queen rode side-saddle for 18 years at the Trooping the Colour ceremony. Additionally, Queen Elizabeth II loves horse racing, breeding and equestrian sport. For this reason she annually hosts Royal Windsor which includes Jumping, and Driving and where many of her home-bred native horses participate in the showing classes. Therefore, on 26th November 2014, Queen Elizabeth II became the first recipient of the FEI Lifetime Achievement award in recognition of her leading role as supporter of equestrian sport throughout her reign as British monarch. This award was presented to Her Majesty by FEI President HRH Princess Haya at ceremony in Buckingham Palace, in the presence of former FEI President the Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip, and Keith Taylor, Chairman of the British Equestrian Federation. Queen Elizabeth II is considered to be a sovereign who values the horse and its many types so highly, shares the family passion together with her husband and inspires generations across the global equestrian community (“HM Queen”).

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3 Equestrianism as a Leisure Time Activity

Equestrianism can be understood as a leisure time activity for people of all ages as well as a diverse family sport including variety of disciplines. However, both these variations can be done either in passive or active way or also on amateur or professional level. This sport has several advantages. The one of them is that it is one of very few where men and women can compete equally and it is done in healthy environment. Equestrian sport is extremely popular and taken seriously among the British because of its long tradition and nowadays becomes more and more widespread. Moreover, in fact, this claim is supported by the existence of several important, active and influential organizations devoted to equestrianism which are under the patronage of Royal Family, especially Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, with the aim to improve riding conditions as well as further promotion of this sport. For some British people, horse riding is almost a religion.

3.1 Sport

Generally, the United Kingdom is considered to be the birthplace of modern sport (Holt 100). British rich variety of sports and leisure time activities responses to the diversity of the way of life of contemporary Britons. The way the British organize their free time depends on their preferences of personal, sporting and leisure issues. The cultural habits are derived from many factors, such as the place where people come from, social standing and environment. According to Peprník, “The standard weekly hours of work are 35-40” (Guide 170). Despite the length of working hours, high number of Britons have enough free time. In earlier centuries, many leisure activities were conditioned by the rural and agricultural nature of British life (Oakland 260). The equestrian sport is rather considered as a sport with rural origin. Apart from the most favourite and worldwide known sports originated in Britain, such as football (soccer), rugby football, cricket and , the British diversity of interests is reflected by the high number of sports done, such as , hockey, horse-racing, hunting, riding and fishing. The number of people participating in some kinds of sports has increased in the last decades. The General Household survey in 2001 reported that 71 percent of men and 57 percent of women participate

17 in outdoor or indoor sports or forms of exercise. This could be the result of awareness of health needs as well as bigger medialization of sports on TV. In spite of this fact, Britain is considered by some people as inadequate country in terms of the lack of sporting and leisure centres in both public and private sectors (Oakland 266).

3.1.1 National Identities

According to Tomlinson: “Sport and leisure practices, cultures and choices are statements of selfhood and identity, whether at an individual or more collective level” (Tomlinson 404). In some cases the preference of particular activities can be also associated with national identities. The definition of the term national identity is: “A sense of a nation as a cohesive whole, as represented by distinctive traditions, culture and language” (“National Identity”). With respect to the term national identities, many sports provide a certain degree by contribution to institutionalized features of British life. Sport and leisure activities can reveal cultural analysis and help to understand some central aspects of the British society and culture. Sport development provides a precise view into the range of sources for the expression of personal as well as traditional, more collective identities. The sense of sport is to express yourself and formulate your identity. For example, negotiated forms of British and intra-British identity are reflected by sport. In contemporary Britain, a spectatorship derived from the public sports can contribute to expression of collective identity and to creation of new consumerism and the articulation of new cultural identities (Tomlinson 410–411). Speaking about equestrian sports in terms of national identity, for example, the Derby is flat horse racing; the Grand National in Liverpool is steeplechasing and Ascot is horse racing (Oakland 269–270). Veblen also states: “Sport has long had prominence in English (and British) culture, and the ways it had changed can be read as symptomatic of key changes in the social and cultural life of Britain; sport as a moral site for the making of national and sometimes regional identity has been equalled and in many respects exceeded in importance by sport and leisure consumerism as a source for the expression of new cultural identities” (qtd. in Tomlinson 399).

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3.1.2 Equestrian Sport in Olympics

Equestrian sport is considered to be the most unique of the and it has been part of the modern Olympics since 1912, governed by the rules of FEI. The Olympic disciplines involve show-jumping, dressage and eventing, either individual or team. Taking last summer into consideration, which were held in London in 2012 as a 100th anniversary of being part of modern Olympics, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was the most successful nation, on the top of the medal table, winning three golds, one silver and one bronze. We can find the cause in the long tradition of equestrian sport in this country and also the big participation and top-class conditions during training and qualification. According to figures from October 2012 given by Sport England, horse riding is in the top 10 most popular participatory sports in England. Moreover, the success of British equestrian medallists from the Olympics in London 2012 caused the huge increase of the number of people taking up riding as a hobby than ever before. The study claims there are now more than 331 thousand people aged 16 and over, doing riding activity for about 30 minutes a week. The British Equestrian Federation Olympic and Paralympic Hoof Legacy’s movement was called Take Back the , with the key initiative to recruit new riders and help them achieve skills and confidence to realize their longing for horse riding. After 12 months, the target has been achieved because 64 riding schools in England have signed up and the weekly courses became very popular (Ricca-Smith). The fact that people had the opportunity to watch the performance with their own eyes in Greenwich Park in London could be the reason of such a big influence on British society. People could feel and experience the first-hand competitive atmosphere.

3.2 Equestrianism in Great Britain (institutions)

British Equestrian Federation (BEF) The British Equestrian Federation (BEF) is the national governing body for equestrian sport in Great Britain, affiliated to the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI), the international governing body of equestrian sports. This organization

19 represents 4.2 million equestrian sportspeople and is formed of eighteen independent member bodies that represent the various equestrian sports (“About the BEF”).

British Horse Society (BHS) The equestrian sport in Great Britain is managed under the patronage of British Horse Society (BHS), the governing body of the British horse world affiliated to the BEF, founded on 5th November 1947 as a unification of two coexisting organizations – The Institute of the Horse and Pony Club and The National Horse Association of Great Britain. At present, the number of members supporting this organization is above 83 thousand. Furthermore, there are more than 34 thousand British Riding Club (BRC) members. This largest and most influential UK equine charity has several basic aims and visions. The patron is Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Generally, the whole idea is supporting equestrian sport, protecting horses and to motivating all members and providing them better riding conditions. There are five primary objectives, as published in the Constitution: “to promote and advance the education, training and safety of the public in all matters relating to the horse; to promote the use, breeding, well-being, safety, environment, health and management of the horse for the public benefit; to promote community participation in healthy recreation involving the horse; to promote and facilitate the prevention of cruelty, neglect or harm to horses and to promote the relief, safety, sanctuary, rescue and welfare of horses in need of care, attention and assistance; to promote and secure the provision, protection and preservation of rights of way and of access for ridden and driven horses over public roads, highways, footpaths, bridleways, carriageways, public paths and other land” (“Our Mission”).

