All Topics  
Equestrianism

 
Equestrianism

   Email Print
   Bookmark   Link






 

Equestrianism



 
 
Equestrianism refers to the skill of riding or driving horse
Horse

The horse is a hoofed mammal, a subspecies of one of seven extant species of the family Equidae. The horse has evolution of the horse over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, odd-toed ungulate animal of today....
s. This broad description includes both use of horses for practical, working
Working animal

A working animal is an animal that is kept by humans and trained to perform tasks. They may be close members of the family, such as guide dogs, or domestications such as logging elephants....
 purposes as well as recreational activities and competitive sports
Animals in sport

Animals in sport are a specific form of working animals. Many animals, at least in more commercial sports, are highly animal training. Two of the most common animals in sport are horses and dogs....
.

es are trained
Horse training

Horse training refers to a wide variety of practices that teach horses to perform certain behaviors when asked to do so by humans. Horses are trained to be manageable by humans for everyday care as well as for equestrianism activities from horse racing to therapeutic horseback riding for people with disabilities....
 and ridden for practical working purposes such as in police work or for controlling herd animals on a ranch
Ranch

A ranch is an area of landscape, including various structures, given primarily to the practice of ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle or sheep for meat or wool....
.






Discussion
Ask a question about 'Equestrianism'
Start a new discussion about 'Equestrianism'
Answer questions from other users
Full Discussion Forum



Encyclopedia


Horse Riding in Coca Cola Arena   Melbourne Show 2005
Equestrianism refers to the skill of riding or driving horse
Horse

The horse is a hoofed mammal, a subspecies of one of seven extant species of the family Equidae. The horse has evolution of the horse over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, odd-toed ungulate animal of today....
s. This broad description includes both use of horses for practical, working
Working animal

A working animal is an animal that is kept by humans and trained to perform tasks. They may be close members of the family, such as guide dogs, or domestications such as logging elephants....
 purposes as well as recreational activities and competitive sports
Animals in sport

Animals in sport are a specific form of working animals. Many animals, at least in more commercial sports, are highly animal training. Two of the most common animals in sport are horses and dogs....
.

Overview of equestrian activities

Horses are trained
Horse training

Horse training refers to a wide variety of practices that teach horses to perform certain behaviors when asked to do so by humans. Horses are trained to be manageable by humans for everyday care as well as for equestrianism activities from horse racing to therapeutic horseback riding for people with disabilities....
 and ridden for practical working purposes such as in police work or for controlling herd animals on a ranch
Ranch

A ranch is an area of landscape, including various structures, given primarily to the practice of ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle or sheep for meat or wool....
. They are also used in competitive sports
Horse

The horse is a hoofed mammal, a subspecies of one of seven extant species of the family Equidae. The horse has evolution of the horse over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, odd-toed ungulate animal of today....
 including, but not limited to, dressage
Dressage

Dressage is a path and destination of competitive horse training, with competitions held at all levels from amateur to the Equestrian at the Summer Olympics....
, endurance riding
Endurance riding

Endurance riding is an equestrianism sport based on controlled long distance races. It is one of the international competitions recognized by the FEI....
, eventing
Eventing

Eventing is an equestrianism event which comprises dressage, cross-country equestrianism and show-jumping. This event has its roots as a comprehensive cavalry test requiring mastery of several types of riding....
, reining
Reining

Reining is a western riding competition for horses where the equestrianism guide the horses through a precise pattern of circles, spins, and stops....
, show jumping
Show jumping

Show jumping, also known as "stadium jumping" or "jumpers," is a member of a family of English riding equestrianism events that also includes dressage, eventing, Show hunter and equitation....
, tent pegging
Tent pegging

Tent pegging is a cavalry sport of ancient origin, and is one of only ten equestrianism disciplines officially recognised by the International Federation for Equestrian Sports....
, vaulting
Equestrian vaulting

Equestrian vaulting is most often described as gymnastics and dance on horseback, and like these disciplines, it is an art and not a competitive sport....
, polo
Polo

Polo is a team sport played on horseback in which the objective is to score Goal s against an opposing team. Riders score by driving a small white plastic or wooden Ball game into the opposing team's goal using a long-handled mallet....
, horse racing
Horse racing

Horse racing is an equestrianism sport that has been practiced over the centuries; the chariot racing of Ancient Rome are an early example, as is the contest of the steeds of the god Odin and the giant Hrungnir in Norse mythology....
, driving
Driving (horse)

Driving, when applied to horses, pony, mules, or donkeys, is a broad term for hitching equidae to a wagon, carriage, cart, sleigh, or other horse-drawn vehicle by means of a horse harness and working them in this form....
, and rodeo
Rodeo

Rodeo is a sport which arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain, Mexico, and later the United States, Canada, South America and Australia....
. (See additional equestrian sports listed later in this article for more examples.) Some popular forms of competition are grouped together at horse show
Horse show

A Horse show is a judged exhibition of horses and pony. Many different list of horse breeds and equestrianism disciplines hold competitions worldwide, from local to the international levels....
s, where horses perform in a wide variety of disciplines. Horses (and other equids such as mule
Mule

In its common modern meaning, a mule is the offspring of a male donkey and a female horse.Mules are classified as an F1 hybrid.The term "mule" was formerly applied to the infertile offspring of any two creatures of different species....
s and donkey
Donkey

The 'donkey' or 'ass', Equus africanus asinus, is a Domestication member of the Equidae or horse family, and an Odd-toed ungulates. The wild ancestor of the donkey is the Wild Ass, E....
s) are used for non-competitive recreational riding such as fox hunting
Fox hunting

Fox hunting is an activity involving the tracking, chase, and sometimes killing of a fox, traditionally a red fox, by trained foxhounds or other scent hounds, and a group of followers led by a master of foxhounds, who follow the hounds on foot or on horseback....
, trail riding
Trail riding

Trail riding is riding outdoors on natural trails and roads as opposed to riding in an enclosed area such as a riding arena. The term may encompass those who travel on horses, on mountain bikes, or on motorcycles and other motorized all-terrain vehicles....
 or hacking. There is public access to horse trails in almost every part of the world; many parks, ranch
Ranch

A ranch is an area of landscape, including various structures, given primarily to the practice of ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle or sheep for meat or wool....
es, and public stable
Stable

File:H?ststall Elfviks g?rd dec 2008.jpgA stable is a building in which livestock, especially horses, are kept. It most commonly means a building that is divided into separate stall s for individual animals....
s offer both guided and independent riding. Horses are also used for therapeutic
Therapeutic horseback riding

Therapeutic horse riding, also known as an Equine Assisted Activity, or " Adaptive Riding" is for individuals with a range of physical, emotional, cognitive, and social disabilities....
 purposes, both in specialized paraequestrian competition as well as non-competitive riding to improve human health and emotional development.

Horses are also driven
Driving (horse)

Driving, when applied to horses, pony, mules, or donkeys, is a broad term for hitching equidae to a wagon, carriage, cart, sleigh, or other horse-drawn vehicle by means of a horse harness and working them in this form....
 in harness racing
Harness racing

Harness racing is a form of horse-racing in which the horses race in a specified gait. They usually pull two-wheeled carts called sulky, although races to saddle are still occasionally conducted, especially in Europe....
, at horse show
Horse show

A Horse show is a judged exhibition of horses and pony. Many different list of horse breeds and equestrianism disciplines hold competitions worldwide, from local to the international levels....
s and in other types of exhibition, historical reenactment
Historical reenactment

Historical reenactment is a type of roleplay in which participants attempt to recreate some aspects of a historical event or period. This may be as narrow as a specific moment from a battle, such as the reenactment of Pickett's Charge at the Great Reunion of 1913, or as broad as an entire period....
 or ceremony, often pulling carriage
Carriage

A carriage is a wheeled vehicle for people, usually horse-drawn. It is especially designed for private passenger use and for comfort or elegance, though some are also used to transport goods....
s. In some parts of the world, they are still used for practical purposes such as farm
Farm

A farm is an area of land, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibers and, increasingly, fuel....
ing.

Horses continue to be used in public service: in traditional ceremonies (parades, funerals), police and volunteer mounted patrols, and for mounted search and rescue
Mounted search and rescue

Mounted search and rescue is a specialty within search and rescue , using horses for transportation and to search for missing persons. SAR responders on horseback are primarily a search resource, but also can provide off-road logistics support and transportation....
.

