It's the same uniform we're used to seeing now. Just the mode of transport is different. Their horses are big and they ride like fearless eventers.
Welcome to the world of streethorsing.
In the book "HorsePlay", published by WESC, StreetHorsing is explored as a subcultural fashion. Cloth-bound, gilt-edged and printed on matte paper, the book tells the story of Streethorsing - the sport of riding horses in cities. Whether or not the obscure subculture actually exists, the tome is filled with unbelievable photos of horses doing skateboard-like tricks off railings and over barriers (challenging pro photoshop-spotters) and interspersed with snaps of minor celebs (who also happen to be spokespeople for the book's sponsor, WESC), like Jerry Hsu, Steve Aoki, Mark "Cobrasnake" Hunter, Stretch Armstrong, and Jason Lee.
Ostensibly, the art book HorsePlay is part of a promotion to introduce WESC's (We Are the Superlative Conspiracy) latest evolution in leather jackets and the campaign even features a thoroughbred horse named Patti the Seagull and equestrian rider Amy Gunther jumping over a cement road barricade in a graffiti-ed part of Stockholm. The campaign includes information about their new Brooke leather jacket to help get you “back in the saddle.” While teetering more as a fashion piece than sports story, the interesting thing is that the WESC campaign has brought a new audience to equestrian riding.
It's a rather intriguing combination of street, style, fashion, and sports—especially for a sport that’s never considered when it comes to street culture.
The question remains though as to whether the 'sport' is real or not. The interesting thing though, is when I did a google search around 681 sites came up, a good many of them online forums discussing the sport of streethorsing. Remembering that many private horses are kept in city livery stables (eg. The stables at Central Park, NY or Hyde Park, London as well as many other cities across Europe and the US) it is not inconceivable that some out there participate in the sport of streethorsing. I've done it myself, in a very limited sense, when I had my horses stabled in inner Melbourne. We would often ride in local parks and jump small fences and railings, not to mention crossing all manner of objects when out on the roads. We never considered it a sport though and definitely did nothing near as daring as depicted in the books photos.
In Ireland, and other European cities, where horses are intrinsically bound to the lives of the (often ex-gypsy/romany) communities that live there, horses are still kept in the close city confines of housing estates and high rise projects and ridden in the streets and barren commons by community kids. It is not unusual to turn a corner and come across a clandestine horse fair, advertised only by word of mouth. That it has evolved into a pastime of urban kids in affluent western societies doesn't seem surprising.
As one online forum member from the US commented, "I really hate this talk (that) Street Horsing is a myth and all that. My family comes from Ireland and we have been performing street-horsing for hundreds of years … When we moved to the states It was natural to start skating and adopting the free will and spirit of street-horsing to the urban skater connotation. I think this clothing manufacturer (WESC) (has) corrupted the whole scene. Street horsing is not for exploiting, its a fragile thing."
Another forumer, this time in Sweden, agrees saying, "Just because (a) large company puts a name on this event doesn't mean that is a new stuff. When me and my friends used to jump over roadblocks and old fences with our ponies nobody reacted and it was definately not cool. Maybe I should start it again and get a really rich sponsor …"
Fashion and subculture cool aside the movement also raises questions about the welfare of the horses. One blogger says, "a horse would break it's legs if it jumped down a stair that big. Either it's fake or the horse got legs of steel!" (Personally I choose to believe that photo was a photoshop creation) That eventing style jumping taken to the city streets is one line I would hope even the most daring riders wouldn't risk their mounts to cross. (Kids, do not try this at home!)
With the publication of "HorsePlay" and it's attendant images of "cool" it remains to be seen whether this is art imitating life or whether the art itself will instigate an whole new subculture. Irregardless, HorsePlay has some incredible images. I believe it can be bought from the WESC.
You can also check out Ryan Galfando's site StreetHorsing. Warning, strong language alert.