The document discusses visual rhetoric within the equestrian community. It defines visual rhetoric as the persuasive techniques used in images and defines equestrian as someone who rides horses. The document examines how equestrian advertisements use images to convey meaning and discusses how context and shared experiences within the equestrian community influence the interpretation of these images. Specific equestrian symbols like those used in the Olympics are analyzed, showing how insiders can derive deeper meaning than outsiders. In conclusion, the document argues that images are uniquely interpreted based on culture and community membership and play an important role in how equestrians understand themselves and explain their sport to others.

1. Chapter 5: Visual Rhetoric
SYMBOLS AND VISUALS IN THE EQUESTRIAN WORLD
BY: ELIZABETH “LIZZ” BISHOP

2. Topics Outline
1. Defining visual rhetoric
2. Defining the community of equestrian
3. Bringing visual rhetoric and equestrian together
4. Equestrian image as a language

3. Defining Visual Rhetoric
• Visual Rhetoric
• This is a part in the study of rhetoric. Visual rhetoric explains and shows the
persuasive technique of images.
• “ The visual is a major way in which people develop a sense of self: of whome they are.
But it is also a major point of connection to society, as visual rhetoric appeals to shared
visual experience.” (Brummett, 2015, p. 196)

4. Thinking about Visual Rhetoric in a visual way!

5. What is an Equestrian Community?
• Equestrian is defined as person
whom is performer/ rider on
horseback.
• Many different disciplines:
• Hunter
• Jumper
• Dressage
• Barrel racing
• Western pleasure
• Are examples of different
equestrians and different
communities

6. Advertisement as Images
EQUESTRIAN SPECIFIC

7. Advertisements
“… images are relatively more ambiguous
than language is.” (Brummett, 2015, p. 197)
“For images, like language, have a structure- they
appear in contexts- and they must be interpreted so as
to extract meaning from them.” (Brummett, 2015, p.
196)

8. Advertisements and Understanding there meaning
- This advertisement
can show us a few
things:
- Athletic
- Teamwork
- Competition
- The image in the ad
helps us to interpret
and decide if this is
the product for us
- But my interpretation
of the ad will be
different than
someone whom
doesn’t know that this
is a barrel racer

9. Advertisement's meets Visual Rhetoric
• How people understand the image in the slide before
is from their understanding of language.
• We use our emotions, logic and our trust to interpret
these images.
• My emotions to the image is that the rider is in zone,
heart racing and ready for the action of competition
• My logic comes from the years I have been riding a
seeing other people barrel racing. I take my
educational background of horseback riding and use
it to understand the message of the ad.
• My trust is them put in because I know that the
image is capturing a competitive person in a
competitive setting. So know that I know they are
capturing the theme for what they are trying to sell.

10. Advertisements and Context
- Context is
understood as parts
of an idea, statement
or even an event that
help bring to light
the idea. So that it
may be fully
understood.
- Context helps to
produce meaning
and reduce the
ambiguity that may
be playing a role in
the interpretation
process.

11. Context in Relation to Equestrian
• For the equestrian community
context helps to bring about how
products are being advertised
and can help strengthen them as
riders.
• Advertisements need to show
how products can be used for
riders.
• Example: For me personally, I
participate in hunter/jumper
events. So when a company is
selling me a product I want to
know that it is durable and
dependable. For me, I don’t want
a product that comes in fifteen
colors and will need to be
replaced in two weeks.

12. Images as Memory and
Community Focal Points
VISUAL RHETORIC

13. Meaning behind Images
“An important difference between the
rhetoric of the image and the rhetoric of the
word, though, is that images are relatively
more flexible at allowing differing, even
conflicting attributions of meaning to the
same text.” (Brummett, 2015, p. 199)
Within the equestrian community there are
many images that we see every time we ride
that have very specific meanins for us.

14. Equestrian Symbols
When we look at this
image we know that this
means rider crossing.
This is a symbol that isn’t
only in the equestrian
community but is also a
familiar symbol for
drivers. It gives people
the knowledge that there
may be people riding
ahead so that they need
to slow down and be
cautious. Driving around
horses can cause injury to
you, the rider and the
horse itself.

15. Equestrian Symbols
This symbol is also seen inside and
outside of the equestrian
community. This is a symbol used
within the Olympic games. When
you see this symbol you see that this
is the riding events are coming up.
The first image is for dressage, the
second is cross country and the third
image is for the jumper event.
Through our understanding of the
Olympics we know that the
equestrian portion is split into three
events. So that riders may receive
individual awards and a team award.

16. Equestrian Symbols
Another symbol that can be seen in
equestrian symbol that may not be
present outside of the community is the
hunter symbol.
The hunter symbol is quite different from
the jumper symbol, even though the
disciplines require a lot of similar
motions.
In the hunter symbol the horses knees are
square. The riders back is flat and there
heels are square with their butt. This
symbol is meant to show the perfect
position required of a great hunter
pairing. Showing the precision needed of
both horse and rider.

17. Equestrian Symbols
• As we can see many of the symbols used in these slides are both
universal and community based. Which means that they can have
several different meanings depending on the viewer.
• Someone may just see the symbols are only see a horse. So they may
believe that there is a horse or a horse farm ahead.
• An equestrian may be able to dig deeper. Like myself I know that the
hunter and the jumper symbols try to display the great discipline that
each one requires. Even though I understand that the hours at the barn
and the years of training can’t always be shown within one symbol or
one image. That is background that only you may know about.

18. Conclusion: Bringing all the ideas together!

19. Conclusion
• Images meaning and interpretations are
unique. Images can be seen differently
depending on the community and the culture
that is viewing them.
• Images play an important role in giving viewers
information that isn’t just in a word or
language form.
• As we can see through the equestrian
community images play a huge role in how we
understand ourselves as riders but in how we
explain ourselves to people outside our
community.
“People look at horses
as though you are crazy.
People say they are the
most dangerous
creatures. However,
they need to
understand that they
are the very symbol of
hope, peace, beauty,
grace and strength, they
give us strength to put
up with life in this
world.”
-Anonymous

20. References
• "Horse Quotes and Sayings - Page 2." Horse Quotes and Sayings (490
Quotes). N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2015.
• "Bing." Images. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2015.
• Brummett, Barry. Rhetoric in Popular Culture. 4th ed. Ls Angeles:
SAGE, 2015. Print.