RIDING ON THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE

Sports was a very important field in the Ottoman Empire. There was a great interest in and respect to people who were keen on art, culture ary and sports. The principal sports practiced by the Ottoman were wrestling, horse-riding, hunting, archery and javelin throw. The term ‘Cündi’ was used for talented and gifted horse-riders. Riding horses for travelling was a very important stage in the history of the World and was also a cultural cornerstone which is more important than animal husbandry. The first race to have tamed animals after hunting is the Turks. Horses were tamed by the Turks and Turkish peoplebecamethe first to have mounted horses. While sports were a complement of exercises practiced to achive superiority in wars in the Ottoman Empire, later it was understood how they considered it highly after sports fields were established in the Ottoman palaces and the sportsmen were protected among the courtiers. In the present study, the studies on horse-riding have been complied and explanatory information has been provided regarding the subject