Horse riding

Horse racing is a popular equestrian sport which is practiced in many nations around the world. It is inextricably associated with gambling, where in certain events, stakes can become very high. Despite its illegality in most competitions, these conditions of extreme competitiveness can lead to the use of performing-enhancing drugs and extreme training techniques, which can result in negative side effects for the horses well-being. The races themselves have also proved dangerous to the horses - especially steeplechasing, which requires the horse to jump hurdles whilst galloping at full speed. This can result in injury or death to the horse, aswell as the jockey. A study by animal welfare group Animal Aid revealed that approximately 375 racehorses die yearly, with 30% of these either during or as a result of injuries from a race. The report also highlighted the increasing frequency of race-related illnesses, including bleeding lungs (exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrage) and gastric ulcers.

Animal rights groups are also primarily concerned that certain sports or training exercises may cause unnecessary pain or injuries to horse athletes. Some specific training or showing practices are so widely condemned that they have been made illegal at the national level and violations can incur criminal penalties. The most well-known is soring, a practice of applying a caustic ointment just above the hooves of a Tennessee Walking Horse to make it pick up its feet higher. However, in spite of a federal law in the United States prohibiting this practice and routine inspections of horse shows by inspectors from the United States Department of Agriculture, soring is still widespread and difficult to eliminate. Some events themselves are also considered so abusive that they are banned in many countries. Among these are horse-tripping, a sport where riders chase and rope a loose-running horse by its front legs, throwing it to the ground.

Secondary effects of racing have also recently been uncovered. A 2006 investigation by The Observer in the UK found that each year 6-10,000 horses are slaughtered for consumption abroad, a significant proportion of which are horses bred for racing.A boom in the number of foals bred has meant that there is not adequate resources to care for unwanted horses. Demand has increased for this massive breeding programme to be scaled back. Despite over 1000 foals being produced annually by the industry, 66% of those bred for such a purpose were never entered into a race, and despite a life expectancy of 30 years, many are killed before their fifth birthday.

Mountain Climbing

Mountain Climbing, or mountaineering, the practice of ascending to elevated points or peaks, is historically a quest for the challenges of new routes and peaks. Most often a group sport, mountain climbing requires teamwork and skill. Mountain climbing can be divided into three types with varying degrees of difficulty. Trail climbing or hiking is the least difficult type. More commonly associated with mountaineering are the more difficult practices of rock climbing and ice climbing. Although some rock climbers engage in the more dangerous form of free climbing, most use equipment that may include special shoes, ropes, and steel spikes (pitons) that are driven into the rock to assist the climber. Ice climbing, performed on the highest peaks, uses an ice axe and attachable boot spikes (crampons).
Mountaineering or mountain climbing is the sport, hobby or profession of hiking, skiing, and climbing mountains. While mountaineering began as attempts to reach the highest point of unclimbed mountains, it has branched into specializations that address different aspects of the mountain and consists of three areas: rock-craft, snow-craft and skiing, depending on whether the route chosen is over rock, snow or ice. All require experience, athletic ability, and technical knowledge to maintain safety.The UIAA or Union International Associations d'Alpinisme is the world governing body in mountaineering and climbing, addressing issues like access, medical, mountain protection, safety, youth and ice climbing.
In 1953, Himalayan expedition to climb the world’s highest mountain Mount Everest, in Sierra Madre was successful. New Zealand of Edmund Hillary and Nepal Tenzing Norgay spent 15 units of the summit. When they returned, they were welcomed. In Kathmandu celebrations continue and the local people delighted where Tenzing, a Sherpas from Eastern Nepal have been there for the saint. The Sherpas, an ethnically distinct group in the Khumbu region have played an important role in all the Himalayan expeditions. Their reputation as mountaineers is unsurpassed by the flourishing tourist industry brings international visitors to see the Sherpas homeland in the foot rails around the world’s highest mountain. Nearly 30 thousand tourists visit Nepal every year and this has transformed of the economy of the region. In Nepal most of the people are subsistent farmers but Sherpas who work in the tourism industry can earn much higher incomes. The strength, experience and congenial demeanor make them ideal companions for climbers. The large numbers of tourists that are attracted to the area had been a boom to local economy but with the travelers come other things not all of which leave.