Pony Club “The British are members of many different clubs and societies devoted to discussion, hobbies of all kinds, promoting charity” (Peprník, Guide 174). The ever- expanding riding club movement for children, The Pony Club, was founded in 1929. This youth organization, inspired by hunting field, unifies children and adults interested in ponies and riding. In the UK, there are approximately four hundred club branches with a total membership exceeding 50 thousand. The number of overseas branches is about 1,450. As for the membership of adults in the riding clubs, people

20 holding down regular nine-to-five jobs and also housewives who contrive to look after a horse as well as their family and household create the greater number. As the statistics from Great Britain shows us, a quarter of a million households include someone who owns a horse or a pony. The aim and the main purpose of this organization is to use and provide its members correct equitational methods and , to organize instructional rallies, to encourage children riding, to hold annual summer camps called The Pony Club Camp which are very popular with young riders, and create programme of competitive events. Moreover, children are taught to promote the highest ideals of the sportsmanship, citizenship and loyalty to create self-discipline and strength of character in the safe and fun environment. As a result of this constant endeavour to improve British horse riding standard, many professional riders who began with riding in this organization later successfully represent this country on international events and competitions (Edwards, Horses 208–209).

National School Equestrian Association Equestrian sport is also very popular with school pupils in Great Britain. The National School Equestrian Association (NSEA) was established over twenty years ago. The aim is to encourage and promote participation in equestrian sport within schools in the UK. Pupils from membership schools can represent their school at prestigious inter-school competitions through the country in many disciplines including Dressage, , Arena Eventing, One Day Events, Hunter Trials and Tetrathlons either for teams or for individuals (“Welcome to the NSEA”). Speaking about equestrianism with respect to education in the UK, BHS’ most widely respected worldwide examinational system provides exams and qualifications from beginner levels to world class. These are either professional qualifications regarding Stage 1–4, BHS Assistant Instructor, Manager and Equine Tourism or recreational qualifications such as Riding and Road Safety and Showing Qualifications. As a result of these possibilities, the applicants soon become qualified instructors and professionals and they can push their skills further all around the world (“Exams and Qualification”).

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3.2.1 Horse Riding Establishments

For the increasing public interest, there are three equestrian facilities. The first one is called Riding School, which provides riding lessons where the price is between £25 and £60 per hour, according to my own experience. The second one is called Livery stable or Livery yard where you can hire out your horse for money either in a stable or on a pasture. The last one is called Equestrian Centre, which is the biggest and offers both these variations and on top of that, also riding hall for all weather riding. For people interested in riding in the countryside, there are many areas in Great Britain called Public bridleways. These are legally protected routes which enable riders to experience very exciting horse trekking. However, in England and Wales there are different conditions than in Scotland. In these two countries is bridleway a way for public with on foot and on horseback or leading a horse. According to the Section 30 of Countryside Act 1968, the riding of bicycles is permitted on public bridleways; however, the act states that it “shall not create any obligation to facilitate the use of the bridleway by cyclists” (“Countryside Act 1968”). So the cyclists are partly allowed to use these paths and they are obliged to give way to other users either on foot or on horseback. Not surprisingly, the horse riders feel often annoyed and object to this act. Contrary to England and Wales, in Scotland there is no legal distinction between footpaths and bridleways, so both riders and cyclists may follow rights of way with suitable surfaces. In England and Wales there is a wide network of bridleways called the National and the three longest are The Pennine Bridleway (119 miles), The Ridgeway (86 miles) and The South Downs Way (99 miles) (“The National Trails”).

3.2.2 Overview of Disciplines

Referring to most popular equestrian disciplines in Great Britain, the first three are based on (Ward 8), recognized as a FEI and Olympic sport and can be done either on amateur or professional level. Firstly, dressage is a competitive sport and the purpose is to train horse into a high level of , collection, and obedience and to maintain the rhythm and develop a natural athletic ability and willingness to perform. The rider and the horse should be in a harmony. There are two sizes of dressage arenas in the shape of

22 rectangle, small and standard one. There are cones with letters on them positioned on the side-lines of the arena. The referee evaluate transitions from pace to pace, turns, changes of legs in canter etc. Secondly, show jumping is a competitive sport as well but horses with riders have to jump over a series of fences in a given order in a given time limit without penalty points for knockdowns or refusals. This discipline requires a spectacular mix of courage, control and technical ability of both horse and rider. Thirdly, eventing is considered the most difficult discipline for both horse and rider. This competition combines dressage, cross-country jumping and show jumping, usually held in three days. After the Second World War, it has become quite popular branch among riders. In addition, horse racing is a riding discipline involving jockeys riding over a set distance for competition. Very lightweight based on an English design are used here. There are four different types of horse racing: flat racing, jump racing also called as steeplechasing, then harness racing and endurance racing.

3.3 The Horse and Man – the Relationship

Basically, the horse shared the whole history with man as his partner thanks to his usefulness. Horses accompanied men life through centuries, as a powerful factor either at work or in wars. In some cases their influence on people is compared with another animal - a dog. Some scientists point out the difference between the human relationship with dog and horse. Also Edwards describes in his book this relationship: Not surprisingly, perhaps, in view of the horse’s contribution to the world, he occupies a unique position in the regard of men and women, whether they are themselves concerned with him or not. He inspires respect and admiration above all other domestic animals. The horse cannot have the same relationship with man as the dog which shares his master’s home, sometimes takes over the favourite chair and may even insinuate himself into the bed. He is too big to be allowed into the house (although the desert Bedouin shared his tent with his mare as a regular thing), nor is he really equipped to express affection. A dog’s wagging tail is a sure indication of affection or greeting. If the horse should swish his tail, wise horseman take evasive action, knowing it expresses irritation and may presage some violent movement (Edwards, Horses 14).

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As Edwards states: “The modern horse is, for the most part, the partner of man in the latter’s pursuit of sport and recreation” (Horses 213). In the UK, there is one organization whose aim could support the part of this statement referring to the meaning of the word partner the most. This movement is called Riding for the Disabled Association. The history of this organization goes back to the 1960s, when in 1964 the Advisory Council on Riding for the Disabled was formed. Later, in 1969 it became the Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA). Essentially, disabled people carry out therapeutic exercises on horseback and a very special therapeutic value has positive effect on them. This method is called hippo therapy. The horseback movements are beneficial for the rider’s body and the riding therapy can add a new dimension to their lives, improve their health by specific gains in mobility, coordination or balance as well as build relationships. Those people who suffer from congenital disability with progressive disease can retain mobility and remain active for longer period of time. Nevertheless, riding is also helpful to both mentally or physically handicapped people, either stabilising the emotionally disturbed or encouraging a broadening outlook and ambition. The groups of volunteers working in cooperation with specialists such as physiotherapists and doctors train the horses and the ponies well and provide riding, achievement and enjoyment all over the UK. Annually, there are more than 28 thousand participants in activities such as riding, carriage driving, vaulting and show jumping. With respect to current number of staff, there are more than 18 thousand instructors and volunteers employed, offering activities for all age groups with any disability. However, as many other charities, the running of RDA is also contingent on donation, voluntary help and legacies (“About RDA”). And as Edwards says in his book: “Even though there were struggle, there are still the elements of a strong partnership, a relationship, which in an extraordinary fashion, works both ways” (Horses 13).