History of horse use

Though there is controversy over the exact date horses were domesticated
Domestication

Domestication or taming refers to the process whereby a population of living things becomes accustomed to a controlled environment by other plants or animals through a process of Selective breeding....
 and when they were first ridden, the best estimate is that horses first were ridden approximately 4,500 BC. Indirect evidence suggests that horses were ridden long before they were driven. There is some evidence that about 6,000 years ago, near the Dneiper River and the Don River
Don River (Russia)

The Don is one of the major rivers of Russia. It rises in the town of Novomoskovsk, Russia 60 kilometres southeast from Tula, Russia, southeast of Moscow, and flows for a distance of about 1,950 kilometres to the Sea of Azov....
, people were using bits
Bit (horse)

A bit used in equestrianism activities is a piece of metal or similar synthetic material that is placed in the mouth of a horse or other Equus and allows a rider to control the animal....
 on horses, as a stallion that was buried there shows teeth wear consistent with using a bit. However, the most unequivocal early archaeological evidence of equines put to working use was of horses being driven. Chariot
Chariot

The chariot is the earliest and simplest type of carriage, used in both peace and war as the chief vehicle of many ancient peoples. Chariots were built in Mesopotamia by the Mesopotamians as early as 3000 BC and in China during the 2nd millennium BC....
 burials about 2,500 BC present the most direct hard evidence of horses used as working animal
Working animal

A working animal is an animal that is kept by humans and trained to perform tasks. They may be close members of the family, such as guide dogs, or domestications such as logging elephants....
s. In ancient times chariot warfare was followed by the use of war horse
Horses in warfare

The first use of horses in warfare occurred over 5000 years ago. The earliest evidence of horses equestrianism in warfare dates from Eurasia between 4000 and 3000 BC....
s as light and heavy cavalry
Cavalry

The Cavalry is the second oldest of the Combat Arms, and as soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback in combat, it represents the mobility and offensive power of the armed forces....
. The horse played an important role throughout human history all over the world, both in warfare and in peaceful pursuits such as transportation, trade
Trade

Tradeis the willing exchange of goods, Service , or both. Trade is also called commerce. A mechanism that allows trade is called a market. The original form of trade was barter , the direct exchange of goods and services....
 and agriculture
Agriculture

Agriculture refers to the production of food and goods through farming and forestry. Agriculture was the key development that led to the rise of civilization, with the animal husbandry of domestication animals and plants creating food surpluses that enabled the development of more Population density and Social stratification societies....
. Horses lived in North America, but died out at the end of the Ice Age
Ice age

The general term "ice age" or, more precisely, "glacial age" denotes a geological period of long-term reduction in the temperature of the Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in an expansion of continental ice sheets, polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers....
. Horses were brought back to North America by European explorers, beginning with the second voyage of Columbus
Christopher Columbus

Christopher Columbus was a Republic of Genoa navigator, colonialist and explorer whose voyages across the Atlantic Ocean?funded by Queen Isabella of Spain?led to general European awareness of the America in the Western Hemisphere....
 in 1493.

Horse racing

Humans appear to have long expressed a desire to know which horse (or horses) were the fastest, thus horse racing
Horse racing

Horse racing is an equestrianism sport that has been practiced over the centuries; the chariot racing of Ancient Rome are an early example, as is the contest of the steeds of the god Odin and the giant Hrungnir in Norse mythology....
 has ancient roots. Gambling
Gambling

Gambling is the wikt:wager#Verb of money or something of material Value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods....
 on horse races appears to go hand-in hand with racing and has a long history as well. Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred

The Thoroughbred is a list of horse breeds best known for its use in Thoroughbred horse race. Although the word "thoroughbred" is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed....
s have the pre-eminent reputation as a racing breed, but other breeds also race.

Types of horse racing

Under saddle:
  • Thoroughbred horse racing
    Thoroughbred horse race

    Thoroughbred horse racing is a worldwide sport and industry involving the racing of thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies....
     is the most popular form worldwide. In the UK, it is known as flat racing
    Flat racing

    Flat racing is a term commonly used to denote a form of horse racing which is run over a level track at a predetermined distance. It differs from steeplechase racing over hurdles....
     and is governed by the Jockey Club
    Jockey Club

    The Jockey Club is not a club for jockeys. Rather it has traditionally been one of the most exclusive high society social clubs in the United Kingdom, sharing some of the functions of a gentleman's club such as high-level socialising....
     in the United Kingdom. In the USA, horse racing is governed by the Jockey Club of North America.
  • Steeplechasing
    Steeplechase (horse racing)

    The steeplechase is a form of horse racing and derives its name from early races in which orientation of the course was by reference to a Church steeple , jumping fences and ditches and generally traversing the many intervening obstacles in the countryside....
     involves racing on a track where the horses also jump over obstacles. It is most common in the UK, where it is also called National Hunt racing.
  • American Quarter Horse
    American Quarter Horse

    The American Quarter Horse is an American Horse breeds of horse that excels at sprinting short distances. Its name came from its ability to outdistance other breeds of horses in races of a quarter mile or less, where some individuals have been clocked at speeds up to 55 mph....
     racing--races over distances of approximately a quarter-mile. Seen mostly in the United States, sanctioned by the American Quarter Horse Association
    American Quarter Horse Association

    The American Quarter Horse Association , based in Amarillo, Texas, is an international organization dedicated to the preservation, improvement and record-keeping of the American Quarter Horse....
    .
  • Arabian horse
    Arabian horse

    The Arabian horse is a list of horse breeds of horse that originated in the Middle East. With a distinctive head shape and high tail carriage, the Arabian is one of the most easily recognizable horse breeds in the world....
    s, Akhal-Teke
    Akhal-Teke

    The Akhal-Teke, 'Ahalteke' in the Turkmen language, is a list of horse breeds of horse from Turkmenistan, where they are a national emblem. They are noted for their speed and for endurance on long marches....
    , Appaloosa
    Appaloosa

    The Appaloosa is a list of horse breeds known for its preferred leopard complex-spotted coat pattern and other distinctive physical characteristics....
    s, American Paint Horse
    American Paint Horse

    The American Paint Horse is a breed of horse that combines both the conformational characteristics of a western riding stock horse with a pinto horse spotting pattern of white and dark equine coat color....
    s and other light breeds are also raced worldwide.


  • Endurance riding
    Endurance riding

    Endurance riding is an equestrianism sport based on controlled long distance races. It is one of the international competitions recognized by the FEI....
    , a sport in which the Arabian horse
    Arabian horse

    The Arabian horse is a list of horse breeds of horse that originated in the Middle East. With a distinctive head shape and high tail carriage, the Arabian is one of the most easily recognizable horse breeds in the world....
     dominates at the top levels, has become very popular in the United States and in Europe. The Federation Equestre International (FEI) governs international races, and the American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC) organizes the sport in North America. Endurance races take place over a given, measured distance and the horses have an even start. Races begin at and peak at . especially the Tevis Cup
    Tevis Cup

    The Western States Trail Ride, popularly called The Tevis Cup is a 100-mile Endurance riding. The amateur event has been held annually since 1955....
    .
  • Ride and Tie (in North America, organized by Ride and Tie Association). Ride and Tie involves three equal partners: two humans and one horse. The humans alternately run and ride.


In harness:
  • Standardbred horses race in harness with a sulky
    Sulky

    A sulky is a lightweight cart having two wheels and a seat for the driver only but usually without a body, generally pulled by horses or dogs, and is used for Harness racing....
     or racing bike.
  • The United States Trotting Association organizes harness racing
    Harness racing

    Harness racing is a form of horse-racing in which the horses race in a specified gait. They usually pull two-wheeled carts called sulky, although races to saddle are still occasionally conducted, especially in Europe....
     in the United States (the horses may trot or pace).
  • Harness racing is also found throughout Europe, New Zealand and Australia.


Olympic disciplines

Equestrian events were first included in the Olympic Games
Olympic Games

The Olympic Games are an international multi-sport event established for both summer and winter sports. There have been two generations of the Olympic Games; the first were the Ancient Olympic Games held at Olympia, Greece, Greece....
 in 1900. By 1912, all three Olympic disciplines still seen today were part of the games. The following forms of competition are recognized worldwide and are a part of the equestrian events
Equestrian at the Summer Olympics

Equestrianism made its Summer Olympics debut at the Equestrian at the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. It disappeared until 1912, but has appeared at every Summer Olympic Games since....
 at the Olympics:
  • Dressage
    Dressage

    Dressage is a path and destination of competitive horse training, with competitions held at all levels from amateur to the Equestrian at the Summer Olympics....
     ("training" in French
    French language

    French is a Romance language spoken around the world by around 80 million people as first language, by 190 million as second language, and by about another 200 million people as an acquired tongue, with significant speakers in 54 countries....
    ) involves the progressive training of the horse to a high level of impulsion
    Impulsion

    Impulsion is the pushing power of a horse, which comes from his desire to move powerfully forward with energy. However, speed does not create impulsion, and a rushing horse is more likely to be "flat" than impulsive....
    , collection
    Collection (horse)

    Collection is when a horse carries more weight on his hindlegs than his front legs. The horse draws the body in upon itself so that it becomes like a giant Spring whose stored energy can be reclaimed for fighting or running from a predator....
    , and obedience. Competitive dressage has the goal of showing the horse carrying out, on request, the natural movements that it performs without thinking while running loose. One dressage master has defined it as "returning the freedom of the horse while carrying the rider."
  • Show jumping
    Show jumping

    Show jumping, also known as "stadium jumping" or "jumpers," is a member of a family of English riding equestrianism events that also includes dressage, eventing, Show hunter and equitation....
     comprises a timed event judged on the ability of the horse and rider to jump over a series of obstacles, in a given order and with the fewest refusals or knockdowns of portions of the obstacles.
  • Eventing
    Eventing

    Eventing is an equestrianism event which comprises dressage, cross-country equestrianism and show-jumping. This event has its roots as a comprehensive cavalry test requiring mastery of several types of riding....
    , also called combined training, horse trials, the three-day event, the Military, or the complete test, puts together the obedience of dressage with the athletic ability of show jumping, the fitness demands the cross-country jumping
    Cross-country equestrianism

    Cross country equestrianism jumping is an endurance test, and is one of the three phases of the sport of eventing; it may also be a competition in its own right, known as hunter trials or simply "cross-country" - these tend to be lower level, local competitions....
     phase. In the last-named, the horses jump over fixed obstacles, such as logs, stone walls, banks, ditches, and water
    Water (obstacle)

    Water is often used in equestrian events as an obstacle for jumping, most notably in the cross-country equestrianism phase of eventing, as well as in show jumping....
    , trying to finish the course under the "optimum time." There was also the 'Steeple Chase' Phase, which is now excluded from most major competitions to bring them in line with the Olympic standard.
Additional events sanctioned by the FEI
Fei

Fei is a traditional Chinese surname. It is ranked 65th in the Hundred Family Surnames.This surname has three main sources. Two of them are from the state of Lu during the Spring and Autumn period , part of present-day Shandong province....
 as international disciplines include combined driving
Combined driving

Combined driving also known as Horse Driving Trials is an equestrian sport involving driving . The sport has three phases, and is most similar to the mounted equestrian sport of eventing....
, reining
Reining

Reining is a western riding competition for horses where the equestrianism guide the horses through a precise pattern of circles, spins, and stops....
, equestrian vaulting
Equestrian vaulting

Equestrian vaulting is most often described as gymnastics and dance on horseback, and like these disciplines, it is an art and not a competitive sport....
, endurance riding
Endurance riding

Endurance riding is an equestrianism sport based on controlled long distance races. It is one of the international competitions recognized by the FEI....
 and paralympic competition. While these events are recognized internationally and are all part of the FEI World Equestrian Games, none are yet part of the Summer Olympics, though some, such as vaulting and reining, are potentially on track to be added.

