Who among us has not dreamed of zooming across vast open spaces on a racehorse, jumping over rocks and small cravaces like all those famous cowboys? Some may have fulfilled their equestrian dreams by enrolling in horseback riding lessons, while others, inspired by Greek myths about centaurs, silently admired the beauty of these prancing horses before deciding to become one themselves. Unbelievably, Ayla Kristine, a girl from Norway, actually made the decision to become a horse and even achieved some success.
Some kids, when they grow up, want to be astronauts or YouTubers, but since the age of four, Ayla has dreamed of being an animal. At first, she admired dogs and walked on all fours like them, but then she realized that horses are more graceful and noble than puppies. If you have read Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver, then you will probably remember the race of intelligent horses—Houyhnhnms, who were the embodiment of perfection. This is not just the author’s fantasy, these majestic creatures really do make such a strong impression.
Ayla’s hobby is not just imitating horses but also masterful transformation. She didn’t just become one with horse nature overnight. This was a result of many years of painstaking training. Today, she gallops with ease and practically soars over fences. What is truly remarkable is that, in all other respects, Ayla is a completely ordinary girl with her own emotions, experiences, aspirations, and skills. She does not neigh like a horse, does not eat oats, and probably doesn’t sleep standing up.
Ayla used to have an Instagram account where she posted her training and progress in the equine field. One of her subscribers posted a video of her on their Twitter with the caption “Horsewoman.” In the video, the girl gallops across a field alone and with a dog. She jumps over a garden bench and table so deftly that it seems implausible, uncanny even. After this tweet blew up, gaining more than 7,000 likes, the girl went viral. And along with the popularity came oodles and oodles of haters because that’s how the Internet works. Ayla started getting nasty comments, with more and more creeps sexualizing her in every possible way.
Ayla was deeply hurt by the comments, prompting her to write a post questioning whether she should delete her account. She admitted that she was impressionable, telling how she once read about the connection between moles and cancer and began to worry about her health. The subscribers who appreciated the girl’s talent started writing her kind comments. They advised her to continue doing what she liked and not pay attention to the haters. Ayla’s Instagram kept going for a while, but, unfortunately, the account no longer exists. It is unclear what caused her to snap, but it was probably for the best. Either the girl could not withstand the influx of haters, or she was simply tired of posting videos for everyone to see.
However, the art of horsing around did not die with the deletion of Ayla’s account. There are girls who are also successfully engaged in such activities. For example, Ava Vogel from Canada took up horseback riding to understand the physics of show jumping and then decided to jump over hurdles in horse style. Another famous horsewoman, Anna Salander, posted a video a few years ago of herself jumping over hurdles with ease at the age of 10. According to experienced trainers, such exercises are very useful for developing the muscles of the entire body.
So, hey, maybe we should make some space for a new Olympic discipline?