3.4 Statistics

Speaking about equestrianism as a leisure time activity, from the point of view of statistics, the results from the most recent National Equestrian Survey done by British Equestrian Trade Association (BETA) from 2010-2011 show that: “3.5 million people (6% of the GB population) have ridden a horse at least once in the past 12 months; 73% of riders are female, though there has been an increase in

24 the number of male riders over the past 10 years; In 2010, 8% of riders considered themselves disabled in some way; A quarter of all GB riders are under 16 years old; 20% are over 45 years old; Leisure riding is the most common equestrian pursuit, though riding lessons and non-affiliated competing has also increased in 2010-11; Of riders who ride once a week or less, 46% cited access to safe off-road riding as a factor that would increase their riding opportunities; The estimated GB horse population, including both private and professional ownership, is just below one million horses (988,000); The estimated cost of the upkeep of horses is £2.8 billion (£3,105 per horse) and other indirect consumer expenditure associated with equestrian activity is estimated at £557 million per year” (“Equestrian Statistics”). These figures show us that British nation as such participates in equestrian activities very frequently. From the legislative point of view, since 2005, all horses in UK are obliged to have a unique passport. By the way, by the end of 2014 the BHS had issued more than 35,000 passports. Moreover, unlike in the rest of the European Union, horses are not considered to be agricultural animals, because they are not considered to be food animals (“Equestrian Statistics”). Unfortunately, the always popular phenomena called gabling is also connected with sport and the most gabling is associated with horse-racing and grey- hound racing, through the way of betting shops and bookmakers. According to Peprník, “greyhound racing as a sport accounts for a quarter of all gambling” (Guide 172). The results from the National Centre for Social Research survey in June 2000 show that 72 percent of British adults gamble at least once a year, with the horse racing on the scale of 13 percent (Oakland 269). On the whole, as Peprník says: “Horse racing is a big business” (Guide 172).

3.5 Publicizing Equestrianism

As Oakland agrees: “There is a large variety of books and magazines to cater for all tastes and interests” (Oakland 263). Thanks to popularity and expansion of equestrian sport in the UK, the British media have to keep up with reader’s demands and requirements and they endeavour to respond to leisure time activities, lifestyle and public interests. As Tomlinson says: “The sport sections of quality newspapers in Britain were expanded greatly in the 1990s and new media players battled for

25 broadcasting rights against such providers as the BBC. . .” (Tomlinson 408). In the following lines, there are introduced two famous magazines, one newspaper and two TV Channels applying for this topic.

3.5.1 Equestrianism in Press

Horse & Hound The oldest equestrian periodical magazine, also known as Bible among its supporters, has a long history in British sport and culture. The first edition was published in 1884. As a weekly magazine written by the top writers, rightfully it found many sympathizers because of covering wide range of topics from equestrian disciplines, such as foxhunting, eventing, dressage, show-jumping, horse-racing etc. Nowadays, it is considered as a highly valued journal and ranked among the best highly developed equestrian magazines. As the only one it brings the readers exclusive reports, extensive content as well as knowledge, current news, events overview and picture postcards from all over the world. The extensive content also includes sections offering huge number of horses for sale or job advertisement (“Horses For Sale”). Currently, it is also available online on the websites where additional articles and topics can be found as well.

Horse & Rider This best-selling equestrian magazine is published monthly and was founded by David J. Murphy in 1950. The previous titles of this successful magazine were Showjumping or Light Horse. Besides its very rich overview of several riding activities, readers can find here sections discussing riding tips for both riders and trainers, horse care including feeding, training and breeding and some other practical advice from experts. Horse & Rider is considered to be very reliable source of information which causes the fact that it is so popular with young Pony Club riders and horse owners. Not even the inexperienced riders can profit from presented articles dealing with gripping and breath-taking stories or basic riding instructions and theory. Very inspirational and attractive articles are describing the atmosphere from behind the scene of top-level Championships and the Biggest Horse Racing Events in the World (“Horse&Rider”). The official websites offer more.

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Racing Post This paper published daily by MGN Ltd. is dedicated to horse-racing as well as greyhound racing. Basically, the aim of editors is to provide readers insight into racing news using reports and statistics. Furthermore, in particular sections they inform readers about past results from the previous day, start lists prepared for next races and they give free tips on betting. This more than 100 page paper is supplemented by interesting facts and photos from events and racing. (“Horse Racing”). One big advantage is that Britons can subscribe these newspaper. Currently, likewise Horse & Hound magazine, it is also available online on the official websites where additional articles and topics can be found as well.

3.5.2 Equestrianism on TV

Racing UK The UK’s leading horse-racing channel broadcast on Freeview, Sky, Virgin Media and UPC provides access to wide schedule of live broadcasting and offers over four thousand live races every year. This best-known channel focuses on potential audience of some twelve million households and is also available in more than three thousand and five hundred clubs and pubs in the UK and Ireland. The Racing UK broadcasting, as well as GBI Racing and Turf TV, is headed by Racecourse Media Group Ltd, the organization which gathers live broadcasts from 34 racecourses, for example Aintree, Ascot, Carlisle, Cheltenham, Newmarket or York (“About Us”). Currently, the broadcasting is also available online on the official websites.

Horse & Country TV British TV Channel about equestrian sport and British country lifestyle was launched in July, 2007. By the way, this channel covering topics and documentaries on travelling, adventure, farming, feeding and country living is also simulcast online or via cable TV in Sweden, Malta and in the , where became popular among viewers. Horse & Country TV is the award winning international TV Channel from 2011, when it won the prize in the category Best Specialist Channel. Since February 2015 can even be launched in on Fetch TV (“Horse And Country”).

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Scott Lorson, CEO of Fetch TV, said: “Fetch TV is committed to being the clear market leader in catering to Australia’s diverse interests by providing convenient access to leading speciality channels. H&C TV represents an extremely high quality offering for a very passionate audience, and we are pleased to welcome them on our platform” (“Equitana Australia”).

4 Horse Racing as a part of British Culture

Horse racing is undoubtedly connected with British culture and lifestyle, because of its long tradition in British history. Nowadays, horse racing is considered among the British as a significant social event as well as national prerogative. The racecourse can be understood as a place, where they can meet their friends or relatives and spend the whole day outside in either formal or informal way. Horse racing enables them gratification of their passion for competiveness and betting. In the contemporary Britain, races are divided into morning, afternoon and evening events. Each of these requires good manners as well as formal clothing. This social phenomenon of visiting races which is typical for British nation could be compared to European standards, such as going to the theatre or cinema, because the races take place almost every day. Moreover, the British horse racing standards are very high and well-developed, in comparison with the rest of the world. It follows that not only job opportunities are quite attractive in this field according to the requirements and the salary, so this sport event becomes more and more popular with the British. This chapter is devoted to the basic overview of history, disciplines, famous horses and jockeys and also the attitude of British monarchs towards this sport.

