Horse Diving: A Dangerous, Cruel Sport in the 19th Century

Horse diving began in the 1880s and was an extremely popular attraction for decades, despite the obvious cruelty to the animals and the dangers it posed.

According to Texas Escapes, horse diving was 'invented' by a man named William 'Doc' Carver . Carver had worked with Buffalo Bill Cody, but by the 1880s, he was traveling around with his own Wild West show. Carver was an extremely skilled shot, and his rifle skills were the main attraction of the show, but after a while, he added a new gimmick: horse diving.

It is said that in 1881 Carver was constructing a bridge over the Platte River (Nebraska) that partially collapsed. His horse fell and dived into the water below, inspiring Carver to develop the sport of horseback diving.

Carver trained many different animals and performed in many shows. His son, Al Floyd Carver, built the tower ramp and became the first athlete in this extreme sport.

A study published in the journal Animal Behavior Magazine found that if you treat your horse well, it can become your most loyal and long-lasting friend. The study also found that horses understand more than we think. Their memories are quite good. They can remember human faces after long periods of separation and remember commands for up to 10 years or more.

One of William "Doc" Carver's most famous shows was "The Great Carver Show" which became a major attraction at Atlantic City's Steel Pier in New Jersey. This bizarre spectacle featured a horse with a young girl in a swimsuit on its back jumping from a raised platform into a pool of water below.

Horses participating in this sport must run up a carpeted track while the rider waits at the top, then climb up as the horse passes by to plunge together into the water below.

When the horses land on the water, they sink until their hooves touch the bottom and then push their bodies back up to the surface. Divers often train with their horses for years, gradually moving up to higher and more challenging diving platforms.

Like most mammals, horses can float in water but are poor swimmers. Because of their tall stature and small legs, horses cannot swim efficiently. They also have to keep their heads high to keep water out of their ears, which are vital for their balance.

It is said that in all the shows that took place, there was not a single incident of serious injury to the horses. However, the same was not true for the athletes.

There are an average of two injuries a year, usually broken bones or bruises. The most serious injury in the show's history happened to Sonora Webster.

In 1931, during a dive, her horse went into the pool and lost its balance, causing it to hit its head on the water. Sonora was unable to close her eyes fast enough to keep up with the speed at which the horse was falling, resulting in a detached retina that left her blind.

Despite her blindness, Sonora continued to participate in this extreme sport for the next eleven years. A film based on her life, Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken , was released in 1991 and is based on her memoir A Girl and Five Brave Horses .

Protests from animal rights activists ended the Atlantic City horse show in the 1970s. Although it briefly returned to the pier in 1993, it was closed again due to community opposition.

In fact, to be able to participate in this sport, the horse will have to participate in training for many hours with four plunges into the water every day and regularly for 7 days a week.

Most people consider horse diving to be cruel to animals . Throughout its history, many believe that trainers forced unwilling horses into diving with ropes, trap doors, and electric wires.

If we look at the sport from an objective perspective, diving is something that most horses do not do naturally. It is not something they have evolved to do, as horses are strictly land animals. Therefore, you could argue that training horses to dive goes against their nature and is completely unethical.

There are allegations that after the horses' sporting careers are over, they are slaughtered. On the other hand, famous trainers and athletes say that their horses are loved by many people and enjoy what they do.

In the United States, horse diving is not illegal. The reason the practice has been stopped is due to lack of demand from animal welfare organizations and enforcement of other laws.

In her memoir, Sonora describes the thrill of sitting on a diving horse. 'I felt the horse's muscles tense as its body bounced up and down, and then there was a whole new sensation. It was a wild, almost primal feeling that only comes from being completely free. Then I felt the water rush over me, and soon we were in the tank.'