Between Saddle and Longing

A Horseback Riding Social Representation Study of the “Sertão Norte-Mineiro” (2005-2020)

Abstract

Horseback riding practices have been gaining importance nationwide, as they establish increasingly solid connections between humans and horses. This tendency is provided by leisure and finds support in the “traditions” discourses. The practice is connected to different contexts and purposes, such as the women's and the ecological rides, in addition to those intertwined with faith and religiosity. Along this path, the present research aims to analyze the “Cavalgada Samambaia”, located in the rural region of Montes Claros - Minas Gerais, between the years 2005 and 2020, given that the event emerged in 2005 and, 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic began, marked by social distancing. To this end, sources from the traditional and digital press were analyzed, as well as independent audiovisual content or those linked to television, to understand the role of horseback riding in the constitution of social representations through discourses linked to print and digital media. This study is justified by the need to interpret this entertainment that takes place in rural areas, given the gap in the scientific literature on this practice. Given this, it was possible to identify an ambiguity in the representation of horseback riding, which mixes elements from the past with contemporary and urban aspects. Thus, it was noted that such activity appropriated a traditional discourse for commercial purposes.