4.1 The History of Horse Racing

According to Edwards: “Alongside horses at work and at war, there were those used from the earliest times for sport. Evidence of racing occurs almost as soon as horses were put to a chariot pole … it was practised by all the horse peoples of the world while the need to decide whose horse was the fastest by matching the animals against each other must go back to the time when men first sat astride horses” (Horses 10–11). Basically, the chariot racing preceded the establishment of horse racing. Even the first chariot races were held in the first Olympiad in 776 BC. There is also evidence that this type of racing was held in Britain during the Roman

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Empire around 200 AD, as a way of public entertainment. Also, this racing was quite frequent during the reign of King Richard the Lionheart (Carter 8). As the result of numerous Roman settlements in the north of England, especially in York surroundings, these counties later played an important role in horse racing development (Edwards, Racehorse 12). Great Britain is considered the Cradle of Horseracing because organized races and matches between individuals had been held here long before this sport expanded into the rest of European countries. In medieval England, the Anglo-Saxons are credited with the first moments of establishment of modern horse racing in England in 11th century. However, the point was that horses for sale were ridden in competition by professional riders to display the horse’s stamina, speed and quality to buyers. The first recorded match was held in Smithfield in 1174, an area near London where the first racetrack was built (Edwards, Racehorse 12). At the beginning, the horse racing meetings were part of public festivities, fairs or funfairs. Horse owners from nearby villages registered their horses into races and there used to be very simple rules. The astonished spectators watched the racing and the first cases of betting occurred in that times, which caused increase in popularity (Mahler 123). In other words, we can state that the history of modern horse racing and turf goes back to the era of Newmarket racing, the most famous centre, about 400 years ago (Mahler 124).

4.2 English Thoroughbred

The origin of this majestic horse breed is characterized by the careful process of selection which lasted more than 250 years. The aim was to create a horse breed which is able to run fast without exhaustion. Currently, there are running on racetracks all around the world as a product of four centuries (Carter 12). At the outset of this selective breeding by those who sympathized with racing, there was a stock of Arab and Barb horses imported to England in the early 3rd century. Essentially, the monarchs became involved in this breeding process. King Richard III was the first monarch who managed transport of Arab horses on a ship from Orient with intention of crossbreeding them with English mares. His action was followed by King Henry VIII in the 16th century who founded stud in Eltham in Hampton Court where the hobby horses and running horses were bred. His daughter Queen Elizabeth I continued this tradition and she established another stud farm in

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Tutbury in Staffordshire (Draper 28). Then, during the reigns of James I and Charles I in the first half of 17th century, forty-three royal mares were imported into England. Even though the horse breeding system became more complicated because of Bourgeois Revolution as well as the English Civil War in the 17th century, it was reinstated by Charles II. In this breed evolution there were three crucial Arab stallions included in this process, called as founding fathers which were crossbred with royal mares. Their Arabian blood played an important role. All modern racehorses descend in the male line from these three foundation stallions. (Carter 13). The first one was called Byerley Turc, born in 1680 and captured by Captain Robert Byerley at the battle of Buda in the last campaign against the Ottoman invaders in Hungary. This then stood at stud at Middridge Hall in Durham County and then near York. Byerley Turc founded the first principal bloodline, even though he did not mated with many mares (Edwards, Racehorse 14–15) The second one was called Darley Arabian, born in 1710 and considered as the most striking stallion and the most fully documented from these three, carrying the most detailed pedigree thanks to his proportions. This stallion was bought in Allepo in 1704 for Mr. James Darley. Darley Arabian is connected with expansion of thoroughbreds. Indeed, there are many of his ancestors even these days (Carter 14). The last of these founders was called Godolphin Barb, the least influential stallion out of these three. He was brought up in France and his Berber origin proved to be very beneficial in horse racing. Taking his speed and stamina into account, he was not very successful stallion in relation to stud (Edwards, Racehorse 15). Consequently, the number of thoroughbreds increased rapidly, so it was necessary to thoroughly document these horses. In 1808, one of the former British horse breeders James Weatherby edited the first English thoroughbred evidence after very long and complex examination of all the influential ancestors. This document was named General Stud Book. There is defined one crucial condition for the horses to be chartered as English thoroughbreds and it states that this horse has to have both thoroughbred parents (Mahler 80). As for short description of thoroughbreds, they are characteristic by their delicate heads, slim bodies, broad chests and short backs. All the colours, such as bay, dark bay, brown, chestnut, black or grey are allowed, however, the bay horses are the most frequent. With respect to their character, they are sensitive and high-

30 spirited horses. Thoroughbreds are outstanding for their stamina and speed (Draper 28). Finally, English thoroughbreds influenced the development of several horse breeds, such as ponies or riding horses because of their quality. They are mainly used for horse racing, but they can also participate in eventing, show jumping or dressage. To sum it up, Great Britain bred fantastic sprinters which successfully represent this country on racecourses worldwide, for example in the USA, Ireland and even in the Czech Republic.

4.2.1 Jockey Club

In spite of such extension of horse racing in Britain during the reign of the Hanoverians in the 18th century, there were no strict rules and the disagreements about results (which were not objective) were taken in to the court and thus this chaos had to be put right by the British Parliament. That was an impulse for the British Jockey Club establishment in 1752. This racing’s governing body fought against corruption and soon became a regulatory body with aim to settle rules and arrange matches. This institution was controlled by the group of aristocrat officials (Edwards, Racehorse 22). Consequently, the races for 3-years-old were founded in 1756, the mandatory handicaps were founded in 1758 and the races for 2-years-old horses were founded in 1773 as well as the yearbook (Mahler 125). Worthily, the most important personalities who for example determined starting numbers or the scoreboard were Sir Charles Bunbury and Lord Bentick, often called as Dictators of the Turf (Edwards, Racehorse 22). Thanks to these establishments and setting new rules, British horse racing became a prestigious and respected sport and it remains so up to now.

4.3 Steeplechasing

Due to British passion for hunting and jumping over fences which shape customs of the nation, the foundation of horse racing with fences and hurdles came soon. However, this branch of horse racing originated paradoxically in Ireland. Contrary to flat racing, which is sometimes considered by spectators as boring, this type of racing inherited excitement from hunting activities as well as glamour. Even

31 though steeplechasing has less sympathizers than horse racing, the atmosphere is more sympathetic, friendly and intimate. As Hislop states: “It gives the impression of being a sport and not primarily a business” (Hislop 11–12). With respect to the title steeplechasing, it is derived from early races in which the orientation of the course was by reference to a church steeple as well as jumping fences and ditches. When referring to steeplechase, the term can be also used, as the official title in the UK. As for the statistics, there were more than three thousand jumping races in the UK in 2008. The first steeplechasing over made-up hurdles occurred in 1810 at Bedford. The height of obstacles was fixed to be four feet six inches so the only one horse breed able to ditch these obstacles was genuine hunter. Steeplechasing became firmly established by the middle of 19th century (Hislop 13–14). To be able to enter this race, only 4-years-old and older horses are allowed to run. In the UK it does not depend on the exact date of birth, they count the age of horse from the 1st of January (Hislop 17). On the one hand, steeplechasing can be entertaining spectacle because of the combination of speed and jumping. On the other hand, unfortunately, the risk of injury of both horse and jockey after fall is quite frequent and the number of injuries as well as accidental deaths is increasing.