Haute École

The haute école (F.
French language

French is a Romance language spoken around the world by around 80 million people as first language, by 190 million as second language, and by about another 200 million people as an acquired tongue, with significant speakers in 54 countries....
 "high school"), an advanced component of Classical dressage
Classical dressage

Classical dressage evolved from cavalry movements and training for the battlefield, and has since developed into the competitive dressage seen today....
, is a highly refined set of skills seldom used in competition but often seen in demonstration performances.

Leading haute ecole demonstration teams include:
  • The Cadre Noir
    Cadre Noir

    The Cadre Noir is an equestrianism display team based in the city of Saumur in western France. The troop was founded in 1828, and gets its name from the black uniforms that are still used today....
     in Saumur
    Saumur

    Saumur is a Communes of France in the Maine-et-Loire Departments of France in western France.The historic town is located between the Loire River and Thouet rivers, which join to the west of the town....
    , France
    France

    France , officially the French Republic , is a country whose Metropolitan France is located in Western Europe and that also comprises various Overseas departments and territories of France....
    .
  • The Spanish Riding School
    Spanish Riding School

    The Spanish Riding School of Vienna, Austria, is a traditional riding school for Lipizzan horses, which perform in the Winter Riding School in the Hofburg....
     in Vienna
    Vienna

    Vienna is the Capital of Republic of Austria and also one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.7 million...
    , Austria
    Austria

    Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It borders both Germany and the Czech Republic to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west....
    .
  • The Escola Portuguesa de Arte Equestre in Queluz, Portugal
    Portugal

    Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic , is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. Located in southwestern Europe, Portugal is the westernmost country of mainland Europe and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and south and by Spain to the north and east....
    .
  • Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art
    Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art

    The Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art is an institution in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain, devoted to conserving the ancestral abilities of the Andalusian horse, maintaining the classical traditions of Baroque horse horsemanship, preparing horses and riders for international dressage competitions, and providing education in all aspect...
     in Jerez de la Frontera
    Jerez de la Frontera

    Jerez de la Frontera is a municipality in the province of C?diz in the autonomous community of Andalusia in southwestern Spain. As of 2007, the city had 202,687 inhabitants; it is the largest city in the province of C?diz and the fifth largest in Andalusia....
    , Spain
    Spain

    Spain or the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in Southern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though Espa?a , Estado espa?ol and Naci?n espa?ola are used interchangeably....
    .


Horse shows


Horse show
Horse show

A Horse show is a judged exhibition of horses and pony. Many different list of horse breeds and equestrianism disciplines hold competitions worldwide, from local to the international levels....
s are held throughout the world with a tremendous variety of possible events, equipment, attire and judging standards used. However, most forms of horse show competition can be broken into the following broad categories:
  • Equitation
    Equitation

    Equitation refers to a rider's position while mounted, and encompasses a rider's ability to ride correctly and with effective aids. In competitions, this is judged in equitation classes, or rider classes at horse shows that mainly judge the rider's performance and control of the horse, as opposed to the performance of the horse....
    , sometimes called seat and hands or horsemanship, refers to events where the rider is judged on form, style and ability.
  • Pleasure, flat, or under saddle classes feature horses who are ridden on the flat (not jumped) and judged on manners, performance, movement, style and quality.
  • Halter, in-hand breeding, or conformation classes, where the horse is led by a handler on the ground and judged on conformation and suitability as a breeding animal.
  • Harness classes, where the horse is driven
    Driving (horse)

    Driving, when applied to horses, pony, mules, or donkeys, is a broad term for hitching equidae to a wagon, carriage, cart, sleigh, or other horse-drawn vehicle by means of a horse harness and working them in this form....
     rather than ridden, but still judged on manners, performance and quality.
  • Jumping or Over Fences refers broadly to both show jumping
    Show jumping

    Show jumping, also known as "stadium jumping" or "jumpers," is a member of a family of English riding equestrianism events that also includes dressage, eventing, Show hunter and equitation....
     and show hunter
    Show hunter

    The show hunter is a type of show horse that is judged on its movement, manners, and way of going, particularly while jumping fences. The horses are shown in hunt seat style tack, and are often of Warmblood or Thoroughbred type....
    , where horses and riders must jump obstacles.


"English" riding

In addition to the classical Olympic events, the following forms of competition are seen. In the United States and Canada they are referred to as "English riding
English riding

English riding is a term used to describe a form of equestrianism that is seen throughout the world. There are many variations in English riding, but all feature a flat English saddle without the deep seat, high cantle or saddle horn seen on a Western saddle nor the knee pads seen on an Australian Stock Saddle....
", to contrast them with western-style riding :
  • Hunt seat
    Hunt seat

    Hunt seat is terminology used in the United States and Canada to refer to a style of Jumping position equestrianism commonly found at American horse shows....
     or Hunter
    Show hunter

    The show hunter is a type of show horse that is judged on its movement, manners, and way of going, particularly while jumping fences. The horses are shown in hunt seat style tack, and are often of Warmblood or Thoroughbred type....
     classes judge the movement and the form of horses suitable for work over fences. A typical show hunter
    Show hunter

    The show hunter is a type of show horse that is judged on its movement, manners, and way of going, particularly while jumping fences. The horses are shown in hunt seat style tack, and are often of Warmblood or Thoroughbred type....
     division would include classes over fences as well as "Hunter under Saddle" or "flat" classes (sometimes called "hack" classes), in which the horse is judged on its performance, manners and movement without having to jump. Hunters have a long, flat-kneed trot, sometimes called "daisy cutter" movement, a phrase suggesting a good hunter could slice daisies in a field when it reaches its stride out. The over fences classes in show hunter
    Show hunter

    The show hunter is a type of show horse that is judged on its movement, manners, and way of going, particularly while jumping fences. The horses are shown in hunt seat style tack, and are often of Warmblood or Thoroughbred type....
     competition are judged on the form of the horse, its manners and the smoothness of the course. A horse with good jumping form snaps its knees up and jumps with a good bascule
    Bascule

    Bascule may refer to:* A Bascule bridge.* Bascule , or roundness over a jump, of a horse.* A character from the Iain M Banks novel Feersum Endjinn...
    . It should also be able to canter or gallop with control while having a stride long enough to make a proper number of strides over a given distance between fences.
  • Eventing
    Eventing

    Eventing is an equestrianism event which comprises dressage, cross-country equestrianism and show-jumping. This event has its roots as a comprehensive cavalry test requiring mastery of several types of riding....
    , show jumping
    Show jumping

    Show jumping, also known as "stadium jumping" or "jumpers," is a member of a family of English riding equestrianism events that also includes dressage, eventing, Show hunter and equitation....
    , and dressage
    Dressage

    Dressage is a path and destination of competitive horse training, with competitions held at all levels from amateur to the Equestrian at the Summer Olympics....
    , described under "Olympic disciplines," above are all "English" riding disciplines that in North America sometimes are loosely classified within the "hunt seat" category.
  • Saddle seat
    Saddle seat

    Saddle seat is a style of equestrianism within the category of English riding that is designed to show off the high trotting action of certain list of horse breeds....
    , is a primarily American discipline, though has recently become somewhat popular in South Africa
    South Africa

    The Republic of South Africa, also known by Official names of South Africa, is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa....
    , was created to show to best advantage the animated movement of high-stepping and gaited breeds such as the American Saddlebred
    American Saddlebred

    The American Saddlebred, formerly known as the American Saddle Horse, is a breed of horse that was developed in Kentucky by plantation owners. Today, in the horse show world, they are most commonly seen under saddle in Saddle seat style riding, and in various types of driving , including pleasure driving and various types of fine harness comp...
     and the Tennessee Walker. Some Arabians
    Arabian horse

    The Arabian horse is a list of horse breeds of horse that originated in the Middle East. With a distinctive head shape and high tail carriage, the Arabian is one of the most easily recognizable horse breeds in the world....
     and Morgans
    Morgan horse

    The Morgan is one of the earliest horse breeds developed in the United States. Tracing back to the stallion Figure , later named Justin Morgan after his best-known owner, the breed excels in many disciplines, and is known for its versatility....
     are also shown saddle seat in the United States. There are usually three basic divisions. Park divisions are for the horses with the highest action. Pleasure divisions still emphasis animated action, but to a lesser degree, with manners ranking over animation. Plantation or Country divisions have the least amount of animation (in some breeds, the horses are flat-shod) and the greatest emphasis on manners.
  • Show hack
    Show hack

    The show hack is a type of ridden show horse, exhibited to a standard first established in England.Affiliated showing and breeding of the show hacks in the United Kingdom is overseen by the British Show Horse Association....
     is a competition seen primarily in the United Kingdom
    United Kingdom

    The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
    , Australia
    Australia

    Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the southern hemisphere comprising the Australia of the world's smallest continent, the major island of Tasmania, and numerous list of islands of Australia in the Indian Ocean and Pacific Oceans....
    , and other nations influenced by British traditions, featuring horses of elegant appearance, with excellent way of going and self-carriage. A related event is Riding Horse
    Riding Horse

    The Riding Horse is a type of show horse in the UK. Riding horses can be any breed, but are generally warmbloods or Thoroughbred crosses.The breeding and showing of riding horses is overseen by the British Show Horse Association....
    .