Badminton

The beginnings of Badminton can be traced to mid-18th century British India, where it was created by British military officers stationed there. Early photographs show Englishmen adding a net to the traditional English game of battledore and shuttlecock. Being particularly popular in the British garrison town Poona (now Pune), the game also came to be known as Poona.Initially, balls of wool referred as ball badminton were preferred by the upper classes in windy or wet conditions, but ultimately the shuttlecock stuck. This game was taken by retired officers back to England where it developed and rules were set out.
Badminton is a racquet sport played by either two opposing players (singles) or two opposing pairs (doubles), who take positions on opposite halves of a rectangular court that is divided by a net. Players score points by striking a shuttlecock (also known as a shuttle, bird, or birdy) with their racquet so that it passes over the net and lands in their opponents' half of the court. Each side may only strike the shuttlecock once before it passes over the net. A rally ends once the shuttlecock has struck the floor.

The shuttlecock (or shuttle) is a feathered projectile whose unique aerodynamic properties cause it to fly differently from the balls used in most racquet sports; in particular, the feathers create much higher drag, causing the shuttlecock to decelerate more rapidly than a ball. Shuttlecocks have a much higher top speed, when compared to other racquet sports. Because shuttlecock flight is affected by wind, competitive badminton is played indoors. Badminton is also played outdoors as a casual recreational activity, often as a garden or beach game.

Since 1992, badminton has been an Olympic sport with five events: men's and women's singles, men's and women's doubles, and mixed doubles, in which each pair consists of a man and a woman. At high levels of play, the sport demands excellent fitness: players require aerobic stamina, agility, strength, speed and precision. It is also a technical sport, requiring good motor coordination and the development of sophisticated racquet movements.

Volleyball

Volleyball is an Olympic team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.

The complete rules are extensive. But simply, play proceeds as follows: A player on one of the teams begins a 'rally' by serving the ball (tossing or releasing it and then hitting it with a hand or arm), from behind the back boundary line of the court, over the net, and into the receiving team's court. The receiving team must not let the ball be grounded within their court. They may touch the ball as many as three times. Typically, the first two touches are to set up for an attack, an attempt to direct the ball back over the net in such a way that the serving team is unable to prevent it from being grounded in their court.

The rally continues, with each team allowed as many as three consecutive touches, until either (1): a team makes a kill, grounding the ball on the opponent's court and winning the rally; or (2): a team commits a fault and loses the rally. The team that wins the rally is awarded a point, and serves the ball to start the next rally. A few of the most common faults include:

* causing the ball to touch the ground outside the opponents' court or without first passing over the net;
* catching and throwing the ball;
* double hit: two consecutive contacts with the ball made by the same player;
* four consecutive contacts with the ball made by the same team.
* net foul: touching the net during play.

The ball is usually played with the hands or arms, but players can legally strike or push (short contact) the ball with any part of the body.

A number of consistent techniques have evolved in volleyball, including spiking and blocking (because these plays are made above the top of the net the vertical jump is an athletic skill emphasized in the sport) as well as passing, setting, and specialized player positions and offensive and defensive structures.
Variations and related games :
There are many variations on the basic rules of volleyball. By far the most popular of these is beach volleyball, which is played on sand with two people per team, and rivals the main sport in popularity.

Some games related to volleyball include:

* Foot volley: A sport from Brazil in which the hands and arms are not used but most else is like beach volleyball.
* Hoover ball: Popularized by President Herbert Hoover, it is played with a volleyball net and a medicine ball; it is scored like tennis, but the ball is caught and then thrown back. The weight of the medicine ball can make the sport to be quite physically demanding; annual championship tournaments are held annually in West Branch, Iowa.
* New comb ball (sometimes spelled "Nuke 'Em"): In this game, the ball is caught and thrown instead of hit; it rivaled volleyball in popularity until the 1920s.
* Prisoner Ball: Also played with volleyball court and a volleyball, the object of the game is to get your opponents "out".
* Throwball became popular with women players at the YMCA College of Physical Education in Chennai (India) in the 1940s.
* Buka ball: This is a rather similar game played only with the feet.

