Horse Riding Culture in the United Arab Emirates

The importance of horse riding culture in the UAE with regards to its history and its cultural significance.

Horse riding, races, and horses in general in the United Arab Emirates are held to a high esteem. The reasoning behind that is the cultural significance behind it. In the UAE, horse riding is one of the oldest practiced custom. It holds a large historical significance as well. We’ll take a look at how the UAE held this custom to a high regard.

History

The history of horse riding in the UAE comes from the religious and spiritual significance of horse riding. It is a religious practice to ride horses as it is believed that it improves both the mental and physical health. Also, there is a spiritual perspective as well because the connection created by the rider and the horse is different from, say, a human and another human. Additionally, horses were, along with camels, the only mode of transport before cars were introduced.

Culture

Horses are a giant symbol of the UAE culture along with the ghaf tree and the falcon. They are held to such high regards and they’re seen as extremely important to sustain the heritage of the UAE. This is because they are seen as a way to uphold the traditional values of pride and honor. Nowadays, horses are a commodity which represent prestige and class, and thus create the importance of horse riding and racing.

Tourism

Naturally, the culture of horse riding would be weaved into the fast-paced, tourism filled culture of Dubai. There are many different activities that include horse riding in Dubai. One of the popular activities is horse riding on the beach. Also, there are many horse riding stables that host tours for tourists, residents, and locals. Finding a way to integrate heritage with tourism in Dubai through riding horses is perfect to get a taste of UAE culture.

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