Thesis Equestrianism: Serious Leisure And
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THESIS EQUESTRIANISM: SERIOUS LEISURE AND INTERSUBJECTIVITY Submitted by Erin Butler Department of Sociology In partial fulfillment of the requirements For the Degree of Master of Arts Colorado State University Fort Collins, Colorado Fall 2010 Master’s Committee: Department Chair: Jack Brouillette Advisor: Jennifer Cross Lori Peek Ben Grainger ABSTRACT EQUESTRIANISM: SERIOUS LEISURE AND INTERSUBJECTIVITY Using the concepts of serious leisure and symbolic interactionism, this thesis explores the experiences of equestrians in the hunter/jumper discipline. This thesis draws from ethnographic research methods that utilize a combination of two years of participant observation and in-depth interviews. This research challenges the basis for Mead’s (and others’) exclusion of nonhuman animals from consideration as “authentic” social actors by highlighting the ways horse owners, in this study, describe their horses as minded, thoughtful individuals. These owners refute the notions that horses are mindless objects or are indistinct from other insensate elements of “nature,” (i.e. air, water, or land). Focusing on the interactions between humans and horses, I examine the criteria used by horse owners to define their horses as minded individuals with whom they construct and maintain meaningful and satisfying social relationships. Using the rich and detailed descriptions of participants, I argue that two features of hunter/jumper equestrianism warrant reclassifying it as an amateur pursuit, rather than hobbyist activity: the visible and influential presence of professionals within the sport and owners’ perception of horses’ subjectivity, which makes the achievement of intersubjectivity possible. I emphasized the role of actions and argue that the concepts of ‘mind,’ ‘self,’ and ‘personhood’ are social constructions that arise from interaction. ii Furthermore, using the Serious Leisure Perspective as a theoretical foundation I explore key features of hunter/jumper equestrianism beyond merely human-animal ‘attachments’ or ‘bonds.’ This thesis considers hunter/jumper equestrianism in terms of serious leisure’s six definitional social-psychological elements and confirms the viability of classifying hunter/jumper equestrianism as a form of serious leisure pursuit. Additionally, I present a new model for classifying the negative consequences, or costs, of serious leisure pursuits. Examining hunter/jumper equestrianism as a form of serious leisure highlights the ‘serious’ costs of participation in a pursuit, which is marginal to both human-animal interaction and leisure activities. Finally, this thesis highlights the potential of studying humans’ relationships with horses for advancing an understanding of how personhood, mind, and identity are socially constructed, and the possibility of studying serious leisure pursuits as alternative sites for community, belonging, and identity in an increasingly fragmented post-modern society. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS To all of the wonderful, articulate, and caring horse women who participated in this project. I am sincerely grateful for the generosity and willingness with which they gave their time, and shared their lives and knowledge with me. I am also thankful for all the intelligent and patient horses who have so generously shared their lives with us. I am also forever grateful for my advisor, Jennifer Cross, who spent countless hours encouraging, challenging, and supporting me through the many, many revisions of this document. Jeni’s unwavering support kept me moving (positively forward) throughout the project. Thank you to my committee members: Lori Peek, who offered guidance and support throughout this project, and Ben Granger, for being willing to take on this project and offering encouragement from the beginning of it. I am also thankful to my fiancée, J.D., for his constantly supporting, encouraging, and believing in me. To my mom, Julie, for listening to me and for her unending love. To my dad, Scot, for his kindness, love, and support in all of my intellectual pursuits. To Margaret, for all the ways she has inspired, motivated, and guided me in this project. Finally, I am indebted to all of my friends and family for the different ways they have loved, encouraged, and supported me. I would also like to thank the Sociology Department at Colorado State University for giving me the opportunity to transfer into their graduate program to earn my master’s degree. My path has been a unique one, and I sincerely appreciate the support, iv understanding, and accommodation made by all of the faculty in the department for making it such a positive experience. v TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT………………………………………………………………………………ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS…………………………………………..