In pictures: horse play in Hong Kong, from the 1970s to the 2000s
A look at how the city’s public horseback riding schools opened the gates to a sport long associated with private clubs and privilege
Horse riding in Hong Kong has long been the preserve of the upper crust, with the high cost of keeping a horse limiting it primarily to the wealthy in this densely populated, space-starved city.
In the 1970s, the Hong Kong Jockey Club took a pioneering step to democratise the sport, establishing public riding schools, including the Pok Fu Lam Riding School (established in 1978) and later, the Tuen Mun Riding School (opened in 1994).
These schools were designed to provide access to horse riding for people from all walks of life, including those with disabilities.
Join us as we look back through the South China Morning Post’s picture archives to see how these schools brought the world of equestrianism to a much wider audience.