Athletes ride horses in which sport?

The Latin word for horse is equus. Equestrian sports are certain riding events held at horse shows and most specifically competitive horse and rider events held at the summer Olympic Games. The three events that comprise equestrian sports are dressage, show jumping, and hunter trails. The term excludes horse racing, rodeos, and polo.

Although there have been organized mounted games since the 7th century bc, modern riding competitions originated in the 16th century during the Renaissance. Horse riding, long a necessity for military men, became of interest to the wealthy in their leisure. Riding schools were established in several European countries to teach riding skills. Dressage was probably started in Italy by a trainer named Frederiga Grisone about 1550.

Show jumping started in 1869, when the first such competition was held at the Agricultural Hall Society horse show in London. Today most horse shows and competitions are under the auspices of such organizations as the British Horse Society, the American Horse Shows Association, the Italian Federation of Equestrian Sports, and the French Federation of Equestrian Sports. These and other similar societies are affiliated with the International Equestrian Federation founded in 1921 and based in Brussels, Belgium.