Equestrian is an Olympic sport popular in many countries around the globe. It is a form of recreational sport as well as competitive sport. Equestrian refers to riders on horseback who compete in an equestrian range. Equestrianism has been in practice since time immemorial. Horse riding has been in practice since the prehistoric times. Horses were used in wars and for transportation in the olden days. The kings used to patronize horse racing in a big way. Horse racing became popular as a recreational activity and as a pastime.

There is evidence of the prevalence of equestrian in ancient Greece. Historical evidence suggests that equestrian was also a part of the ancient Olympic Games. Modern equestrian was started in the UK. From there, it spread to other European countries and in many countries in North America. Equestrian is a wonderful exhibition of the coordination between the rider and the horse. It requires years of practice to control a powerful animal like horse. The horse and the rider together display awesome feats of endurance, speed, agility, and skills. This makes equestrian an exciting spectator sport.

Equestrian has been an Olympic event since 1900. It is both a team and an individual sport. It is the only Olympic event where men and women compete against each other. There are no separate medals for men and women in this event. Olympic medals are awarded in three Olympic disciplines. They are—Eventing, Jumping, and Dressage. Six events are held in these three disciplines. Dressage can be regarded as ballet on horseback, as the rider has to perform difficult movements with the horse. This event showcases the skills of both the rider and the horse. Points are awarded on the way the horse executes the moves. Jumping is also called as show jumping. In this popular event, the rider has to negotiate obstacles and jump over them without touching them.

There are a total of 15 obstacles. The rider has to complete the course within the stipulated time. The riders are penalized if they are not able to execute the jumps properly. This requires a lot of skill on the part of the rider and the animal. Eventing is an Olympic discipline in which both dressage and show jumping skills are combined. This event is spread across a maximum of three days. It is like a cross country race on horseback. Germany has been the dominant force in Olympic equestrian event since the beginning. It has won as many as 22 gold medals in Olympic equestrian events. Other European countries such as Sweden and France have done well in these events. USA too has not fared badly in the Olympics. Equestrian sports are also popular in Australia and New Zealand.