4.4 Famous Horses, Jockeys and Races

The total number of racecourses operating in Britain as of 24 January 2015 is fifty-six. According to the usage, they are divided into three types of courses – flat racing or National Hunt (steeplechasing) and both types of racing, called mixed. With respect to the most famous British racecourses, there are fifteen leading racecourses in the Jockey Club Racecourses ownership, including Aintree, famous for Grand National; Cheltenham, famous for prestigious Cheltenham Festival; Epsom Downs, famous for the Investec Derby and Newmarket, flat racing headquarter (“The Jockey Club”). With respect to the most successful British racehorses, it is important to mention two phenomenal and outstanding horses, Flying Childes and Eclipse, the descendants of the founding ancestor Darley Arabian. As Carter states: “They both were equine thunderbolts with dynamite in their hooves and wings on their backs” (Carter 14). Flying Childes was born in 1715 and went down in history because of

32 his invincibility. His owner was the Duke of Devonshire. Eclipse was born in 1764, named after the eclipse of the sun in this year. He was mainly racing and running in Epsom, defeating all his rivals. One proverb is connected with this horse, as: “Eclipse first, the rest nowhere” (Carter 16). Considering the most successful jockeys of British turf, they are usually famous for their horses. We can mention jockey John Singleton who rode Eclipse and was the first jockey to make a name for himself in the 18th century. Frank Buckle, who won the Derby five times, the Oaks nine times, was also called as the Pocket Hercules. And finally, Samuel Chifney, who even rode horses of Prince of Wales and then King George IV in the 19th century (Craig, Miles 188). As for the most significant jump races in Britain, it is definitely the Grand National which is held in Aintree near Liverpool annually on the first Saturday in April (Hislop 173). The second one is The Cheltenham Gold Cup, which is always held in Cheltenham racecourse during the Cheltenham Festival in March (Hislop 261). These two races are the most prestigious as well as the most difficult ones. As for the most frequented races, The Royal Ascot takes the first place.

4.5 The Royal Patrons

The nickname of horse racing, “The Sport of Kings”, is absolutely justifiable. The considerable support from several British monarchs is evident since 16th century, when Henry VIII, King of England and devotee of sports, maintained large studs at the Royal Paddocks at Hampton and imported horses from Spain and Italy which were later influenced by Eastern blood (Edwards, Racehorse 12). However, his daughter Queen Elizabeth I contributed to major improvement in horse racing. She was so inspired by this sport that she and her family started to attend racing events and support their organization. During her reign, horse racing took place not only in London, but also in Doncaster, Salisbury, Richmond, Liverpool, Carlisle and Chester. Horseracing became a prestigious social event as well as royal tradition and the meetings took three days (Mahler 124). Afterwards, during the reign of her successor, King James I, the modern racecourse and training centre were founded in Newmarket in 1605, considered as the centre of the British racing headquarters, offering new job opportunities. Actually, it remains a working town until now, inhabited by trainers, jockeys and

33 farriers (Carter 9). James I sponsored the meetings so much that a short time after this racecourse was working, there were other 12 racecourses established. During his reign, the system of handicapping to equalize all the horses was established. A typical feature of English racecourses was precisely well-tended grass named turf (Mahler 124). Charles II became known as “the father of the English turf”, who also took part in races riding his horse called Old Rowley. He established the first racing rules and inaugurated the King’s Plates, race in which the winners were awarded by a silver bowl. The participation of spectators constantly increased, people came here from all the counties. This high attendance was caused by the public awareness of prestige as well as moral obligation towards monarch’s interests. However, the important role in that times had people’s greed of gain, connected with the outset of bookmakers and betting. On the other hand, this situation seemed ideal for the occurrence of tricksters and loan sharks (Mahler 124). The royal support was given to racing and breeding of race horses, so horse racing became popular with the public, and by 1727, the Racing Calendar was founded. It was a newspaper devoted to racing, owned by James Weatherby (Hislop 17).

4.5.1 The Royal Ascot

Queen Anne is credited with the invention and establishment of Royal racing. When she went riding her horse, she found an ideal place for racing. It was large meadow near village called Ascot in Berkshire, approximately 30 miles from London and 6 miles from Windsor Castle. She was so inspired by this place that she decided that the Royal racing will be held there, and in fact, there was the first Royal Ascot Meeting held in 1711 (Mahler 125). Ascot is considered a track to prove horse’s ability and as a highlight of Britain’s social scene. Since 1711, the week of Royal Ascot is held here annually in mid-June and the absolutely unique atmosphere in the spirit of parade and fashion is typical for this elite society, undoubtedly including British Royal family. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and her son the Prince of Wales arrive each day in a horse-drawn carriage with the Royal procession in the morning of each race day and also with the raising of the Queen’s Royal Standard (Carter 10).

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The Royal Ascot is undoubtedly connected with the phenomenon of strict and formal dress code and fashion, including women’s parade of big and visible hats and day dress. The men have to wear black or grey morning dress with . Annually, more than three hundred thousand spectators visit these races. There are sixteen races every year and the most significant one is called the Gold Cup which takes place on Ladies’ Day on Thursday. However, the most admirable races held beyond are the Queen Elizabeth Stakes and the Group One King George VI (Johnson, “Ascot”).

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5 Foxhunting

5.1 The History of Foxhunting in Great Britain

This equestrian sport has its origin in ancient Egypt, Greek and Rome and it has spread out to many countries such as Great Britain or France. This sport is characterized by using dogs called hounds with keen sense of smell to track a prey and it became very popular with British society where the prey was usually an overabundant fox. However, among the British it is believed that the custom for a fox to be tracked, chased and often killed by trained hunting hounds and followed by the group of riders on horseback called huntsmen or people on foot in the lead with the Master of the Foxhounds originated from Norfolk farmer’s attempt to catch a fox by using farm dogs in 1534. That was one of the ways landowners and farmers protected the flock of sheep from the vermin, a fox. In the 17th century, hares and foxes became the prey of choice and also well-trained hounds were included here. Indeed, England’s oldest fox hunt which is still running today is the Bilsdale Hunt in Yorkshire, established by George Villiers, the Duke of Buckingham in 1668 (Johnson, “Foxhunting”). During 17th and 18th centuries, continued to grow in popularity and became more accessible among people living in towns and cities, who aspired to the rural life. The first official foxhunts are dated in 1750. It is important to note that in 1753 Hugo Meynell began to breed hunting dogs for their stamina, speed and keen scent at his estate in North Leicestershire (Johnson, “Foxhunting”). Fox hunting preceded deer hunting, which required large areas. However, the deer population declined because of the Enclosure Act of 1801. Until 18th century, the fox hunting developed and was considered as a sport. During 19th and 20th centuries, in spite of prohibition of fox hunting in European countries, it remained still popular, maybe because of the inroads made by Great British Railway which provided rural access to the masses (Johnson, “Foxhunting”).

5.2 Controversy

Nowadays, fox hunting is well-known among the Britons due to the controversial views of hunters who sympathize with this sport and the anti-hunting campaigners who oppose it because of its violence and cruelty. However, the number

