Equestrian is the only current Olympic event involving animals.
Some might question its status in the Games, but it’s clear the equestrian events are here to stay due to their rich history at the Olympics.
First held in 1900, equestrian events were not on the schedule four years later. They returned in 1908, however, and have been a staple of the Olympic program ever since.
Markedly different from other Olympic sports, there’s a lot to learn about how equestrian works before delving into the sports betting markets.
History
Equestrian is a broad term for sports involving a horse. This usually involves the contestant sitting on the horse, though it can also have the horse pulling a carriage.
In the Olympics, equestrian events refer to dressage, show jumping, and eventing, which is an equestrian triathlon.
Since the Second World War, there has been minimal changes to the equestrian Olympic schedule. High jump, long jump, hacks and hunter, mail coach, and vaulting all featured in Games in the first two decades of the 20th century.
First involved in the 1900 Olympics, equestrian disappeared completely for 1904. Despite an agreement to return for the 1908 Games in London, issues with the International Horse Show Committee meant that polo was the only sport involved.
Instead, show jumping, dressage, and eventing returned for the 1912 Games in Stockholm. All three have featured in every Olympics since.
Like so many sports, there was significant discrimination in equestrian. Only ‘gentlemen’ and commissioned military officers could compete in Olympic equestrian events until 1952. All men could compete in equestrian events from 1952 onwards, but women were only allowed to enter dressage.
Women were eventually allowed to partake in jumping in 1956 and eventing in 1964.
Polo was played at five Olympics, the last of which was the 1936 edition in Berlin. Vaulting only made one Olympic appearance in 1920, with Belgium winning gold in the team and individual events.
Rules
Eventing, dressage, and show jumping naturally have different rules. Eventing, for instance, takes place over several days with its own dressage taking place across the first two days.
Dressage is sometimes called ‘horse ballet’. It is a test of the rider and horse being at one, with judges looking for effortless, elegant movement.
Show jumping is where horses and riders are judged on how co-ordinated they are while moving over several different barriers around the course. Penalties are received for refusals or knockdowns. Any time taken longer than allocated for an obstacle also incurs a time penalty.
Notably, men and women compete against and alongside each other in equestrian events. Team equestrian events can be made up of any combination of men and women. There are no gender-specific equestrian events at the Olympics.
Since 1928, individual show jumping, team show jumping, individual eventing, team eventing, individual dressage, and team dressage have been the Olympic equestrian events.
All horses must undergo a veterinary inspection before the games. Riders need to be at least 16 years old for dressage and at least 18 for eventing and show jumping. Horses should be at least nine.
Scoring
Starting with eventing, scoring is done by a system of penalty points across the three events. The team with the lowest number of points across the events is declared the winner.
Every team (rider and horse) is scored between zero and 10. There is a maximum of seven judges, who can be seated in different areas of the arena. Their scores must all fall within 5% of each other.
Jumping is perhaps the most straightforward of the three. The rider is looking to complete the course as quickly as possible and with as few a penalties as possible. The rider to complete the course in the shortest time once penalties are added is declared the winner.
Arena Size & Dimensions
Olympic equestrian events in 2024 will be hosted at Château de Versailles.
Dressage events – and the dressage portion of eventing – are held in 20x40 metre or 20x60 metre arenas. There are certain locations in the arena were movements have to be performed, these are as follows in the larger arena:
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A: Ausgang (exit)
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K: Kaiser (Emperor/King)
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V: Vassal (Squire)
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E: Ehrengast (Honoured Guest)
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S: Schzkanzler (Chancellor)
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H: Hofsmarshall (Lord Chancellor)
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M: Meier (Steward)
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R: Ritter (Knight)
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B: Bannertrager (Standard Bearer)
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P: Pferknecht (Groom)
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F: Furst (Prince)
Show jumping courses have different layouts. The final for the 2024 Paris Olympics will be a different course to the one used for the preliminary rounds.
Equipment
The types of horses used vary across the events. Taller, thoroughbred or warm-blood horses are preferred for show jumping.
Middleweight, calmer horses are the most successful in dressage events – these are found in large numbers across Europe.
Most Successful Countries at the Olympics
Germany are the most successful country in equestrian with 56 total medals, half of which were gold.
The United States, Great Britain, France, and Sweden also have 40 or more total medals. This quintet are bound to be among the live betting favourites this summer.
*Credit for the photos in this article belongs to Alamy*