"Western" riding

Western riding
Western riding

Western riding is a style of Equestrianism which evolved from the ranching and warfare traditions brought to the Americas by the Spain Conquistadors, and both equipment and riding style evolved to meet the working needs of the cowboy in the American West....
 evolved from the cattle-working and warfare traditions brought to the Americas by the Spanish
Spain

Spain or the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in Southern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though Espa?a , Estado espa?ol and Naci?n espa?ola are used interchangeably....
 Conquistadors, and both equipment and riding style evolved to meet the working needs of the cowboy
Cowboy

A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks....
 on ranch
Ranch

A ranch is an area of landscape, including various structures, given primarily to the practice of ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle or sheep for meat or wool....
es in the American West.

Though the differences between English and Western riding appear dramatic, there are more similarities than most people think. Both styles require riders to have a solid seat, with the hips and shoulders balanced over the feet, with hands independent of the seat so as to avoid disturbing the balance of the horse and interfering with its performance.

The most noticeable feature of western style riding is in the saddle, which has a substantial tree that provides greater support to horse and rider when working long hours in the saddle. The western saddle features a prominent pommel topped by a horn (a knob used for dallying a lariat
Lariat

Lariat can refer to:*a Lasso*Professional wrestling attacks#Lariat*A genetic structure in Splicing *A semi-luxury trim package for the Ford F-series....
 after roping an animal), a deep seat and a high cantle. The stirrups are wider and the saddle has rings and ties that allow objects to be attached to the saddle.

Western horses are asked to perform with a loose rein, controlled by one hand. The standard western bridle lacks a noseband
Noseband

A noseband is the part of a horse's bridle that encircles the nose and jaw of the horse. In English riding, where the noseband is separately attached to its own headstall , it is often called a Cavesson....
 and usually consists of a single set of reins attached to a curb bit
Curb bit

A curb bit is a type of bit used for equestrianism horses that uses lever action. It includes the pelham bit and the double bridle along with the traditional "curb bit" used mainly by western riding....
 that has somewhat longer and looser shanks than the curb of an English Weymouth
Double bridle

A double bridle, also called a full bridle or Weymouth bridle, is a bridle that has two bit and four reins . One bit is the bradoon , is a modified snaffle bit that is smaller in diameter and has smaller bit rings than a traditional snaffle, and it is adjusted so that it sits above and behind the other bit, a curb bit....
 bridle or a pelham bit
Pelham bit

A pelham bit is a type of Bit used when riding a horse. It has elements of both a curb bit and a snaffle bit. In this respect a pelham bit functions similar to a double bridle, and like a double bridle it normally has "double" reins: a set of curb reins and a set of snaffle reins....
. Two styles of Western rein
Rein

Reins are items of horse tack, used to direct a horse or other animal used for riding animal or driving. Reins can be made of leather, nylon, metal, or other materials, and attach to a bridle via either its bit or its noseband....
s developed: The long split reins of the Texas tradition, which are completely separated, or the closed-end "Romal
Romal

A Romal , is a type of long quirt attached to the end of a set of closed reins that are connected to the bridle of a horse. It is not to be used to strike a horse, but rather was a tool used to assist in moving cattle....
" reins of the California tradition, which have a long single attachment on the ends that can be used as a quirt
Quirt

A quirt is a forked type of Whip which usually has two falls at the end . Sometimes called a riding quirt, horse quirt, or a dog quirt....
. Modern rodeo
Rodeo

Rodeo is a sport which arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain, Mexico, and later the United States, Canada, South America and Australia....
 competitors in timed events sometimes use a closed rein without a romal.

Western riders wear a long-sleeved shirt, denim jeans, boots, and a wide-brimmed cowboy hat
Cowboy hat

The cowboy hat is a high-crowned, wide-brimmed hat best known as the defining piece of attire for the American cowboy. Today it is worn by many people, and is particularly associated with ranch workers in the western and southern United States, western Canada and northern Mexico, with country music, and for participants in the North Ameri...
. Cowboy boot
Cowboy boot

Cowboy boots refer to a specific style of riding boot, historically worn by cowboys. They have a high heel, rounded to pointed toe, high shaft, and, traditionally, no lacing....
s, which have pointed toes and higher heels than a traditional riding boot, are designed to prevent the rider's foot from slipping through the stirrup during a fall, preventing the rider from being dragged--most western saddles have no safety bars for the leathers or automatic stirrup release mechanism. A rider may wear protective leather leggings called chaps
Chaps

Chaps are sturdy coverings for the legs consisting of leggings and a belt. They are buckled on over trousers with the chaps' integrated belt, but unlike trousers they have no seat and are not joined at the crotch....
. Clean, well-fitting work clothing is the usual outfit seen in rodeo
Rodeo

Rodeo is a sport which arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain, Mexico, and later the United States, Canada, South America and Australia....
, cutting
Cutting (sport)

Cutting is an equestrianism event in the western riding style where a horse and rider are judged on their ability to separate a calf away from a cattle herd and keep it away for a short period of time....
 and reining
Reining

Reining is a western riding competition for horses where the equestrianism guide the horses through a precise pattern of circles, spins, and stops....
 competitions, especially for men, though sometimes both men and women wear brighter colors or finer fabrics for competition than for work.

Show events such as Western pleasure
Western Pleasure

Western Pleasure is a western riding competition at horse shows that evaluates horses on manners and suitability of the horse for a relaxed but collected horse gait cadence and relatively slow speed of gait, along with calm and responsive disposition....
 use much flashier equipment, unlike the English traditions where clothing and tack is quiet and unobtrusive. Saddles, bits and bridles are ornamented with substantial amounts of silver. The rider may add a jacket or vest, and women's clothing in particular features vivid colors and even, depending on current fads, rhinestones or sequins.

Western horses are asked to have a brisk, ground-covering walk, but a slow, relaxed jog trot
Trot

Trot may mean:*Trot , a genre of Korean pop music*Trot *A trotline*A literal translation of a foreign text*A mildly negative epithet for Trotskyist...
 that allows the rider to sit the saddle and not post. The Western version of the canter
Canter

The canter is a controlled, three-beat horse gait performed by a horse. It is a natural gait possessed by all horses, faster than most horses' trot but slower than the Horse gait#Gallop, and is used by all riders....
 is called a lope and while collected and balanced, is expected to be slow and relaxed. Working western horses seldom use a sustained hand gallop, but must be able to accelerate quickly to high speed when chasing cattle or competing in rodeo
Rodeo

Rodeo is a sport which arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain, Mexico, and later the United States, Canada, South America and Australia....
 speed events, must be able to stop quickly from a dead run and "turn on a dime."

Rodeo


Rodeo events include the following forms of competition:

Timed events

  • Barrel racing
    Barrel racing

    Barrel racing is a rodeo event in which a horse and rider attempt to complete a pattern around preset barrels in the fastest time. Though both sexes compete at the youth level and in some amateur venues, in collegiate and professional ranks, it is primarily a rodeo event for women....
     and pole bending
    Pole bending

    Pole bending is timed event that features a horse and one mounted rider, running a weaving or serpentine path around six poles arranged in a line....
     - the timed speed and agility events seen in rodeo
    Rodeo

    Rodeo is a sport which arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain, Mexico, and later the United States, Canada, South America and Australia....
     as well as gymkhana
    Gymkhana (equestrian)

    Gymkhana is a term used in the United Kingdom, east coast of the United States, and other English-speaking nations to describe an equestrianism event consisting of timed games for riders on horses....
     or O-Mok-See
    Gymkhana (equestrian)

    Gymkhana is a term used in the United Kingdom, east coast of the United States, and other English-speaking nations to describe an equestrianism event consisting of timed games for riders on horses....
     competition. Both men and women compete in speed events at gymkhanas or O-Mok-Sees; however, at most professional, sanctioned rodeos, barrel racing is an exclusively women's sport. In a barrel race, horse and rider gallop around a cloverleaf pattern of barrels, making agile turns without knocking the barrels over. In pole bending, horse and rider run the length of a line of six upright poles, turn sharply and weave through the poles, turn again and weave back, then return to the start.
  • Steer wrestling
    Steer wrestling

    Steer wrestling, also known as bulldogging, is a rodeo event in which a horse-mounted equestrianism chases a steer, drops from the horse to the steer, then wrestles the steer to the ground by twisting its horns....
     - Also known as "Bulldogging," this is a rodeo event where the rider jumps off his horse onto a steer and 'wrestles' it to the ground by grabbing it by the horns. This is probably the single most physically dangerous event in rodeo for the cowboy, who runs a high risk of jumping off a running horse head first and missing the steer, or of having the thrown steer land on top of him, sometimes horns first.
  • Goat tying - usually an event for women or pre-teen girls and boys, a goat is staked out while a mounted rider runs to the goat, dismounts, grabs the goat, throws it to the ground and ties it in the same manner as a calf. This event was designed to teach smaller or younger riders the basics of calf roping without the more complex need to also lasso the animal.


