For me, it's a good kind of sports. Horse riding measures your strength and endurance. I've seen horse racing in our town but most people sponsored it for betting purposes.
yes, i consider horse riding a sport. you need to be in shape and have strong muscles in order to control the horse, both with your arms and legs. I've been riding for years and if i take a break, i'm always sore when i start back up again from being out of shape.