About Basketball

Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules. Basketball is one of the most popular and widely viewed sports in the world.

A regulation basketball hoop consists of a rim 18 inches (45.7 cm) in diameter and 10 feet (3.05 m) high mounted to a backboard. A team can score a field goal by shooting the ball through the hoop during regular play. A field goal scores two points for the shooting team if a player is touching or closer to the hoop than the three-point line, and three points (a "3 pointer") if the player is "outside" the three-point line. The team with more points at the end of the game wins, but additional time (overtime) may be issued when the game ends with a tie. The ball can be advanced on the court by bouncing it while walking or running (dribbling) or passing it to a teammate. It is a violation (traveling) to walk with the ball, carry it, or to double dribble (to hold the ball and then resume dribbling).

Various violations are generally called "fouls". Disruptive physical contact (a personal foul) is penalized, and a free throw is usually awarded to an offensive player if he is fouled while shooting the ball. A technical foul may also be issued when certain infractions occur, most commonly for unsportsmanlike conduct on the part of a player or coach. A technical foul gives the opposing team a free throw.

Basketball has evolved many commonly used techniques of shooting, passing, and dribbling, as well as specialized player positions and offensive and defensive structures (player positioning) and techniques. Typically, the tallest members of a team will play "center", "small forward", or "power forward" positions, while shorter players or those who possess the best ball handling skills and speed play "point guard" or "shooting guard".

While competitive basketball is carefully regulated, numerous variations of basketball have developed for casual play. Competitive basketball is primarily an indoor sport played on carefully marked and maintained basketball courts, but less regulated variations are often played outdoors in both inner city and rural areas.

History of football in Nepal

The game of football is a contact sport. The whole field contains 22 players (including offense and defense.) The entry and initial start up of football game in Nepal during rana regime in 1921. The game was introduced in Nepal by the young players who had learn this game from other countries. This game was watched by a huge mass of audience and became very famous at the time.

In 1947, Tribhuvan Challenge shield was introduced by late H.M. King Tribhuvan for the development of this football game which was organized at Tudikhel in front of Haribhavan. In the year 1947, nationwide rebellion for democracy started which led to a break in football game for sometime but after the success of the tournament the interest of public in football was again the same. Thus for establishing football game in an organized way in Nepal, football association was established in the year 1951. The first chairman of the association was General Nar Shumsher J.B.R. This football association used to organize football in a regular way in front of Billiard Hall of Singh Durbar in ground making parafeet. After the construction of Dasharath stadium football matches were played there regularly since 1959.

The year 1982 was even more important for the devlopment of football. In that year 23rd Asian youth football tournament was organized for the first time in Nepal which the teams of Nepal, India, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arab, Oman, Bahrain, Yemen, A.R., Pakistan, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Yemen P.D.R. and syria had participated. Hence, there were altogether 13 different participating countries.

About Tennis

Tennis is a racquet's sport which is either single that is it is played between two players or doubles which means it is being played between two teams of two players each. Each player hits hollow rubber ball with a strung racket. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all ages. The sport can be played by anyone who can hold a rakcet, including people in wheelchairs. Game played with rackets and a light, elastic ball by two players or pairs of players on a rectangular court divided by a low net. Tennis is played indoors and outdoors, on hard-surface, clay, and grass courts. The object is to hit the ball over the net and into the opponent's half of the court in such a way as to defeat the opponent's attempt to reach and return it. Each player serves for an entire game. Points are scored as 15, 30, 40, and game (the term "love" is used for 0). A tied score ("deuce") requires continued play until a two-point margin is achieved. The first player to win six games, with a lead of two games, takes the set. A match consists of the best two out of three (or three out of five) sets. Since the early 1970s, tiebreakers have been employed to eliminate marathon sets. Tennis developed in the 1870s in Britain from earlier racket-and-ball games. The first world lawn-tennis championship was held in 1877 at Wimbledon; clay- and hard-court competitions emerged later.