36 of foxes in British countryside is quite alarming. As Peprník states: “There are now also some 30,000 urban foxes, which live in suburban gardens and feel safe there” (Reálie 132). Oakland also comments this situation: “A feature of contemporary Britain is the continuing attempt to stop many kinds of rural activities such as fishing and fox hunting” (Oakland 262). Firstly, the conflict due to the importance of this issue culminated in 2002 in Scotland when the activists were banned of fox hunting through the Scottish Parliament by the Protection of Wild Mammals Act 2002 (Johnson, “Foxhunting”). Secondly, after many earlier attempts which had been made to ban hunting and after following severe pressure from animal rights campaigners, it led to creation of the Hunting Act 2004 which prohibits the hunting of wild mammals with dogs (Johnson, “Foxhunting”). Additionally, according to survey of 2002 commissioned by the Daily Telegraph, 75 percent of recipients agreed that hunting with dogs is never acceptable. Despite these criticisms, the passing of the Hunting Act was quite notable because House of Commons voted strictly to prohibit this sport, contrary to House of Lords who voted for self-regulation. Consequently, Prince Charles announced his disagreement with the prohibition in public (Johnson, “Foxhunting”). Finally, the Hunting Act passed in November 2004 in England and Wales and came into force on 18th February 2005. There are some exceptions allowing hare hunting. Nevertheless, there are still some hunters who desire to break the law. From 2005 to 2011 there were 332 people charged and 239 were found guilty. It means that the controversy still continues. Many countryside campaigners claim that hunting is an essential part of their rural tradition and life. Even David Cameron, British Prime Minister, has backed a repeal of the hunting ban in March 2015, saying: “There is definitely a rural way of life which a born and bred Londoner might struggle to understand. I have always been a strong supporter of country sports. It is my firm belief that people should have the freedom to hunt, so I share the frustration that many people feel about the Hunting Act and the way it was brought in by the last government” (Mason, “Cameron”). Moreover, current political situation gives the impression of disagreement between the Labour and the Conservative parties regarding this issue. Probably, foxhunting ban will be supported only by Labour

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Party. In contrast, in Northern Ireland fox hunting is still legal (Johnson, “Foxhunting”).

5.3 Current Status

Nowadays, the traditional hunting style is replaced by a pastime called drag hunting, a sport with strict rules (Mahler 148). The hunts follow artificially laid trails and the dogs can still be used to follow a scent, but cannot be used to kill the fox. Evidently, it is non-violent ride of modern hunting sympathizers who love British countryside, showing-off and they indulge in alcohol. They usually meet early in the morning in the field and consider this meeting as important social event within their upper-class society. The current hunting season starts in November and lasts to April or May and the most significant meeting is on Day, traditionally the biggest day in hunting. The highest recorded number of participants on Boxing Day was in 2006, when three hundred thousand people took part. British riders enjoy this sport and respect required and very strict . This includes traditional red coat, light- coloured riding , English dress boots, hunt cap and white long-sleeved shirt (Mahler 147–148). Correspondingly, the horse breed is also very important. Because of the difficult terrain full of natural hurdles such as walls, water ditches, benches or fences which horses have to face, British breeders had to create a horse breed suitable and resistant enough. Thus, they crossed massive mares with English thoroughbred stallions. The result was the middle-weight half bred horse which seemed to be ideal partner for hunting. The or fox hunter possess bravery and stamina. These horses are judged several days during fox hunting and then classified into classes, according to their manners, way of going as well as sustainability as a hunter (Mahler 80–81).

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6 Polo

6.1 The History of Polo in Great Britain

Polo originates in Central Asia. Even the first game was played in Persia (today Iran) between the Turkomans and the Persians in the 6th century BC, as recorded in Old Persian poetry. Supposedly, it has already been played by nomadic warriors more than 2000 years ago. According to Edwards: “Polo is one of the oldest and fastest sports known to man” (Horses 9). To western civilization this sport was first introduced by British colonists, such as tea–planters, the 10th Hussars and the British Army people, who experienced and learnt this game in Manipur, India. The first Polo club established by two British soldiers in 1862 was called the Calcutta Polo Club. However, the oldest Polo Club in the world called the Silchar Polo Club was established even in 1859, nearby its hometown Silchar in Cachar. The modern version of this game was imported into Great Britain where it was popularized and anglicized. The British are linked to spreading polo worldwide during 19th and in the early 20th century. Consequently, in 1869, the first polo game was played in England, at that time named as hockey on horseback and it was organised on Hounslow Heath near London by two British officers stationed at Aldershot (Johnson, “Polo”). The first international match between French and English was held in 1880 in Dieppe. In spite of all, English team won the match, hitting eleven goals to none (Laffaye 32). Polo used to be an Olympic sport, precisely from 1900 to 1936. Nevertheless, this game is presently very popular in many Asian countries, such as China, Japan, Tibet, Manipur or Mongolia. Moreover, it is played professionally in nineteen countries, but the best players come from the of America or . The most significant international match held in the UK is called Windsor Park International which is played in July (Johnson, “Polo”). In the UK, there are more than seventy polo clubs and three thousand registered players. Generally, polo becomes more and more popular, especially with young enthusiasts (Betts, “Polo”).

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6.2 Rules and Equipment

The formal legalization of rules and the growing popularity of this sport soon caused the establishment of many polo clubs in the UK. The first provincial polo club in Britain was called Monmouthshire Polo Club, established in 1872 in Wales (Laffaye 15). The first official written rules were created by Irishman Captain John Watson of the British Cavalry 13th Hussars in the mid-19th century, which were revised in 1874 and the Hurlingham Rules were formed. These rules limited the number of players of each team, so it reduced the number from original 9 to 4. The Hurlingham Polo Association is a governing body in the UK. County polo is played at speed on a large grass polo field up to 300 yards long by 160 yards wide. There are two teams and each consists of four players and their ponies, however, in arena polo there are only three players allowed. The aim of this game is to insert the solid ball into opponent’s from the horseback using long wooden stick. Originally, it was played with wooden ball. According to the fact that the modern game of polo is very fast and dangerous, the rules must be very strict because of the players’ and ponies’ safety. The umpires control the game and if they whistle the penalty occurs. Nevertheless, as Johnson says: “the Hurlingham rules, the background to the game played in Britain, allow a more sedate and methodical pace; how typically British” (Johnson, “Polo”). The game consists of 4, 6 or 8 chukkas. Each chukka lasts 7 minutes and is ended when ball finishes. The break between particular chukkas lasts 3 minutes and break after half time lasts 5 minutes. The players can change their ponies during the breaks. For safety reasons, the game is played right handed, so the left handed game was prohibited in 1975 (Johnson, “Polo”). The player’s equipment, except from horse and stick, includes , riding boots, white riding trousers and a coloured shirt with player’s number. Gloves, wristbands, kneepads or spurs are optional. Also the polo saddle is adapted for this activity being close-contact and similar to jumping saddles. Naturally, the players are expected to be very good and competent riders. The most important element in this game is the polo pony. This type of horse is usually created by crossing the English Thoroughbred and Argentinian breed called Criollo and its average height is between 15 and 16 hands. They have to be

40 nimble, manoeuvrable and tenacious enough to cope with the pace of this game (Mahler 173).

