Of horses and men: History, power, strategies and representations

Abstract

The horse, an animal which played a fundamental role in modern history, was also, within specific contexts, incorporated into dominant symbolic regimes, as signifier of status, power and nation. In this article, we discuss some of the manifestations in which the horse was used to cultivate Brazilian national illusions, in favor of patriarchal order, whiteness and class privileges, as demonstrated in epic representations of war. Although they are historically prominent expressions, other subjects and practices also emerge from Brazilian equestrian culture, destabilizing the symbolic hegemony, above all, women who, by showing themselves to be expert horse riders, defy cultural codes and resignify various dimensions of the human-equine relationship. Moreover, changes in practices and representations also triggers a feminization of the equestrian world which advances towards affective and sentimental models, focusing, in addition to sports and leisure, bonds of "care ” and services such as "therapies ” (medicalized or not). These representations and practices also give us food for thought on the boundaries and nuances of the human-animal relationship.