They were known to be excellent riders. The Orisa even Oya is depicted as riding in their icons. We even refer to the possession priests as elegun and esin (mounts and horse).
Brought up in England by a proud Oyo father, I learned to ride as a child and still ride when a I can and play some polo but am ashamed to be reminded every time I visit Nigeria that we Yorubas have no interest in our history. Imagine my heartbreak… Why don’t the Yoruba kings, especially the Alaafin Oyo have a ceremonial cavalry? Why aren’t at least his Eso mounted? My Hausa and Fulani friends are are embarrased for me… the neglect of our heritage is disgraceful but can anyone seriously tell me why a people who once had a cavalry of 100,000 have culturally degenerated to such an extent? Am I one of the last Yoruba horsemen? Oh, I did see a flea-bitten nag on Lekkie beach several years ago. Is that our answer to the Hausa Durbar? Yorubas talk big, but don’t actually care for their history.. just like the Eredo ramparts which Yorubas don’t even know about, the horse culture will crumble away.
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Brought up in England by a proud Oyo father, I learned to ride as a child and still ride when a I can and play some polo but am ashamed to be reminded every time I visit Nigeria that we Yorubas have no interest in our history. Imagine my heartbreak… Why don’t the Yoruba kings, especially the Alaafin Oyo have a ceremonial cavalry? Why aren’t at least his Eso mounted? My Hausa and Fulani friends are are embarrased for me… the neglect of our heritage is disgraceful but can anyone seriously tell me why a people who once had a cavalry of 100,000 have culturally degenerated to such an extent? Am I one of the last Yoruba horsemen? Oh, I did see a flea-bitten nag on Lekkie beach several years ago. Is that our answer to the Hausa Durbar? Yorubas talk big, but don’t actually care for their history.. just like the Eredo ramparts which Yorubas don’t even know about, the horse culture will crumble away.