The Modern game of tennis originated in the United Kingdom in the late 19th century as "lawn tennis" which has close connections to various field/lawn games as well as to the ancient game of real tennis. Tennis is enjoyed by millions of recreational players and is also a hugely popular worldwide spectator sport, especially the four Grand Slam tournaments the Australian open played on hard courts, the French open played on red clay courts, Wimbledon played on grass courts, ant the Us open played also on hard courts.

Tennis is one of the most popular sports played across the globe. since its emergence as a modern sport, tennis has been gaining popularity. A top-class tennis match may last over 2 hours and players require high levels of aerobic fitness. A player's average heart rate reaches 60-70 per cent of its maximum level and a burst of maximum activity occurs each time a player contests a point. A point lasts about 12-15 seconds and there may be more than 500 points contested during a match. So, tennis can be a very demanding sport but it can also be played at many levels of intensity, making it very popular. As long as you can find someone at about the same level to play with, you can play tennis at your own pace.

Football

Football is one of the most popular games all over the world. A game played by two teams of 11 player each on a rectangular, 100-yard long field with goal lines and goal posts at either end, the object being to gain possession of the ball and advance it in running or passing plays across the opponent's goal line or kick it through the air between the opponent's goal posts. There are different types of this sport such as Beach football, Association football and Street football. Football game is also known as soccer. Football needn't be a spectator sport. All you need to enjoy the fun is a few friends and some open space. There are a few different ways to go about organizing your own game. The important thing to remember when playing with friends is that it's about having fun. There is no right or wrong way to determine how scoring, timing, etc. will play out in your game. Simply get together before "kickoff" and agree on some guidelines.

The main objective of the sport is to score more points than the other team. Points are earned by making the ball pass over line that is the 'end zone' of each team. Whoever gains more points at the end of the game will be deemed the winner. Points can be gained in the following four ways :

- By passing the ball to a teammate who has crossed the line (passing play).

- By running over the line with the ball in hand (running play).

- By tackling an opposing team player over his own end line.

- By kicking the ball between the goal posts of the opposing team.

Advantages of playing sports.

Sports serve to relieve stress and reduce depression. Sports help us an excellent physical exercise. Those who play sports have a more positive body image than those who do not playing sports often involves physical activities like running, jumping and stretching and more over a constructive expenditure of energy. Playing sports since early age strengtheners the bones and muscles and tones one's body. Thus sports provide the body with a complete exercise. Playing sports improves the math skills in children. It develops leadership qualities and fosters a team spirit in them. Sports involve competition; they involve winning and teach them to be participative irrespective of whether the participation concludes in a victory or a defeat. The most important benefit of playing sports is the sportsman spirit. playing sports results in the development of a sportive nature, which is helpful throughout one's life.

Playing sports requires the children to plan thoughtfully. They need to device the best ways to score goals. Playing sports serves as an excellent exercise, which has a wide variety of health benefits. It reduces blood sugar level and reduces the risk of blood cholesterol. Depression, anxiety and other psychological disorders are less probable in people who indulge in sport activites. Regular exercise helps increase the overall quality of life. Playing sports acts as a beautiful blend of recreation and physical activity. it is a combination of both enjoyment and exercise. Sports help devlop teamwork and leadership skills. Kids quickly learn that they have to work together as a team to win the game. Sports thus play vital role in one's social well- being.

Cricket

Cricket is a bat and ball team game. A game is contested between two teams of eleven players each. Before play commences, the two team captains toss a coin to decide which team shall bat or bowl first. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsman and thus limit the runs scored by the batting team. A run is scored by the striking batsman hitting the ball with his bat, running to the opposite end of the pitch and touching the crease there without being dismissed. Many variations exist, with it's most popular form played on an oval shaped outdoor area known as a cricket field. At the Center of which is a rectangular 22 yard(20.12m) long pitch that is the focus of the game.

