Kinship of equestrian sport and racing
What can connect cars and horses? In this article we will try to understand this issue using the example of equestrian sports and Formula 1.
❖ The origin of racing
Can we say that racing originated from horse racing? It is impossible to unequivocally answer this question. However, it is safe to say that the one who comes first wins both in equestrian sport and in races.
Horses were originally associated with racing by their competition. 2 centuries ago, cars had just begun to appear in people’s lives, and on the verge of such a revolutionary discovery, manufacturers argued that horses would soon cease to be used as a means of transportation.
However, many argued the opposite, that cars will be created only as entertainment and fun, and horses are irreplaceable companions. So spoke people who were opponents of progress. This also had its own truth, as the first cars were not a high-speed method of transportation and safety was not at the highest level. In this regard, it was decided to hold the first races in order to prove that cars will soon overshadow horses.
❖ Indispensable support
41 years ago, the Olympic Games were held in Moscow. At these games, equestrian sports and racing teamed up to help. Then one of the most amazing stories happened, when a Formula 1 pilot did everything possible to get Elisabeth Theurer, a legendary rider, and her horse, Mon Cherie, to take part in the games.
At that time, many teams announced a boycott and refused to participate in the games due to the fact that the Soviet Union decided to send troops to Afghanistan. Many by refusing to participate wanted to show their disagreement and immorality of such a policy. Among these teams was a team from Austria. However, Elisabeth completely refused to give her gold medal to anyone and decided that she was obliged to go to the Olympics.
Niki Lauda, the legendary pilot, at that time no longer participated in races and was engaged in his own business related to air travel. Having learned about the state of affairs, Niky offered to take Elizabeth and her faithful friend on his private plane to Moscow. A few days later, Elizabeth and her horse became Olympic champions.
❖ Renowned logo
Certainly, many people think that the famous Ferrari logo, the prancing horse, originated from horses, but this is not entirely true. In fact, the emblem appeared on cars thanks to aviation and the pilot of World War I, Francesco Baracca. Francesco was a war hero, won over 30 battles and fell in one of the battles. The prancing horse emblem was on Francesco’s battle-plane.
In 1928, the founder of Ferrari decided to finally meet the people who gave life to the legendary pilot. During the conversation, Francesco’s parents said that they give their consent to the use of the emblem. The emblem which brings good luck.
❖ Similarities in terminology
Equestrian sports and racing also have similar terminology that is used in both sports.
Pilots and horses alike compete for the most advantageous position at the start of the competition. This position is called pole position. The term was originally used in equestrian sports. The horse with the fastest qualifying time will be positioned close to the start section (Pole) at the start of the competition. After some time, motorsport adopted this term.
Both sports attract fans with their grace and dynamism. Also, these sports are incredibly expensive. More than $50 million is sometimes spent on pilot equipment, machinery parts and much more. In equestrian sports, buying a horse can cost tens of millions of euros.
For those who dream of feeling like a pilot, even if it is not Formula 1, but at least a very high-speed car, on the website renty.ae/types/sport, you can choose a sports car to your liking and drive as fast as the wind.
Alive and iron horses and their riders have their admirers. In the future, these sports will delight fans with amazing stories and incredible victories.
