Camels and Dromedaries are the Horses for Horse Shows in the Future

​By our Correspondent for Heated Disciplines

​It is a tragedy of our own making: As soon as the thermometer climbs above 35°C, the equestrian world descends into a collective state of panic. Across Europe - in Germany, France, Great Britain - horse shows are being canceled. Organizers are pulling the “emergency brake” as if they’ve never seen a weather forecast, as if common sense had evaporated, and as if the sun were a brand-new invention of the meteorological service. While desperate organizers debate starting tournaments in the middle of the night to cope with future heatwaves, they are overlooking the obvious: We are torturing ourselves with the wrong animal.

​The Warmblood is the "Legacy Model" of Climate Change

​Let’s be honest: A classic warmblood horse at 40°C in the shade is about as efficient as a heater in an oven. The horses groan, the riders sweat, and the animal rights activists stand at the fence with their megaphones. Every ride becomes a nail-biting balance between sporting ambition, earning money and a guilty conscience.

​But why? While we try to "pimp" our horses for sporting duty with water misters, cooling boots, and shade cloths, nature has long since designed the perfect piece of sports equipment for near-equatorial conditions: the dromedary or the camel.

​The Dromedary and Camel Offensive: The Only Solution for the Future of Equestrian Sport

​Anyone looking to keep collecting ribbons and making money in extreme heat must say goodbye to the “Horse Dogma.” The shift to camels and dromedaries is the only way out of the cancellation spiral.

• ​No More Cancellations: A dromedary or camel only starts to warm up at 30°C. While the competition is still debating "responsible execution" on the showgrounds, the dromedary is already at a gallop - completely unfazed by the heat that brings beads of sweat to our human foreheads.

  
  

• ​Animal Welfare: Forget shady trees and water stations. A dromedary or camel is the only living creature that can stroll through a dressage test at 40°C without so much as blinking an eye.

  
  

• ​From "Flying Changes" to "Dune Sprints": We must modernize the disciplines. Dressage becomes a "Sandstorm Performance," show jumping becomes a "Dune Course." And at the victory ceremony, the rider doesn't get flowers; they get a ration of water, some dates, and a pair of luxury sunglasses. 

  
  

• ​Pure Efficiency: A camel only needs water now and then. This saves costs, nerves, and, above all, the constant fear of the next heatwave headline.

​"Spitting Instead of Spurs" – The New Communication

​Critics will argue, "But a camel is so stubborn!" Exactly! That is the new level of communication! Instead of forcing the horse to perform under the rider with whips and spurs, a simple "keep moving" is enough for a dromedary—or you just accept that the animal dictates the direction. If the dromedary has no desire to be in the arena at 40°C, there is no discussion; it simply spits. 

This kind of brutal honesty is exactly what we’ve been craving in sports for a long time!

​Conclusion: If You Sweat, You’ve Already Lost

​Dear horse show organizers, stop pulling the emergency brake for summer horse shows! Stop shifting your schedules to the crack of dawn or the middle of the night! Anyone who wants to win in the future must think innovatively and forward-looking. 

Unfortunately, the horse is a victim of climate change - the dromedary or camel is its king and the future.

​Put away the riding boots and take out the sandals. The summer horse shows of the future belong to the ships of the desert.