As a former competitive equestrian, I also have to say that equestrian is a difficult sport. The coordination and communication with your horse is incredible and something like cross country is very physically demanding. I can also say that riding competitions in some specialties are very subjective and prone to politics as much if not more than gymnastics. There were classes I didn't win simply because the judge didn't like the color of my horse (no kidding, really).
Olympic equestrian jumping (both stadium and cross country) is based on time and faults and is very cut and dry. Dressage though is a judged sport and open to subjectivity. So, I guess it depends on what part you look at. Three day eventing is the pinacle of all equestrian sports and in that you do all three and it is very difficult to be great at all three, much like being an all around gymanst.
But, I will also say that gymmastics, by far kicks any of those sports butt as far as difficult. My daughter physically works way harder at 8 years old than I ever did riding horses. The fact that he says "how hard can it be to win a gymnastics medal?" shows that this guy has absolutely no idea what he is talking about and should be ignored from now on.
I'd like to see him try to do a ROBHS on the floor, let alone three in a row on a 4 inch beam 4 feet off the ground. Or how about those release moves on bars or or or...... Just ridiculous.
If you search google for hardest sport in the world, gymnastics is always there and always in the top ten.
And now I stomp off in a huff. stomp stomp stomp