6.3 Polo and the Royal Family

There are several reasons why is polo considered as an expensive hobby to maintain. One is that players need two horses per one game, because it is very exhaustive for the ponies to be active all the time. Also according to Persia origins, this game was played mainly by kings, queens and princes and it is symbol of noble society and affluence. Speaking about Great Britain, polo is associated with middle and upper class people who worked in the militia in past. However, this sport benefits the most from considerable support of the Royal family members. Going back to the history of the Royal family, the first sympathizer and frequent spectator at polo games, often accompanied by his family, was the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII. His son, later King George V played polo in Argentina in 1881 and all his three sons played polo as well, by the way, Prince Henry is considered to be the best polo player of them (Laffaye 180–181). His son and successor King Edward VIII was a keen player when he was Prince of Wales. He was introduced to polo during his royal visit in India in 1921. After returning back to England, he was a familiar figure on the London polo grounds (Laffaye 183). As for the next generation of royals interested in playing polo, these are members of current reigning family. Prince Phillip, the Duke of Edinburgh, and his passion for polo-playing helped this sport to become again very popular after the Second World War. In spite of his public duties, he played in the position of captain and back in Windsor Park team which was successful on many tournaments winning the British Open Championship or the Warwickshire Cup. His and also Queen Elizabeth II’s effort to promote this sport was highly effective and soon met with success. In 1971, Prince Phillip ended his career of polo player and went in for coaching (Laffaye 183). Evidently, HRH the Prince of Wales inherited his father’s passion for polo and is the recognized figure in world polo. Prince Charles experienced polo for the first time when he was only fourteen. He won his first important tournament in 1967

41 called Junior County Cup, on a Windsor Park team which included among others also his father HRH Prince Philip. Prince Charles, as talented polo-player, was chosen to represent his country and to play for Young England against France in 1972, winning this match. Drawing inspiration and experience from matches, Prince Charles is attributed to set the standard for sportsmanship on the polo grounds in Britain (Laffaye 183–184). According to Laffaye: “Both Prince Philip and Charles made immense contributions to the expansion of polo in Britain” (Laffaye 182). The royal sons and the fifth continuous generation, Prince William and Prince Henry, took over the baton of playing polo in 2005 so the royal tradition continues without interruption from 1880 up the present days (Laffaye 184).

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7 Conclusion

The aim of this thesis was to examine the popularity of equestrian sport in Great Britain, evaluate its role in British culture and also focus on the attitude of British nation and the Royal family to equestrianism. The first part of the first chapter dealt with the history of horse evolution. The British participation in this study is remarkable. I noticed that the first attempt of disagreement with the categorization of horse breeds regards the most famous British equestrian writer Elwyn Hartley Edwards. He claimed that there used to be four forefathers of modern horses instead of three. He proposed his claim and called this additional ancestor the Tundra Horse. In the second part of this chapter was explored the overview of horse breeds originated in Great Britain. Considering the fact that high number of representatives from several horse breeding categories come from this country, it proves the importance of horses in British culture and history as well as British interest and awareness of horse breeding tradition. The second step of my study was devoted to the analysis of equestrianism in the history of Great Britain. The British monarchy has a long tradition of supporting equestrianism and horse breeding. The data showed that horses have been bred during the reign of several monarchs since the 15th century. The first monarch who contributed to horse breeding expansion was Richard III, King of England. This responsibility was assumed by King Henry VII who established a grandiose horse breeding programme. Horses also served to people as a mean of transport and the expansion of carriages in Great Britain goes back to the 19th and 20th century. The British successfully managed to breed appropriate types of horses according to their needs. The wide range of equestrian disciplines and activities existing in this country supports the claim that equestrianism is a part of British culture. Apart from usual equestrian disciplines such as show-jumping, dressage and eventing, in my thesis there were also described the most popular British equestrian activities such as polo or foxhunting. I also mentioned the British success at summer Olympics in London 2012. The horse riding and horse breeding tradition continues up to the present day. Great Britain seems to be an ideal country for horse riding lovers. The horse riding and horse establishment standards are very high. In comparison with the rest of European countries, Great Britain definitely takes the first place with respect to the

43 qualities in equestrianism. Also the publicizing equestrianism in media plays an important role. The governing body of equestrianism in Great Britain is called the British Horse Society and this charity successfully aims to maintain this high-quality horse riding standards. The Pony Club is another important organization providing the young riders schooling and other equestrian activities. The fourth part of my thesis covers topics regarding the British horse racing world. The British nation is fascinated by races either due to their competitiveness or passion for betting. The horse racing in Great Britain expresses their national identity as well as their social life and lifestyle. Moreover, Great Britain is famous for the unique racing horse breed called the English thoroughbred. The English turf is considered the best and the most admired worldwide. Also the high standards of the English thoroughbred and British racecourses are absolutely remarkable and respected worldwide. Moreover, speaking about the relation between equestrianism and the members of the current Royal family, the most important role has Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II who supports the equestrian sport in Great Britain all her life. The majority of British equestrian organizations are under the patronage of Queen Elizabeth II. She annually participates in Royal Ascot meeting in June. Moreover, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II owns the best British horse breeds in her Royal stables, as a symbol of her support and interest. As a result of all these points, Queen Elizabeth II was awarded by FEI for her support of equestrian sport during her reign as British monarch in November 2014. It is important to mention the fact that other Royal family members are also interested in equestrian activities. The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, takes part in driving and HRH Prince Charles and his sons Prince William and Harry play polo. Moreover, Princess Anne successfully represented Great Britain in eventing and Queen’s granddaughter Zara Phillips represented Great Britain at summer Olympics in London 2012. In this thesis I achieved my goal which was to find out to what extent is equestrianism important in British culture. Firstly, I deeply examined the history of Great Britain, and based on this data I discovered the fact that the tradition of monarch support for equestrianism goes back to the 15th century. Rightfully, the British monarchs claim credit for the development of equestrian sport. Secondly, I investigated the fact that British participation in horse breeding and maintenance of equestrian sport throughout the centuries influenced and raised British riding

44 standards, which are very high in the long term. Thirdly, I explored the fact that these British high-standards are world-wide known and highly regarded and Britain’s close association to equestrianism is inspirational. Finally, I discovered that the success of horse breeding in Great Britain is caused by the ideal climatic conditions. After a detailed study of particular factors concerning equestrian sport in Great Britain, I came to a conclusion that equestrianism is an integral part to British culture and the expansion of equestrianism in Great Britain continues successfully.

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Resumé

Cílem této bakalářské práce bylo prozkoumat a popsat fenomén jezdectví ve Velké Británii, a to hlavně z hlediska přístupu britského národa a také britské královské rodiny. První část práce se zabývá samotnou historií existence koní na naší planetě Zemi, a to vývojem předků dnešních koní. Tento evoluční proces začal přibližně před šedesáti miliony lety. Vlivem změny klimatu a podnebních podmínek se vývoj koně urychloval a téměř po padesáti milionech let byl proces ukončen. Výsledkem byl kůň podobný těm dnešním. Přibližně před milionem let začala domestikace tohoto zvířete, neboť si lidé uvědomili, že je toto zvíře pro ně důležité, nejprve jako zdroj obživy a poté jako pomocná pracovní fyzická síla. V této části je dále popisován vztah člověka s koněm, který se změnil nejprve z role dvou společníků až na roli jezdce a jeho koně. Od obecného popisu výskytu koní na celé planetě jsem se přesunula k přiblížení chovu koní a jeho významu právě ve Velké Británii, která je považována za kolébku vzniku jezdeckých poníků, dostihových sportovních koní a také nejznámějších tažných koní. Britský národ si během několika staletí dokázal vyšlechtit typy koní, kteří přesně odpovídali jejich požadavkům. Dále je v mé práci nastíněna podpora chovu koní ve Velké Británii právě ze strany monarchů a to i současné královské rodiny v čele s královnou Alžbětou II., která vlastní královské stáje plné těch nejlepších koní a která ke koním tíhne již od svých mladých let, kdy se aktivně věnovala ježdění. Sama královna Alžběta II. se značně zasloužila o rozvoj chovu koní ve Velké Británii a pokračuje v této úspěšné královské tradici dodnes. Vztah dalších členů současné královské rodiny je popsán v jedné z následujících kapitol. Druhá část pojednává o jezdectví jako volnočasové aktivitě, která získává mezi Brity stále více a více příznivců, jednak díky své dostupnosti a také díky vysoké úrovni, které dosáhla především díky udržování a dalšímu šíření jezdecké tradice. V této části práce jsem se zaměřila na přehled a analýzu institucí jezdeckého sportu a jejich vlivu na britskou společnost. Ve Velké Británii existuje spousta institucí a organizací, které zastřešují jezdecký sport a to vše pod patronací právě královny Alžběty II. V čele těchto osmnácti organizací stojí Britská jezdecká federace, která má v současné době více než čtyři miliony členů. Jednou z těchto organizací je dobročinný spolek Britská jezdecká společnost, jejímž cílem je bezpečnost koní a