Roping

Roping includes a number of timed events that are based on the real-life tasks of a working cowboy, who often had to capture calves and adult cattle
Cattle

Cattle, colloquially referred to as cows, are domestication ungulates, a member of the subfamily Bovinae of the family Bovidae. They are raised as livestock for meat , dairy products , leather and as draft animals ....
 for branding
Livestock branding

Livestock branding is any technique for marking livestock so as to identify the owner. Originally, livestock branding only referred to a hot brand for large stock, though the term is now also used to refer to other alternative techniques such as freeze branding....
, medical treatment and other purposes. A lasso or lariat
Lariat

Lariat can refer to:*a Lasso*Professional wrestling attacks#Lariat*A genetic structure in Splicing *A semi-luxury trim package for the Ford F-series....
 is thrown over the head of a calf
Calf

File:New Forest calf.jpgA calf is the young of various species of mammal. The term is most commonly used to refer to the young of cattle. The young of bison, camels, dolphins, elephants, giraffes, hippopotamuses, moose, rhinoceroses, whales, seals and yaks are also called calves....
 or the horns of adult cattle, and the animal is secured in a fashion dictated by its size and age.
  • Calf roping
    Calf roping

    Calf roping, also known as tie-down roping, is a rodeo Rodeo#Events that features a calf and a equestrianism mounted on a horse. The goal of this timed event is for the rider to catch the calf by throwing a loop of rope from a lariat around its neck, dismount from the horse, run to the calf, and restrain it by tying three legs togeth...
    , also called "tie-down roping," is an event where a calf is roped around the neck by a lariat
    Lariat

    Lariat can refer to:*a Lasso*Professional wrestling attacks#Lariat*A genetic structure in Splicing *A semi-luxury trim package for the Ford F-series....
    , the horse stops and sets back on the rope while the cowboy dismounts, runs to the calf, throws it to the ground and ties three feet together. (If the horse throws the calf, the cowboy must lose time waiting for the calf to get back to its feet so that the cowboy can do the work. The job of the horse is to hold the calf steady on the rope) This activity is still practiced on modern working ranches for brand
    Brand

    A brand is a collection of symbols, experiences and associations connected with a product, a service, a person or any other artifact or entity....
    ing, medical treatment, and so on.
  • Team roping
    Team roping

    Team roping also known as heading and heeling is a rodeo event that features a steer and two mounted cowboys or cowgirls. The first roper is referred to as the "header," the person who ropes the front of the steer, usually around the horns; the second is the "heeler," who ropes the steer by its hind feet....
    , also called "heading and heeling," is the only rodeo event where men and women riders may compete together. Two people capture and restrain a full-grown steer. One horse and rider, the "header," lassos a running steer's horns, while the other horse and rider, the "heeler," lassos the steer's two hind legs. Once the animal is captured, the riders face each other and lightly pull the steer between them, so that it loses its balance, thus in the real world allowing restraint for treatment.
  • Breakaway roping
    Breakaway roping

    Breakaway roping is a rodeo event that features a calf and one mounted cowgirl/cowboy. The calves are moved through narrow pathways leading to a chute with spring -loaded doors....
     - an easier form of calf roping where a very short lariat is used, tied lightly to the saddle horn with string and a flag. When the calf is roped, the horse stops, allowing the calf to run on, flagging the end of time when the string and flag breaks from the saddle. In the United States, this event is primarily for women of all ages and boys under 12, while in some nations where traditional calf roping is frowned upon, riders of both genders compete.


"Rough Stock" competition

In spite of popular myth, most modern "broncs" are not in fact wild horses, but are more commonly spoiled riding horses or horses bred specifically as bucking stock.
  • Bronc riding - there are two divisions in rodeo, bareback bronc riding, where the rider is only allowed to hang onto a bucking horse with a surcingle
    Surcingle

    A surcingle is a strap made of leather or leather-like synthetic materials such as nylon or neoprene, sometimes with elastic, that fastens around a horse's girth area....
    , and saddle bronc riding, where the rider is allowed a specialized western saddle without a horn (for safety) and may hand onto a heavy lead rope attached to a halter on the horse.
  • Bull Riding - though technically not an equestrian event, as the cowboys ride full-grown bulls instead of horses, skills similar to bareback bronc riding are required.


Harness

Welsh A Buggy
Horses, mule
Mule

In its common modern meaning, a mule is the offspring of a male donkey and a female horse.Mules are classified as an F1 hybrid.The term "mule" was formerly applied to the infertile offspring of any two creatures of different species....
s and donkey
Donkey

The 'donkey' or 'ass', Equus africanus asinus, is a Domestication member of the Equidae or horse family, and an Odd-toed ungulates. The wild ancestor of the donkey is the Wild Ass, E....
s are driven in harness
Harness

A harness is a looped restraint or support.Harness may also refer to:*Harness , a character in the Marvel Comics universe*Child harness...
 in many different ways. For working purposes, they can pull a plow or other farm
Farm

A farm is an area of land, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibers and, increasingly, fuel....
 equipment designed to be pulled by animals. In many parts of the world they still pull wagon
Wagon

A wagon or dray is a heavy four-wheeled vehicle. Wagons were formerly pulled by animals such as horse, mule or ox. Today farm wagons are pulled by tractors and trucks....
s for basic hauling and transportation. They may draw carriage
Carriage

A carriage is a wheeled vehicle for people, usually horse-drawn. It is especially designed for private passenger use and for comfort or elegance, though some are also used to transport goods....
s at ceremonies, in parades or for tourist rides.

As noted in "horse racing" above, horses can race in harness, pulling a very lightweight cart known as a sulky
Sulky

A sulky is a lightweight cart having two wheels and a seat for the driver only but usually without a body, generally pulled by horses or dogs, and is used for Harness racing....
. At the other end of the spectrum, some draft horse
Draft horse

A draft horse , draught horse or dray horse is a large horse bred for hard, heavy tasks such as ploughing and farm labour. There are a number of different list of horse breeds, with varying characteristics but all share common traits of strength, patience and a docile temperament which made them indispensable to generations of...
s compete in horse pulling
Horse pulling

Horse pulling is a draft horse competition where horses in harness, usually one or two animals, pull a stone-boat or weighted sled and the winner is the team or animal that can pull the most weight for a short distance....
 competitions, where single or teams of horses and their drivers vie to determine who can pull the most weight for a short distance.

In horse show
Horse show

A Horse show is a judged exhibition of horses and pony. Many different list of horse breeds and equestrianism disciplines hold competitions worldwide, from local to the international levels....
 competition, the following general categories of competition are seen:

  • Combined driving
    Combined driving

    Combined driving also known as Horse Driving Trials is an equestrian sport involving driving . The sport has three phases, and is most similar to the mounted equestrian sport of eventing....
    , an internationally-recognized competition where horses perform an arena-based "dressage" class where precision and control are emphasized, a cross-country "marathon" section that emphasizes fitness and endurance, and a "stadium" or "cones" obstacle course.
  • Draft horse showing
    Draft horse showing

    Draft horse showing refers to horse shows exclusively for horses of the draft horse breeds. In North America, though a small number of draft horses are also shown under saddle, the term "Draft horse showing" refers to a specific horse show competition that primarily features Driving exhibitors present their horses to be judged in horse harn...
    : Most draft horse
    Draft horse

    A draft horse , draught horse or dray horse is a large horse bred for hard, heavy tasks such as ploughing and farm labour. There are a number of different list of horse breeds, with varying characteristics but all share common traits of strength, patience and a docile temperament which made them indispensable to generations of...
     performance competition is done in harness.
  • Pleasure driving
    Pleasure driving

    Pleasure driving is a horse show class seen in the United States that features light breeds of horses and pony hitched to a two or four-wheeled show cart....
    : Horses and ponies are usually hitched to a light cart shown at a walk and two speeds of trot, with an emphasis on manners.
  • Fine harness
    Fine harness

    Fine harness is a type of driving competition seen at horse shows, that feature light, refined horses with high action. Popular list of horse breeds in this event include the American Saddlebred, Morgan horse, Arabian horse, Dutch Harness Horse, and Hackney ....
    : Also called "Formal driving," Horses are hitched to a light four-wheeled cart and shown in a manner that emphasizes flashy action and dramatic performance.
  • Roadster
    Roadster (horse)

    Roadster is a type of driving competition for horses and pony where the horse and exhibitor appear in equipment similar to that used in harness racing....
    : A horse show competition where exhibitors wear racing silks and ride in a sulky in a style akin to harness racing
    Harness racing

    Harness racing is a form of horse-racing in which the horses race in a specified gait. They usually pull two-wheeled carts called sulky, although races to saddle are still occasionally conducted, especially in Europe....
    , only without actually racing, but rather focusing on manners and performance.
  • Carriage
    Carriage

    A carriage is a wheeled vehicle for people, usually horse-drawn. It is especially designed for private passenger use and for comfort or elegance, though some are also used to transport goods....
     driving, using somewhat larger two or four wheeled carriages, often restored antiques, judged on the turnout/neatness or suitability of horse and carriage.


Other equestrian activities

There are many other forms of equestrian activity and sports seen worldwide. There are both competitive events and pleasure riding disciplines available.

