History of Equestrian Events
Do you like horse riding? Then you’ll be interested to know that in this sport, both horse and human are declared Olympic medallists! It is also the only Olympic sport where men and women compete in the same event.
In 682 BC, a four-horse chariot race was run at Greece’s 25th Olympiad, marking the earliest recorded date in Equestrian history. Equestrian as a competitive sport first began in 1868 at the royal Dublin Horse Show. Enthusiasm for the sport then quickly spread to Europe and North America. By the late 1800s horse shows were regular international events that attracted much notice.
Show jumping was part of the Games of 1900, but the full program of Dressage, Show jumping and 3-day Eventing was introduced in 1912. Though techniques have changes through the years, show jumping has remained much the same as when it first appeared. There are seven Equestrian disciplines recognized internationally: Jumping, Dressage, Eventing, Reining, Vaulting, Endurance, and Driving. The Olympics features only the first three.
