Here in America, many of us love sports, and truly enjoy rooting for our favorite teams. Did you know that our animal companions have many sports of their own? You may have heard of polo, for instance, though you may be interested to learn that in Asia, polo is sometimes played on elephants. We of course firmly denounce animal competitions that promote violence or harm to animals. That said, there are several different types of fun and humane sports for our animal buddies to play. Below, a Mt Airy, GA, veterinarian lists some animal sports you’ve probably never heard of.

Horses

You’ve probably familiar with barrel racing, but have you ever heard of Scurry Driving? In this fast-paced sport, ponies race to pull a carriage around cones without knocking them over. The gymkhana, another relatively unknown equine sport, can include several different equestrian events, such as musical mat games, pole-bending, and egg stomps.

Dogs

Did you know that Disc Dog is the formal name for an official canine Frisbee competition? Then there’s Skijoring, which is when two dogs pull a skier in a long distance race. Not to be outdone, bicyclists have bikejoring, which is similar but with the pooch pulling a bicycle instead of skis.

Rabbits

It probably isn’t hard to guess what Floppy’s favorite sport is: jumping! Bunnies compete to see who can jump the highest and farthest. The current record is held by a cute Swedish bunny that jumped nearly four feet!

Cats

You might think Fluffy would be a natural at gymnastics, and you wouldn’t be far from the truth. Believe it or not, cat agility competitions do exist. Fluffy doesn’t always cooperate, however, and, in typical feline fashion, frequently gets disqualified for refusing to complete obstacles.

Pigs

Have you ever heard of the Pig Olympics? Believe it or not, they exist! Pigs race, swim, and play a version of soccer in this cute game. Don’t worry, these piggies go on to lead pampered lives afterwards.

Snail Racing

We couldn’t close a post about unknown animal sports without including snail racing, which may be the world’s most boring sport, and is without a doubt the slowest-paced. There’s even a world championship!

Do you have any questions about your pet’s health, care, or behavior? Contact us, your local Mt Airy, GA, veterinary clinic, anytime. We are always happy to help!