Arena sports

  • Arena polo
    Polo

    Polo is a team sport played on horseback in which the objective is to score Goal s against an opposing team. Riders score by driving a small white plastic or wooden Ball game into the opposing team's goal using a long-handled mallet....
     and Cowboy polo
  • Pato (Argentina's national sport)
  • Charreada
    Charreada

    The charreada is a style of rodeo developed by people in Mexico interested in keeping the traditions of the charro alive.Following the breakup of the haciendas by the Mexican Revolution, the charros saw their traditions slipping away....
    , the highest form of Mexican horsemanship based on a mixture of Spanish and Native traditions.
  • Equestrian vaulting
    Equestrian vaulting

    Equestrian vaulting is most often described as gymnastics and dance on horseback, and like these disciplines, it is an art and not a competitive sport....
    : In vaulting, a surcingle
    Surcingle

    A surcingle is a strap made of leather or leather-like synthetic materials such as nylon or neoprene, sometimes with elastic, that fastens around a horse's girth area....
     with two hoops at the top is attached around a horse's barrel
    Horse anatomy

    Equine anatomy refers to the gross anatomy and microscopic anatomy anatomy of horses and other equidae. While all anatomical features of equids are described in the same terms as for other animals by the International Committee on Veterinary Gross Anatomical Nomenclature in the book Nomina Anatomica Veterinaria, there are many horse-specific...
    . The horse also wears a bridle
    Bridle

    A bridle is a piece of equipment used to direct a horse. As defined in the Oxford English Dictionary, the "bridle" includes both the headstall that holds a Bit that goes in the mouth of a horse, and the reins that are attached to the bit....
     with side reins
    Side reins

    Side reins are equipment used when longeing a horse, running from the bit of the bridle to the saddle or surcingle. As a horse training tool, they encourage flexion and softness in the horse's mouth....
    . The vaulter is longed
    Longeing

    Longeing or lungeing is a technique for horse training, where a horse is asked to work at the end of a long line and respond to commands from a handler on the ground who holds the line....
     on the horse, and performs gymnastic
    Gymnastics

    Gymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility and coordination. Artistic Gymnastics is the best known and most popular of the gymnastics sports governed by the F?d?ration Internationale de Gymnastique ....
     movements while the horse walks, trots, and canters.
  • Gymkhana
    Gymkhana (equestrian)

    Gymkhana is a term used in the United Kingdom, east coast of the United States, and other English-speaking nations to describe an equestrianism event consisting of timed games for riders on horses....
    , also known as O-Mok-See in the western United States.
  • Reining
    Reining

    Reining is a western riding competition for horses where the equestrianism guide the horses through a precise pattern of circles, spins, and stops....


Horse sports that use cattle

  • Bullfighting
    Bullfighting

    Bullfighting or tauromachy , is a traditional spectacle of Spain, Portugal, some cities in southern France, and several Latin American countries, in which one or more live bulls are ritually killed as a public spectacle....
     (rejoneo
    Rejoneador

    Rejoneador is the name given to a bullfighter who fights the bull on horseback. Along with the picador, a rejoneador is the second type of mounted bullfighter in Spain bullfighting....
    )
  • Campdrafting
    Campdrafting

    Campdrafting is a unique and very popular Australian sport involving a horse and rider working cattle. The riding style is like that of Western riding and the event is somewhat related to the American events such as cutting , working cow horse, and team penning....
    , a type of cattle-working competition popular in Australia
    Australia

    Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the southern hemisphere comprising the Australia of the world's smallest continent, the major island of Tasmania, and numerous list of islands of Australia in the Indian Ocean and Pacific Oceans....
  • Chilean rodeo
    Chilean rodeo

    Rodeo is the second most popular sport in Chile. It was declared the national sport in 1962. It has since thrived, especially in the more rural areas of the country....
  • Cutting
    Cutting (sport)

    Cutting is an equestrianism event in the western riding style where a horse and rider are judged on their ability to separate a calf away from a cattle herd and keep it away for a short period of time....
  • Team penning
    Team penning

    Team penning is a western equestrianism sport that evolved from the common ranch work of separating cattle into pens for branding, doctoring, or transport....


Defined area sports

  • Buzkashi
    Buzkashi

    Buzkashi, Kok-boru or Oglak Tartis is a traditional Central Asian team sport played on horseback. The steppes' people were skilled riders who could grab a goat or calf from the ground while riding a horse at full gallop....
    , a sport originating on the steppes of central Asia
    Asia

    Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent. It covers 8.6% of the Earth's total surface area and, with over 4 billion people, it contains more than 60% of the world's current human population....
    , now the national sport of Afghanistan
    Afghanistan

    Afghanistan , officially the Islamic republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country that is located approximately in the center of Asia....
     and Kyrgyzstan
    Kyrgyzstan

    Kyrgyzstan , officially the Kyrgyz Republic, is a country in Central Asia. Landlocked and mountainous, it is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the southwest and People's Republic of China to the east....
    .
  • Horseball
    Horseball

    Horseball is a game played on horseback where a ball is handled and points are scored by shooting it through a high net . The sport is like a combination of polo, rugby football, and basketball....
  • Jousting
    Jousting

    Jousting is a sport played by two armored combatants mounted on horses. It consists of wiktionary:martial competition between two mounted knights using a variety of weapons, usually in sets of three per weapon , often as part of a Tournament ....
     and Skill at Arms, events involving use of lances, swords and completion of obstacles. There are stand-alone competitions and also are often seen at historical reenactment
    Historical reenactment

    Historical reenactment is a type of roleplay in which participants attempt to recreate some aspects of a historical event or period. This may be as narrow as a specific moment from a battle, such as the reenactment of Pickett's Charge at the Great Reunion of 1913, or as broad as an entire period....
    s, Renaissance Fair
    Renaissance Fair

    A Renaissance fair, Renaissance faire, or Renaissance festival is an outdoor weekend gathering, usually held in the United States, open to the public and generally commercial in nature, which emulates a historic period for the amusement of its guests....
    s and Society for Creative Anachronism
    Society for Creative Anachronism

    The Society for Creative Anachronism , is a historical reenactment and living history group founded in 1966, which endeavors to promote the study and recreation of mainly pre-17th century Western European cultures and their histories....
     events.
  • Mounted Games
    Mounted Games

    Mounted games is a branch of equestrianism sport in which very fast games are performed by people of all ages on ponies up to a height of 15 hands....
    , a sport where games are played in a relay-style with two to five members per team at very high speed
  • Polo
    Polo

    Polo is a team sport played on horseback in which the objective is to score Goal s against an opposing team. Riders score by driving a small white plastic or wooden Ball game into the opposing team's goal using a long-handled mallet....
    , a team game played on horses, involves riders using a long-handled mallet
    Mallet

    A Mallet is a type of hammer with a head made of softer materials than the steel normally used in hammerheads, so as to avoid damaging a delicate surface....
     to drive a ball on the ground into the opposing team's goal
    Goal (sport)

    Goal refers to a method of scoring in many sports. It can also refer to the physical structure or area of the playing surface in which a score is made....
     while the opposing team defends their goal
  • Polocrosse
    Polocrosse

    Polocrosse it is a team sport that is played all over the world. It is a combination of polo and lacrosse. It is played outside, on a field , on horseback....
  • Tent pegging
    Tent pegging

    Tent pegging is a cavalry sport of ancient origin, and is one of only ten equestrianism disciplines officially recognised by the International Federation for Equestrian Sports....


Cross-country sports

  • Competitive Mounted Orienteering?, a form of orienteering on horses (but unrelated to orienteering
    Orienteering

    Orienteering is a family of sports that require navigational skills using a map and compass to navigate from point to point in diverse and usually unfamiliar terrain....
    ) - consists of three stages: following a precise route marked on a map, negotiation of obstacles, and control of paces.
  • Le Trec, which comprises three phases - trail riding, with jumping and correct basic flatwork. Le Trec, which is very popular in Europe, tests the partnership's ability to cope with an all-day ride across varied terrain, route finding, negotiating natural obstacles and hazards, while considering the welfare of the horse, respecting the countryside and enjoying all it has to offer.
  • Competitive trail riding
    Competitive trail riding

    Competitive Trail Riding is an equestrianism where riders cover a marked trail for a distance that is usually between 15 and 40 miles per day. Some rides are only one day long, others may run as long as three days....
    , a pace race
    Pace race

    A competitive pace race is a timed race in which the objective is not to finish in the least time, but to finish within the prescribed time and in the best physical condition....
     held across terrain similar to endurance riding
    Endurance riding

    Endurance riding is an equestrianism sport based on controlled long distance races. It is one of the international competitions recognized by the FEI....
    , but shorter in length (25 - , depending on class). Being a form of pace race
    Pace race

    A competitive pace race is a timed race in which the objective is not to finish in the least time, but to finish within the prescribed time and in the best physical condition....
    , the objective is not to finish in the least time. Instead, as in other forms of judged trail riding
    Judged trail ride

    A Judged trail ride is a type of trail riding popular in the western United States where horses and equestrianism are asked to travel a natural trail for a set distance with occasional stops for the horse and rider team to negotiate an obstacle, usually with varying options for difficulty, with higher scores given for completing the more dif...
    , each competitor is graded on everything including physical condition, campsite, and horse management. Horsemanship also is considered, including how the rider handles the trail and how horse is handled and presented to the judge and vet throughout the ride. The horse is graded on performance, manners, etc. "Pulse and respiration" stops check the horse's recovery ability. The judges also set up obstacles along the trail and the horse and rider are graded on how well they perform as a team. The whole point is the partnership between the horse and rider.
  • Cross Country Jumping, a jumping course that contains logs, and natural obstacles mostly. The common clothes worn are usually brighter colors and less conservative.
  • Endurance riding
    Endurance riding

    Endurance riding is an equestrianism sport based on controlled long distance races. It is one of the international competitions recognized by the FEI....
    , a competition usually of 50 to or more, over mountainous or other natural terrain, with scheduled stops to take the horses' vital signs, check soundness, and verify that the horse is fit to continue. The first horse to finish and be confirmed by the veterinarian as fit to continue is the winner. Additional awards are usually given to the best-conditioned horses who finish in the top 10.
  • Fox hunting
    Fox hunting

