Dressage / Show Jumping / Eventing / Gymkana Introduction

Dressage:

"Dressage competition is judged according to the horse's willing obedience to the rider's smallest commands (aides) and purity of execution of movements. It was with these objectives in mind that Xenophon wrote the first known equitation manual in 400 B.C. He was writing for Greek horsemen whose lives depended on how quickly their mounts reacted in battle. The equestrian art reached a peak in the 18th century. Dressage was separated from its military origins when horses were replaced by motorized vehicles. It became an Olympic event in 1912."
- Information provided from Fortin, Francois. Sports: The Complete Visual Reference. Firefly Books, 2000.

Show Jumping:

"In jumping competitions, the aim is to jump obstacles as quickly as possible without knocking them down, and the riders' skill is a complement to the horses muscular strength. This was created in the mid 19th century during mounted hunts in the English countryside, where natural obstacles - brush fences, ditches, and walls - abounded. The first international jumping competition took place in 1900 where it was first included in the Olympics. Until after 1945, jumping was strongly influences by the military - some competitions were only open to military riders. In 1974, men and women were allowed to compete together. The Olympic Grand Prix is among the Games' most anticipated events."
- Information provided from Fortin, Francois. Sports: The Complete Visual Reference. Firefly Books, 2000.

Eventing:

"Combined eventing is the most complete test of horse and rider; each horse-rider combination must complete in three phases: dressage, endurance, and stadium jumping. In a three-day event, each phase is held on a different day. The first combined event was held in 1902 by the French arm at the Championnat de Cheval d'Armes to test it's cavalry. The three day event was included in the Stockholm Olympics in 1912; but it took its current form at the Paris Games in 1924."
- Information provided from Fortin, Francois. Sports: The Complete Visual Reference. Firefly Books, 2000.

The Introductory essay on this sport is being researched and written at this time. Consult the Bibliography and other selections in the Topic Menu box for further resources on this sport.