Jumper
Russia is a melting pot of horse riding and driving cultures. They emerged through millennia in a huge space where the Horse has been tamed for the first time, and widely used. To be sure, Russians adopted from the rest of the world what was useful, for instance, European–style coach driving in towns and classical equestrian sports. They can even boast some remarkable achievements in the latter, especially in dressage. At the same time Russians and other peoples who inhabit the huge spaces of Russia have developed their own riding and driving practices, ones that suit the country's transportation and military needs the best. When people in Russia had to cover huge distances they wanted to be assured that they get to their destinations home and dry, and not fall pray to frost or wolves. And so when they drove, they normally drove in a troika of three hardy hacks who could fight horrendous Russia's roads, cold, snow, fogs, wolves, and so on and so forth. When trekking on horseback, they could use alternately two horses (odvukon'), an age–old Steppe practice. At war Russians, especially Cossacks, placed much reliance on the formidable stamina of their steeds. Russian troopers thought nothing of covering 100 km every day, hitting and running, destroying and disappearing, like wasps. Those harassment tactics were extremely efficient, for example in the Napoleonic wars. Even in his excite Napoleon had nightmares of the Don Cossacks.
Size: 5079px × 3386px
Photo credit: © Mikhail Kondrashov "fotomik" / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: Yes
Keywords: competition, concour, equestrian, helmet, horse, horseback, horsemen, jump, jumper, man, sport