    Fox hunting is an activity involving the tracking, chase, and sometimes killing of a fox, traditionally a red fox, by trained foxhounds or other scent hounds, and a group of followers led by a master of foxhounds, who follow the hounds on foot or on horseback....
  • Hacking
    Hacking

    Hacking may refer to:* A form of the verb Hack * Computer Hacker where someone attempts to defeat or exploit the security capabilities of a computer system....
     or pleasure riding
  • Hunter Pacing
    Hunter Pacing

    A hunter pace is a form of competition involving horses and riders. In a hunter pace a trail is marked for horse and rider to follow. On the day of the competition, early in the morning, the :wikt:host of the event send an experienced horse and rider to ride the trail as fast as it is safely possible to do so....
     is a sport where a horse and rider team travel a trail at speeds based the ideal conditions for the horse, with competitors seeking to ride closest to that perfect time. Hunter paces are usually held in a series. Hunter paces are usually a few miles long and covered mostly at a canter or gallop. The horsemanship and management skills of the rider are also considered in the scoring, and periodic stops are required for veterinarians to check the vital signs and overall soundness of the horses.
  • Ride and Tie is a form of endurance riding
    Endurance riding

    Endurance riding is an equestrianism sport based on controlled long distance races. It is one of the international competitions recognized by the FEI....
     in which teams of 3 (two humans and one horse) alternate running and riding.
  • Steeplechase
    Steeplechase (horse racing)

    The steeplechase is a form of horse racing and derives its name from early races in which orientation of the course was by reference to a Church steeple , jumping fences and ditches and generally traversing the many intervening obstacles in the countryside....
  • Trail Riding
    Trail riding

    Trail riding is riding outdoors on natural trails and roads as opposed to riding in an enclosed area such as a riding arena. The term may encompass those who travel on horses, on mountain bikes, or on motorcycles and other motorized all-terrain vehicles....
    , pleasure riding any breed horse, any style across the land.


Health issues

Handling, riding, and driving horses has a number of health benefits and risks.

Riding has some inherent risks, as when mounted, the rider's head may be up to from the ground, and the horse may travel at a speed of up to . The injuries observed range from very minor injuries to fatalities.

A recent study in Germany
Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands....
 reported that the relative risk
Relative risk

In statistics and mathematical epidemiology, relative risk is the risk of an event relative to exposure. Relative risk is a ratio of the probability of the event occurring in the exposed group versus a non-exposed group....
 of injury from riding a horse, compared to riding a bicycle, was 9 times higher for adolescents and 5.6 times higher for younger child
Child

A child is a human being between the stages of birth and puberty. The legal definition of "child" generally refers to a minor , otherwise known as a person younger than the age of majority....
ren, but that riding a horse was far less risky than riding a moped
Moped

Mopeds are a class of low-powered motorized vehicle, generally two or three wheeled. Moped classification is designed to allow the use of small motorized vehicles seen as not requiring the safety restrictions and license requirement that larger motorcycles are subject to....
. In Victoria, Australia, a search of state records found that equestrian sports had the third highest incidence
Incidence

Incidence may refer to:* Incidence , a measure of the risk of developing some new condition within a specified period of time* Incidence , the binary relations describing how subsets meet...
 of serious injury, after motor sports and power boating. In Greece
Greece

Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , is a country in southeastern Europe, situated on the southern end of the Balkans. It has borders with Albania, Bulgaria and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to the north, and Turkey to the east....
, an analysis of a national registry estimated the incidence of equestrian injury to be 21 per 100,000 person-years for farming and equestrian sports combined, and 160 times higher for horse racing
Horse racing

Horse racing is an equestrianism sport that has been practiced over the centuries; the chariot racing of Ancient Rome are an early example, as is the contest of the steeds of the god Odin and the giant Hrungnir in Norse mythology....
 personnel. Other findings were that use of spurs may contribute to ankle fractures and dislocations, and helmets likely prevent traumatic brain injuries.

In the United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 each year an estimated 30 million people ride horses, resulting in 50,000 emergency room visits (1 visit per 600 riders per year). A survey of 679 equestrians in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho estimated that at some time in their equestrian career one in five will be seriously injured, resulting in hospitalization, surgery, or long-term disability. Among survey respondents, novice equestrians had an incidence
Incidence

Incidence may refer to:* Incidence , a measure of the risk of developing some new condition within a specified period of time* Incidence , the binary relations describing how subsets meet...
 of any injury that was three-fold over intermediates, five-fold over advanced equestrians, and nearly eight-fold over professionals. Approximately 100 hours of experience are required to achieve a substantial decline in the risk of injury. The survey authors conclude that efforts to prevent equestrian injury should focus on novice equestrians.

Mechanisms of injury

The most common mechanism of injury is falling from the horse, followed by being kicked, trampled, and bit. About 3 out of 4 injuries are due to falling, broadly defined. A broad definition of falling often includes being crushed and being thrown from the horse, but when reported separately each of these mechanisms may be more common than being kicked.

Types and severity of injury

In Canada
Canada

Canada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean....
, a 10-year study of trauma center patients injured while riding reported that although 48% had suffered head injuries, only 9% of these riders had been wearing helmets at the time of their accident. Other injuries involved the chest (54%), abdomen (22%), and extremities (17%). A German study reported that injuries in horse riding are rare compared to other sports, but when they occur they are severe. Specifically, they found that 40% of horse riding injuries were fractures, and only 15% were sprains. Furthermore the study noted that in Germany, one quarter of all sport related fatalities are caused by horse riding. Most horse related injuries are a result of falling from a horse, which is the cause of 60-80% of all such reported injuries. Another common cause of injury is being kicked by a horse, which may cause skull fractures or severe trauma to the internal organs. Some possible injuries resulting from horse riding, with the percent indicating the amounts in relation to all injuries as reported by a New Zealand
New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses , and numerous Islands of New Zealand, most notably Stewart Island/Rakiura and the Chatham Islands....
 study, include:
  • Arm fracture or dislocation (31%)
  • Head injury (21%)
  • Leg fracture or dislocation (15%)
  • Chest injury (??%)


Among 36 members and employees of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
Hong Kong Jockey Club

The Hong Kong Jockey Club is one of the oldest institutions in Hong Kong, founded in 1884 to promote horse racing. It was granted Royal Charter and renamed to "The Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club" in 1959....
 who were seen in a trauma center during a period of 5 years, 24 fell from horses and 11 were kicked by the horse. Injuries comprised: 18 torso; 11 head, face, or neck; and 11 limb. The authors of this study recommend that helmets, face shields, and body protectors be worn when riding or handling horses.

In New South Wales
New South Wales

New South Wales is Australia's oldest and most populous States and territories of Australia, located in the south-east of the country, north of Victoria and south of Queensland....
, Australia
Australia

Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the southern hemisphere comprising the Australia of the world's smallest continent, the major island of Tasmania, and numerous list of islands of Australia in the Indian Ocean and Pacific Oceans....
, a study of equestrians seen at one hospital over a 6 year period found that 81% were wearing a helmet at the time of injury, and that helmet use both increased over time and was correlated with a lower rate of admission. In the second half of the study period, of the equestrians seen, only 14% were admitted. In contrast, a study of child equestrians seen at a hospital emergency room in Adelaide, South Australia reported that 60% were admitted.

Riding astride

The idea that riding a horse astride could injure a woman's sex organ
Sex organ

A sex organ, or primary sexual characteristic, as narrowly defined, is any of the anatomical parts of the body which are involved in sexual reproduction and constitute the reproductive system in a complex organism; in mammals, these include:...
s is an historic bugaboo
Bugaboo

A Bugaboo is something that causes fear or worry. It can also refer to:In geography:* The Bugaboos, a granite mountain range in the Purcell Mountains of eastern British Columbia, Canada...
. This includes the popular idea that riding astride can damage the hymen
Hymen

The hymen is a fold of mucous membrane which surrounds or partially covers the external vaginal opening. It forms part of the vulva, or external genitalia....
. Evidence of injury to any female sex organs is scant. In female high-level athletes, trauma to the perineum
Perineum

In human anatomy, the perineum is generally defined as the surface region in both males and females between the pubic symphysis and the coccyx. The perineum is the region of the body inferior to the pelvic diaphragm and between the legs....
 is rare and is associated with certain sports (see Pelvic floor#Clinical significance
Pelvic floor

The pelvic floor or pelvic diaphragm is composed of muscle fibers of the levator ani, the coccygeus, and associated connective tissue which span the area underneath the pelvis....
). The type of trauma associated with equestrian sports has been termed "horse riders' perineum". A case series
Case series

A case series is a medical research study that tracks patients with a known exposure given similar treatment or examines their medical records for exposure and outcome....
 of 4 female mountain bike riders and 2 female horse riders found both patient-reported perineal pain and evidence of sub-clinical changes in the clitoris
Clitoris

The clitoris is a sex organ that is present only in female mammals. In humans, the visible button-like portion is located near the anterior junction of the labia minora, above the opening of the urethra and vagina....
; the relevance of these findings to horse riding is unknown.