There are also variations in the length of a game of cricket. In professional cricket this ranges from a limit of 20 overs of six bowling deliveries per side. Depending on the form of the match being played, there are different rules that govern how a game is won, lost, drawn or tied. The rules of two- innings games are known as the Laws of Cricket and maintained by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

Cricket was first documented as being played in southern England in the 16th century. By the end of the 18th century, it had developed to the point where it had become the national sport of England. In professional matches, there are 15 people on the field while a match is in play. Two of these are the umpires who regulate all on field activity. two are batsmen, one of whom is the striker as he is facing the bowling; the other is called non striker. The fielding side has all 11 players on the field together. One of them is the bowler, another is the wicketkeeper and the others nine are called fielder. A player who excels in both batting and bowling is known as an all-rounder.

Sports in Nepal

Apart from Nepal's many cricket victories, many other sports are very popular there. Extreme sports such as white water river rafting, mountain climbing, skiing, heli skiing, and trekking are becoming very popular nowadays.

Nepal’s mighty mountains and the glaciers of the Himalayas are the source of Nepal’s fast flowing rivers. These rivers lie in perfect picturesque landscapes and meander through beautiful deep gorges and valleys. These waters offer canoeing and rafting opportunities for both the adventurous and the beginners. There are all different types of tours available ranging from only a few hours to about a week. Nepal has an abundance of water sport shops that hire and sell canoing and river rafting equipment. Here is something for everyone on the trekking trails of Nepal, from the greatest snow covered stretches in the world to discoveries of animals and small mountain towns and villages.

Nepal is well-known for being the world’s best destination for mountaineering and ice climbing, as well as the increasingly popular sport of canyoning. This country is home to 8 of the 10 highest mountain peaks in the world, including Mount Everest. These peaks attract more than 500 expeditions per year with a total of 153 Himalayan peaks available to the climbers.

The peaks and mountains of Nepal become a skier’s paradise in the winter months. Heliskiing is a fairly new sport in Nepal, but is becoming more and more popular everyday. It is said that the skiing area in this country is so big that it will take you a lifetime of skiing before you skied the same run twice. Nepal also has some 5-star world-class skiing resorts with outstanding facilities and luxuries.

A country of central Asia in the Himalaya Mountains between India and southwest China. Site of a flourishing civilization by the 4th century A.D. , the region was later divided into principalities, one of which, Gurkha, became dominant in the 18th century. Gurkha's expansion into northern India led to border wars with Great Britain. A 1923 treaty affirmed Nepal's full sovereignty, and a constitutional monarchy was established in 1951. Kathmandu is the capital and the largest city. The Great Himalayas, including Mount Everest, are in its central and northern parts. As a result of its years of geographic and self-imposed isolation, it is one of the world's least-developed countries.
Nepal is ideal place for individual sporting activities. Nepal is one of the best destination of the world for trekking. many other sports are popular here such as white water rifting, mountain climbing, skiing, Helli skiing and trekking are becoming very popular now days. Nepal is country of Himalayas and it has plenty of snow -melt mountain rivers. Commercial Rafting has become a very popular adventure sports in Nepal. There are many rivers suitable for rafting , out of which river Sunkoshi has been rated as the world's top 10 rafting rivers by Adventure Travel Magazine. Rafting sports is highly dependent on season. Monsoon is the worst time for rafting as conditions are damp, trails are muddy and rivers are often too high. From October when the monsoon ends, the conditions are perfect. The weather is superb, the scenery is green. Spring is best season for rafting as the weather is warmer and the melting snow means fast- flowing water. Nepal is the quickly becoming one of the biggest adventure playground in Asia. many people travel here to discover more about the mysterious Himalaya and the beautiful culture it has to offer but more recently adrenaline junkies have been traveling to this enhancing country to get their next kick.
Although trekking is still the most popular past time for travelers, Nepal has some of the best terrine for mountain biking. there are some incredible tracks and trails to be explored and you won't be stuck in a crowed. canyoning is a quite a new sport of Nepal. Nepalese most popular sports are dandi biyo, kapardi (Dandi biyo and Kapardi is National game), football, cricket, chess, trekking, basketball, swimming etc and much more.