46 jezdců a také poskytování rad ohledně chovu koní a péče o ně. Velmi známý je také britský Pony klub, který sdružuje mladé jezdce a organizuje pro ně různé jezdecké aktivity, například závody nebo letní kempy. Pro milovníky jízdy na koni jsou tu velmi rozšířená a dostupná početná jezdecká zařízení, která nabízí výuku jízdy na koni nebo vyjížďky do přírody. Podle statistik stráví v sedle koně alespoň jednou ročně až šest procent celkové britské populace, což je zhruba tři a půl milionu lidí. Ve své práci dále zmiňuji medializaci jezdeckého sportu pomocí sdělovacích prostředků, jako jsou noviny, časopisy nebo televizní stanice věnované přímo tomuto sportu. V dalších částech mé práce jsem se zaměřila na jednotlivá odvětví jezdeckého sportu. Třetí část je věnována nejrozšířenější jezdecké disciplíně s původem ve Velké Británii, a to dostihovému sportu, nazývanému také sportem králů, který zde má spoustu příznivců, jak aktivních, tak pasivních. Dostihy jsou zde považovány za velmi prestižní společenskou událost, která mimo jiné také naprosto vystihuje jejich vášeň pro soutěživost. Lidé v předepsaném oděvu se scházejí se svými známými především na odpoledních či večerních dostizích, kde sledují závody, vsází na své favority a tráví zde příjemné chvilky. Hojná účast na dostizích jen podtrhuje oblíbenost tohoto sportu mezi Brity. Opět je zde viditelná podpora ze strany monarchů, protože také královská rodina v čele s královnou Alžbětou II. se pravidelně účastní této společenské kratochvíle na královském závodišti v Ascotu. Historie dostihového sportu ve Velké Británii sahá až do 12. století, kdy se uskutečnil první oficiální dostih. Zrození moderních dostihů se však datuje až od 17. století, kdy bylo v Newmarketu vybudováno jezdecké dostihové centrum, které je velmi často využíváno i dnes. V této části také popisuji vznik a vývoj anglického plnokrevníka, nejlepšího dostihového plemene na světě. Jsou zde také zmíněni nejslavnější dostihoví koně, legendární esa mezi žokeji a také nejvýznamnější dostihové a překážkové tratě. Všechny tyto faktory jen dokazují tvrzení, a to že Anglie je kolébkou dostihů. Čtvrtá část práce nabízí pohled na kontroverzní jezdeckou aktivitu, a to honební jízdu, která má ve Velké Británii dlouholetou tradici a spoustu příznivců, kteří si pro tuto aktivitu zvlášť vyšlechtili plemeno koně, splňující požadavky jako je vytrvalost nebo skokanská dovednost. Naopak se zde také našli odpůrci ze stran ochránců přírody, kteří tento sport neuznávají z důvodu přesvědčení, že jsou lišky týrány. Zde jsem se zaměřila na problematiku ohledně zákona o zákazu honů na

47 lišku, které byly zavedeny v roce 2002 ve Skotsku a v roce 2004 v Anglii a Walesu. Podařilo se mi zjistit, že i přes zákaz této aktivity, její oblíbenost mezi Brity stále přetrvává, ale jsou zaznamenány i případy, kdy lidé tento zákon porušují. Jak uvádí britský deník The Guardian dokonce i současný britský premiér David Cameron se snaží o podání návrhu o zrušení tohoto zákona. Celým problémem jsou i rozdílné názory lidí z měst, kteří nemají pochopení pro tuto tradičně venkovskou zálibu. Poslední pátá část mé práce nejprve popisuje vznik jezdeckého póla, který je přisuzován Perské říši, odkud tuto hru později do Anglie a celé Evropy přinesli husaři. Na první pohled by se mohlo zdát, že tato hra nebude mít dostatečně široké pole působení ve Velké Británii, avšak již od začátku byla velmi oblíbená a našla si zde brzy mnoho příznivců, mezi kterými byli samozřejmě i členové královské rodiny, kteří přispěli ke zrodu a dalšímu vývoji této hry a tato tradice přetrvává i doposud. Dnes se aktivně této hře věnují princové William a Harry. V této kapitole jsou dále popsána pravidla této hry a také vybavení nutné pro hru. I zde, stejně jako u dalších disciplín, si jezdci museli pro tuto velmi specifickou hru vyšlechtit takový typ koně, který bude obratný a vytrvalý. Došla jsem k závěru, že jezdecký sport ve Velké Británii hraje důležitou roli v životech mnoha Britů, ať už těch, kteří se mu sami aktivně věnují, anebo těch, kteří se pouze účastní dostihových závodů. V porovnání s jinými evropskými státy je Velká Británie na poznatelně vyšší úrovni, jak z hlediska rozšířenosti tohoto sportu, tak i celkové organizace. Všeobecné povědomí o významu jezdectví v historii i kultuře této země pouze naznačuje to, že Velká Británie se za pomoci její vlády a také královské rodiny zasloužila o zrod fenoménu a tradice, se kterou bude již navždy neodmyslitelně kladně spjata v celosvětových dějinách koní a jezdeckého sportu. Toto tvrzení navíc dokazuje fakt, že královna Alžběta II. byla v listopadu roku 2014 oceněna mezinárodní jezdeckou federací za svůj celoživotní přínos a podporu jezdeckého sportu během své vlády.

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Anotace

Příjmení a jméno: Doleželová Eliška Katedra: Katedra anglistiky a amerikanistiky Studijní obor: Anglická filologie Název: Jezdecký sport ve Velké Británii jako kulturní fenomén Vedoucí práce: Mgr. Pavlína Flajšarová, Ph.D. Počet stran: 52

Tato bakalářská práce se zabývá jezdectvím ve Velké Británii jako kulturním fenoménem. Hlavním bodem zájmu je v této práci prozkoumat a popsat přístup Britů a britské královské rodiny k jezdectví. V bakalářské práci jsou také uvedeny a rozebrány nejoblíbenější britské jezdecké disciplíny. Cílem této práce je dokázat a později vyzdvihnout úzkou spojitost mezi britským národem, chovem koní a jezdectvím.

Klíčová slova: Velká Británie, britská královská rodina, jezdecký sport, chov koní, dostihový sport, pólo, honební jízda, britská společnost, britská kultura

Abstract

This bachelor thesis deals with equestrianism in Great Britain as a cultural phenomenon. The main focus of this thesis is to investigate and describe the attitude of British society and the Royal Family to this sport activity. There are stated and analysed the most popular British equestrian activities and disciplines. The aim of this thesis is to prove and then emphasize the close relation between British nation, horse breeding and equestrianism.

Key words: Great Britain, Royal Family, equestrian sport, horse breeding, horse racing, polo, foxhunting, British society, British culture

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