Pushball

Some of the questions people often have about Pushball are;  What is Pushball? What ball is being used playing Pushball? Pushball, isn’t that for kids? I am sure my horse is afraid of Pushball? Do horses actually like Pushball?
 
Those are just some of the reactions we get about Pushball. Therefore one of the goals of this website is to introduce this sport and to inform and familiarise people with this lesser known ancient equine team sport and the possibilities it may bring.

Presently, ‘everywhere’ in the Netherlands and abroad people are practising some sort of Pushball of their own accord with some sort of ball and some sort of pony. They share their experiences and pose their questions on equestrian forums. Knowledge about Pushball is loose and not very concentrated.

This website is a collection of experiences and the result of five years in depth research into Pushball based on, amongst others, desk top research using the Internet and shared experiences in the exchanges with leading trainers both in the Netherlands and abroad. The development of this website is work in progress as Pushball itself is in transition still.

Although the sport exists already since 1902, it still knows many versions that may differ per country and still is very much in development. Therefore the development of this website will be one of growth.

In the Netherlands, just as in other countries, the game is played in accordance to people’s own views, with or without proper rules of the game. Since there is no uniformity yet, a wide variety of insights are about. For some, safety and wellbeing of the horse is of paramount importance, where others take this a bit more leisurely. Because of a lack of information there is quite a bit of controversy about the type of ball being used. Some buy their ball at the local pharmacist or toyshop. Some may even make use of a skippyball with the handle still on! They may even be of the opinion that in doing so they do their pony a pleasure as they have seen a jolly scene on the website ‘You Tube’.

For us, the horse’s wellbeing and mutual safety is of paramount importance in all equestrian sports and Pushball in particular. This also means that materials should be of proper quality and standard, the ball should be of the right size and the rules of the game should be clear and interpreted correctly. In Pushball those rules are to a large degree about safety for horse and rider. This will be elaborated somewhere else on this website.

The mentioned themes of Animal Wellbeing and Safety are also key to the Royal Dutch Equestrian Federation (KNHS) whose prime concerns are the developments in general in equestrian sports and with this frame of mind keep a watchful eye on the developments in Pushball.

The past year, the Agrarian Economical Research Institution (LEI) has studied and published a report on the experience and search behaviour of horse enthusiasts (‘Passie voor paarden’ 2009). An important citation from their report reads: “Improvement of the information to horse enthusiasts in the Netherlands is an important spearhead in this plan”. We are well aware of the need for information about Pushball, as this sport increasingly appeals to a growing number of people in the Netherlands and beyond. It is our aim to have this site operational in both a German and English version, next to the Dutch, in order to reach a proportion as large as possible of the current Pushball enthusiasts. The German version will follow during 2009.

We hope that this website may be a treasure of information and may lead those who endeavour to find out more about the wonderful world of Pushball!