In men, sports-related injuries are among the major causes of testicular trauma. In a small controlled
Scientific control

Scientific controls are a vital part of the scientific method, since they can eliminate or minimise unintended influences such as researcher bias, environmental changes and biological variation....
 but unblinded study of 52 men, varicocele
Varicocele

Varicocele is an abnormal enlargement of the veins in the scrotum draining the testicles. The testicular blood vessels originate in the abdomen and course down through the inguinal canal as part of the spermatic cord on their way to the testis....
 was significantly more common in equestrians than in non-equestrians. The difference between these two groups was small, however, compared to differences reported between extreme mountain bike
Mountain bike

A mountain bike or mountain bicycle is a bicycle designed for off-road cycling, including jumps, and traversing of rocks and washouts, and steep declines,...
 riders and non-riders, and also between mountain bike riders and on-road bicycle riders. Horse-riding injuries to the scrotum
Scrotum

In some male mammals the scrotum is a protuberance of skin and muscle containing the testicles. It is an extension of the abdomen, and is located between the penis and anus....
 (contusions) and testes (blunt trauma
Blunt trauma

In medicine terminology, blunt trauma, blunt injury, non-penetrating trauma or blunt force trauma refers to a type of physical trauma caused to a body part, either by impact, injury or physical attack; the latter usually being referred to as blunt force trauma....
) were well known to surgeons in the 19th Century
19th century

The 19th century began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar.During the 19th century, the Spanish Empire, Portuguese Empire, Late Imperial China, and Ottoman Empire empires began to crumble, the Holy Roman Empire was dissolved, and the Mughal Empire empire collapsed....
 and early 20th Century
20th century

The twentieth century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1901 and ended on December 31, 2000, according to the Gregorian calendar. The century saw a remarkable shift in the way that vast numbers of people lived, as a result of technological, medical, social, ideological, and political innovation....
. Injuries from collision with the pommel of a saddle are mentioned specifically.

Criticism of horses in sport


Most horse owners are interested in the well-being and welfare of horses. Some are allied with various animal welfare
Animal welfare

Animal welfare refers to the viewpoint that it is morally acceptable for humans to use nonhuman animals for food, in Animal testing, as clothing, and in entertainment, so long as unnecessary suffering is avoided....
 organizations that try to end genuine abuse of horses. Almost all competitive events have well-established rules and regulations to prevent abuse of animals and to encourage ethical behavior. Most high-intensity sports like show jumping, endurance riding, eventing, rodeo, and horse racing are closely monitored by veterinarians to prevent and treat injuries. On the other hand, there are genuine abuses of horses that do occur. Some people, often motivated by profit or a desire to win at all costs, may inflict pain, overwork, injure, neglect, starve, or drug horses in ways that harm the animal's physical health and mental well-being.

Organized groups dedicated to protecting all animals, such as the Humane Society of the United States
Humane Society of the United States

The Humane Society of the United States is a Washington, D.C-based animal welfare Interest group. The HSUS is one of the largest animal organizations in the world, with a 2006 budget of US$103 million....
, and animal rights
Animal rights

Animal rights, also known as animal liberation, is the idea that the most basic interests of animals should be afforded the same consideration as the similar interests of human beings....
 groups such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is an animal rights organization. Based in Norfolk, Virginia, Virginia, and with two million members and supporters, PETA says it is the largest animal rights group in the world....
, target some horse sports with claims of animal cruelty. Horse racing
Horse racing

Horse racing is an equestrianism sport that has been practiced over the centuries; the chariot racing of Ancient Rome are an early example, as is the contest of the steeds of the god Odin and the giant Hrungnir in Norse mythology....
 and rodeo
Rodeo

Rodeo is a sport which arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain, Mexico, and later the United States, Canada, South America and Australia....
 are most commonly targeted both because of their visibility to the non-horse-oriented public and because these are sports where it is sometimes difficult for people who do not know much about horses to differentiate between pushing equines to perform to their peak and actual abuse.

One problem is a disagreement about terms like abuse. While some individuals consider even fairly drastic discipline of horses as non-abusive, others consider abuse to be anything done against the will of the animal in question. Some people consider poor living conditions abusive, others think riding itself is abusive. There is no consensus on the issue. Further, the perspective of the individuals holding various viewpoints is sometimes quite different. For example, horse professionals claim they know better what is best for horses than people who live horseless lives, easily influenced by propaganda. On the other hand, other individuals claim that many horse professionals are biased because of motivation for personal gain.

However, many people take a middle ground, primarily concerned that certain sports or training techniques may unnecessarily cause pain or injuries to horse athletes, just as they do for human athletes. Some people who advocate use of horses in equestrian activities point out that horses in the wild have a shorter average life expectancy and are injured more often and more severely than those used in sport. Most public laws and statutes carefully describe criminally abusive practices that incur legal penalties in very specific terms.

Some behaviors and activities are widely condemned as abusive by people within the horse industry, even if not illegal as a matter of public law. Use of many performance-enhancing drugs is prohibited in most competitions, and organizations that sanction various events spend a great deal of money testing horses for illegal drugs. 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
United States Department of Agriculture

The United States Department of Agriculture is the United States federal executive departments responsible for developing and executing Federal government of the United States policy on farming, agriculture, and food....
, the practice 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.

Horse riding on coinage


Horse riding events have been selected as a main motif in numerous collectors' coins. One of the recent samples is the €10 Greek Horse Riding commemorative coin
Euro gold and silver commemorative coins (Greece)

Euro gold and silver commemorative coins are special euro coins Mint and issued by member states of the Eurozone, mainly in gold and silver, although other precious metals are also used in rare occasions....
, minted in 2003 to commemorate the 2004 Summer Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics

The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team officials from 201 countries....
. On the composition of the obverse of this coin, the modern horseman is pictured as he jumps over an obstacle, while in the background the ancient horseman is inspired by a representation on a black-figure vase of the 5th century BC.

See also


  • Western riding
    Western riding

    Western riding is a style of Equestrianism which evolved from the ranching and warfare traditions brought to the Americas by the Spain Conquistadors, and both equipment and riding style evolved to meet the working needs of the cowboy in the American West....
  • English riding
    English riding

    English riding is a term used to describe a form of equestrianism that is seen throughout the world. There are many variations in English riding, but all feature a flat English saddle without the deep seat, high cantle or saddle horn seen on a Western saddle nor the knee pads seen on an Australian Stock Saddle....
  • Dressage
    Dressage

    Dressage is a path and destination of competitive horse training, with competitions held at all levels from amateur to the Equestrian at the Summer Olympics....
  • Classical dressage
    Classical dressage

    Classical dressage evolved from cavalry movements and training for the battlefield, and has since developed into the competitive dressage seen today....
  • Driving (horse)
    Driving (horse)

    Driving, when applied to horses, pony, mules, or donkeys, is a broad term for hitching equidae to a wagon, carriage, cart, sleigh, or other horse-drawn vehicle by means of a horse harness and working them in this form....
  • Domestication of the horse
    Domestication of the horse

    There are a number of hypotheses on many of the key issues regarding the domestication of the horse. Although horses appeared in Paleolithic cave art as early as 30,000 BC, these were truly wild horses and were probably hunted for meat....
  • Horses in warfare
    Horses in warfare

    The first use of horses in warfare occurred over 5000 years ago. The earliest evidence of horses equestrianism in warfare dates from Eurasia between 4000 and 3000 BC....
  • Horse show
    Horse show

    A Horse show is a judged exhibition of horses and pony. Many different list of horse breeds and equestrianism disciplines hold competitions worldwide, from local to the international levels....
  • Equestrian at the Summer Olympics
    Equestrian at the Summer Olympics

    Equestrianism made its Summer Olympics debut at the Equestrian at the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. It disappeared until 1912, but has appeared at every Summer Olympic Games since....
  • List of horse accidents
    List of horse accidents

    This is a list of people and fictional characters who had severe injuries, or died from accidents related to horses. Some of the listed accidents had important political and historical consequences, which are given when relevant....
  • United States Equestrian Federation
    United States Equestrian Federation

    The United States Equestrian Federation is the national Sport governing body for most Equestrianism sports in the United States. It began on January 20, 1917 as the Association of American Horse Shows, later changed in 1933 to the American Horse Shows Association ....
  • International Federation for Equestrian Sports
    International Federation for Equestrian Sports

    The F?d?ration ?questre Internationale or in English, the International Federation for Equestrian Sports, is the international governing body of equestrian sports....
  • Horse training
    Horse training

    Horse training refers to a wide variety of practices that teach horses to perform certain behaviors when asked to do so by humans. Horses are trained to be manageable by humans for everyday care as well as for equestrianism activities from horse racing to therapeutic horseback riding for people with disabilities....
  • Horse behavior
    Horse behavior

    Horse behavior is best understood from the perspective that horses are Predation animals with a well-developed fight-or-flight instinct. Their first response to a threat is to flee, although they are known to stand their ground and defend themselves or their offspring in cases where flight is untenable, such as when a foal would be threaten...
  • Equestrian helmet
  • Mounting block
    Mounting block

    A mounting block, horse block, or in Scots language a loupin'-on-stane is an assistance for mounting and dismounting a horse or cart, especially for the young, elderly or infirm....
  • Single Action Mounted Shooting
    Single Action Mounted Shooting

    Single Action Mounted Shooting is a not-for-profit organization that hosts competitive equestrian mounted shooting events, cowboy action shooting, old west living history and participates in parade events....


External links

  • FEI official homepage
  • United States Equestrian Federation
    United States Equestrian Federation

    The United States Equestrian Federation is the national Sport governing body for most Equestrianism sports in the United States. It began on January 20, 1917 as the Association of American Horse Shows, later changed in 1933 to the American Horse Shows Association ....
     
  • Equestrian Federation of Australia
    Equestrian Federation of Australia

    The Equestrian Federation of Australia, or EFA, is the national governing body for equestrianism sports in that country. These sports include the International Equestrian Federation disciplines of dressage, eventing, show jumping, equestrian vaulting, endurance riding, reining, paralympic games, and combined driving....
     
  • Equestrian Federation of Ireland
    Equestrian Federation of Ireland

    The Equestrian Federation of Ireland , is the National Governing Body for all equestrianism sport in Ireland. It is a 32-county body, and is therefore responsible for the administration of international competitions throughout the whole island....
     
  • - Competitive Trail Riding
  • - Equestrian Vaulting