A Geography of Horse-Riding : the Spacing of Affect, Emotion and (Dis)ability Identity through Horse-Human Encounters

This book presents an in-depth, qualitative exploration of the practice of horse-riding by disabled and non-disabled riders and their horses. Situated as part of an affective turn within human geography, creative and original use is made of poststructuralist theory to bring together animal studies and disability studies in order to decentre the human as we think about the social. Eighteen months of multi-sited, performance ethnography on the hoof was conducted with riders recruited from local riding schools, an internet forum and three riding for the disabled association (RDA) groups. Methods included diary-keeping, participant observation and video-recording of riding activities to capture moments of horse-human relating. Through these methods the embodied expressions of horses are taken seriously as demonstrative of their individual thoughts and intentions. Addressing the workings of inter-bodily/inter-species affect between horse and rider, it is suggested that power, empathy, generosity and respect are not simply human experiences. This focus upon affective encounters also allows alternative stories of disability to be heard that do not rely on the medical or social model. Riding is put forward as an empowering practice that can enable the transgression of bodily boundaries. This book will be of interest to scholars within animal studies, disability studies, geographies of emotion and affect and of ethnographical research methods. Written in an accessible style using empirical examples to explain complex theoretical ideas, the book will appeal to all levels of academic readership. TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF PLATES LIST OF TABLES LIST OF FIGURES ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS INTRODUCTION The wounded storyteller Framing the research Chapter synopsis CHAPTER ONE - SETTING THE SCENE Geographies of disability Cross-species encounters Animal geographies Summary CHAPTER TWO - THINKING EMOTION AND AFFECT THROUGH HORSE-HUMAN RELATIONS From Centaurs to Bodies without Organs Geographies of emotion and affect Exploring power relationships between horses and humans: Domination or co-operation? Summary CHAPTER THREE - HORSES FOR COURSES Research Design Methodological strategies Research sites Analysis Summary CHAPTER FOUR - LEARNING TO BE AFFECTED BY HORSES Attending a Riding School Beginner riders and the stratified body Dismantling the body and learning to be affected Recognising horses as emotional beings Summary CHAPTER FIVE - POWER DYNAMICS OF HORSE-HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS Affective relations between horses Modalities of instrumental power Associational power (to act) Summary CHAPTER SIX - WHAT CIRCULATES ON THE HORSE-RIDER BWO? Connective energies The Horse-Rider Body-without-Organs The emotional capture of affect Summary CHAPTER SEVEN - TRAVELLING ACROSS BORDERS Disability identities within “Riding for the Disabled Association” (RDA) groups; reproducing the body as organism Lines of flight from the disabled organism Communication and (dis)empowerment; crossing borders through reading affect and emotion Being with horses Summary CHAPTER EIGHT - CONCLUDING DISCUSSION Themes running through the book Future research Personal reflections Summary BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX "This book presents an in-depth, qualitative exploration of the practice of horse-riding by “disabled” and “non-disabled” riders and their horses. Situated as part of an “affective turn” within human geography, creative and original use is made of poststructuralist theory to bring together animal studies and disability studies in order to decentre the human as we think about the social. Eighteen months of multi-sited performance ethnography “on the hoof” were conducted with riders recruited from local riding schools, an internet forum and three Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) groups. The study employed various methods, including diary-keeping, participant observation and video-recording of riding activities, in order to capture moments of horse-human relating. Through these methods, the embodied expressions of horses are taken seriously as demonstrative of their individual thoughts and intentions." 4ème de couverture