…………………..iv CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION…………………………..…………………………1 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW ………………………………………..…..8 CHAPTER THREE: METHODS………………………………………………….……33 CHAPTER FOUR: STRUCTURAL DEFINITIONAL ELEMENTS OF HUNTER/JUMPER EQUESTRIANISM……………………………………………..…46 CHAPTER FIVE: SOCIAL-PSYCHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF HUNTER/JUMPER EQUESTRIANISM………………………………………………..74 CHAPTER SIX: SERIOUS COSTS OF HUNTER/JUMPER EQUESTRIANISM…...116 CHAPTER SEVEN: CONCLUSION………………………………………………….145 Works Cited…………………………………………………………………………….159 Appendix A…………………………………………………………………………..…167 vi CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION As of 2006, 67.1 million pet1-owning households in the U.S. owned 172.2 million dogs, cats, birds, and horses (AVMA 2007). Horse owners2 constitute 1.8 percent of the 2006 U.S. population, with 2.1 million people owning 7.3 million horses (AVMA 2007). In addition, horse owners are predominantly from the middle- and upper-middle classes, with relatively high amounts of leisure time and discretionary income (Keaveney 2008). The percentage and number of households in the U.S. that own horses has increased over the past decade. Nationally, 1.8 percent of households owned horses, up 5.9 percent in the past five years (AVMA 2007). Women comprise the majority (72%) of horse owners and the overwhelming majority (90%) of competitors in local and state horse shows (Folks 2006). While the number of horses in the U.S. has been rising, few studies have examined the role of horse ownership in contemporary social life (Brandt 2004; Whipper 2000). A concurrent trend is that for many Americans, leisure interests have come to supersede work interests as a means of finding personal fulfillment, identity enhancement, and self-expression (Robinson and Godbey 1997; Stebbins 2007). Traditionally, non-work time has been viewed as a carefree refuge from the more serious pursuit of making money and earning a living (Robinson and Godbey 1997). 1 I use the terms “pet,” “companion animal,” and “partner” interchangeably throughout this thesis despite the power and valuation differences implied by each. 2 Despite the significant power differences symbolized by the terms “owner,” “partner,” and “associate” I use these designations interchangeably throughout this thesis. 1 A consequence of the decreasing value placed on the institution of work has been a corresponding increase in the time and value placed on other institutions, particularly leisure. Challenging the hedonistic, carefree conception of leisure time as merely extra or non-work time is the Serious Leisure Perspective, which was developed by Robert Stebbins (1992) to describe leisure activities that are substantial and serious pursuits, and which provide participants with meaning and deep fulfillment. Stebbins (1997) defines serious leisure pursuits as “sufficiently substantial and interesting in nature for the participant to find a career there, acquiring, and expressing a combination of its special skills, knowledge, and experience” (p.17). The Serious Leisure Perspective provides a framework for analyzing leisure more substantively than merely extra or free time. Categorically, the Serious Leisure Perspective synthesizes three main forms of leisure: including serious, casual, and project-based leisure (Stebbins 2007). Serious leisure is characterized by an approach that is earnest, sincere, important, careful, or serious, and the acquisition and expression of its unique skills, knowledge, and experience generates a (leisure) career for its pursuant. In this sense, a career is the sense of temporal continuity a participant gains from the more or less steady development of the skills, experience, and knowledge of his or her serious leisure pursuit. Serious leisure is often contrasted with casual leisure, which is immediate, intrinsically rewarding, relatively short-lived, and pleasurable activity requiring little or no special training to enjoy it (Stebbins 1992). For example, serious leisure includes activities like baseball, astronomy, or stand-up comedy, while casual leisure includes activities like watching TV or going for a walk. Project-based leisure is short-term, moderately complicated, either 2 one-time or occasional, through infrequent, creative undertaking carried out in free time. Though not serious leisure, project-based leisure requires considerable planning, effort and sometimes skill or knowledge; however, it is distinguished from the latter’s failure to generate a career for participants. Essentially, the Serious Leisure Perspective is a classification of approaches (serious, casual, or project-based) to a core activity, rather than a taxonomy of activities. For example, riding a horse can be a one-time activity— casual leisure—or it can become a serious leisure career by those who own multiple horses, regularly compete in amateur