Olympic Horse Events

Horse racing was a popular sporting event of the ancient civilizations, from Central Asia to the Mediterranean. In the early Greek Olympics — around 638 BC — horse events such as chariot racing and mounted horse racing were included in the games. In the modern Olympics, the term ‘equestrianism’ covers all sports relating to horseback riding.

Show jumping - A horse event performed individually or as a team. It is held in an enclosed course strewn with obstacles that the riders and their horses must clear successfully by jumping over each of them.

Dressage - Occasionally referred to as “Horse Ballet,” dressage is a horse event in which the riders must make their horse do specific tricks to impress the judges, such as extended trot, passage, piaffe, and canter pirouettes.

Vaulting - This is one of the more difficult horse events in the Olympics. In vaulting, the rider or a group of riders (also referred to as vaulters) perform a series of simple to complicated moves while the horse runs in a 15-meter circle. The vaulters must possess good motor skills, balance, and flexibility.

Cross-country - Considered as an endurance test to prove the horse’s strength, speed and jumping ability, cross-country is the first phase of eventing. The objective of this event is the same as show jumping. The difference is that the course may be 2 to 4 miles long with 24 to 36 obstacles along the way.

Eventing - this sport rolls three different horse events into one - dressage, show jumping and cross-country. The horse and its rider must first perform cross-country, then dressage, and finally show jumping.

Learn more about horse competitions on the Horse Sports site.

Rocking Ranches are ranches where competitive cutting horses are trained.

Alice Walton, founder of the Rocking W Ranch, is a horse enthusiast.