Hobby horsing: The hobby horse comes to Walddorfhäslach

The third hobby horsing tournament took place in Walddorfhäslach on Thursday. Around 50 children and young people took part in the competition on Saturday with their hobby horses. The sport originally comes from Finland, but has now also arrived in Germany.

A riding tournament – only without horses

Loud pop music blares from the speakers as the young girls trot and gallop across the hall floor. At the third hobby horsing tournament in Walddorfhäslach, the participants compete in eight disciplines. The plan includes competitions that are also known from classic equestrian sports. For example time and style jumping as well as dressage. Just without a real horse.

Instead, the girls ride a special hobby horse, also called a “hobby horse”. They are horse and rider at the same time: they have to run and jump with their legs, and they have to maintain a straight posture with their upper body. And they have to remember how the parkour is structured or how the freestyle works. This takes practice – many of the participants train several times a week.

Flew to Finland for the tournament

Liliana Günther won the time jump: she and her hobby horse “Spot” mastered the parkour in under eleven seconds. The 15-year-old also has a lot of experience with the tournaments: in September she took part in the German Championships in Frankfurt and in June she even competed in the World Championships in Finland.

A friend introduced Liliana to horsing as a hobby three years ago. At first she found it “a bit strange,” she says. But at some point she gave it a try and has been totally into it ever since. “I’ve met so many friends through the hobby of horsing, it’s just fun,” she says.

Hobby horsing: More than just a sport

Hobby horsing is not just about the best time and the highest grades. For many of the children and young people, the little hobby horse has become an integral part of life. The girls regularly go on rides and go into the forest with their hobby horses. They make jewelry for the plush horses and set up a small stable for them at home.

“It’s clear to us that this isn’t a real horse,” says one participant, “but for us it’s more than just a piece of sports equipment.” And you can spend a lot of money on a hobby horse like this . “If you are a bit more professional, you can buy your horse from a special manufacturer in Finland,” says Liliana. She paid 250 euros for her hobby horse.

They bring Hobby Horsing to Walddorfhäslach

The hobby horse riders are judged by Hannah Jones and Marlene Fischer. At their table they measure times, evaluate postures and step sequences and award points. But the two girls are not just the jury. Together with Marlene’s mother, they organized the entire tournament and brought the hobby of horsing to Walddorfhäslach.

“We are now known locally as ‘the girls with the hobbyhorse’,” says Hanna. The 15-year-old and her 13-year-old friend started the horsing hobby together a few years ago. Over time, a whole circle of friends has formed through shared leisure activities. And now the two even lead their own group at the local sports club.

Hannah and Marlene are organizing the tournament for the third time. It’s just nice to meet all the people, they say. You could also learn something from many of the participants. And that’s why they hope that they can hold a few more tournaments in Walddorfhäslach in the future.