Equestrian events at the Summer Olympics facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Equestrian events at the Summer Olympics
Governing body	FEI
Events	6 (mixed)
Games
1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020
Medalists

Equestrian sports, which involve horses, became part of the Olympic Games in 1900 in Paris. After a break, they returned in 1912 and have been in every Olympics since. Today, there are three main types of equestrian events at the Olympics: dressage, eventing, and show-jumping. In each of these, athletes can win medals as individuals or as part of a team. Since the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki, both women and men compete together in these events.

Equestrian sports are unique because they are one of the only Olympic events that include animals. The horses are seen as important athletes, just like their riders!

The main group that organizes international equestrian sports is the Fédération Équestre Internationale (FEI). They started overseeing the Olympic equestrian events in 1924.

Games	Year	Events	Best Nation
1
2	1900	5	Belgium
3
4	1908	1	Great Britain
5	1912	5	Sweden
6
7	1920	7	Sweden
8	1924	5	Sweden
9	1928	6	Netherlands
10	1932	5	France
11	1936	6	Germany
12
13
14	1948	6	France
15	1952	6	Sweden
16	1956	6	Sweden
17	1960	5	Australia
18	1964	6	United Team of Germany
19	1968	6	Great Britain
20	1972	6	West Germany
21	1976	6	West Germany
22	1980	6	Soviet Union
23	1984	6	United States
24	1988	6	West Germany
25	1992	6	Germany
26	1996	6	Germany
27	2000	6	Netherlands
28	2004	6	United States
29	2008	6	Germany
30	2012	6	Great Britain
31	2016	6	Germany
32	2020	6	Germany

History of Olympic Horse Sports

First Olympic Horse Events in Paris (1900)

Horse riding events first appeared at the 1900 Paris Olympic Games. There were five different events:

• Individual jumping
• High jump
• Long jump
• Hacks and hunter combined (a mix of riding styles)
• Equestrian at the 1900 Summer Olympics – Mail coach (driving a horse-drawn carriage)

The polo competition had four mixed teams with players from Britain, France, Mexico, Spain, and the United States.

In the Grand Prix Jumping, which is like today's show jumping, 37 riders competed. Riders from Belgium won first and second place, and a French rider took third.

The High Jump event ended in a tie for first place between a French rider and an Italian rider, both clearing 1.85 meters (about 6 feet). A Belgian rider won bronze. The Belgian rider and his horse, Extra Dry, then won gold in the Long Jump, jumping 6.10 meters (about 20 feet).

Horse Sports Return to the Olympics

Equestrian events were not held at the 1904 Olympic Games. They came back thanks to Count Clarence von Rosen from Sweden. He suggested adding dressage, eventing, and show jumping to the Olympics. These three sports were finally included in the 1912 Games in Stockholm and have been part of every Summer Olympics since. Only a polo event was held in 1908.

Who Can Compete? Riders and Gender Equality

Before the 1952 Summer Olympics, only military officers were allowed to compete in Olympic equestrian sports. This meant no women and no men who were not officers could take part.

But in 1952, things changed! All men were allowed to compete in all horse riding events. Women were also allowed to compete in Dressage. Later, women could compete in Jumping in 1956 and in Eventing in 1964. Since then, equestrianism has been one of the few Olympic sports where men and women compete directly against each other. In team events, teams can have any mix of male and female riders. Countries simply choose their best riders, no matter their gender.

Other Horse Sports in the Olympics

Driving events were part of the first Olympic Games in 1900.

Polo

Polo was also included in the 1900 Games. It was held four more times: in London (1908), Antwerp (1920), Paris (1924), and Berlin (1936). Great Britain won gold in 1908 and 1920. Argentina won gold in 1924 and 1936.

Vaulting

Vaulting was only held once, at the 1920 Antwerp Games. Vaulting is like gymnastics on a moving horse. It had both team and individual competitions. Riders had to perform moves while the horse was cantering and standing still, both with a saddle and without one (bareback). Belgium won the gold medal in both events.

Dressage: Horse Dancing in the Olympics

Dressage

Dressage has changed a lot since the 1912 Olympics. Horses no longer have to jump in dressage. Instead, the riding test on a flat arena has become much harder. It focuses on special moves like the piaffe (trotting in place) and the passage (a slow, very collected, and elevated trot). Today's dressage horses are specially bred to have very fancy and expressive movements.

Only individual medals were given out in 1912, 1920, and 1924. After that, team medals were also awarded at every Olympics.

Dressage at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics

The first Olympic dressage competition was in 1912. There were 21 riders from eight countries. Dressage horses had to do three tests:

• A test on a flat arena
• A jumping test
• An obedience test

The flat arena test was a maximum of ten minutes long. It was ridden in a "small arena" (20 by 40 meters). The difficulty was much less than today. Horses had to show different speeds of walk, trot, and canter. They also had to do circles, figure-eights, and change leads while cantering. Fancy moves like piaffe and passage were not allowed back then. Riders could earn extra points for riding with both reins in one hand, especially at the canter.

All dressage horses also had to jump four obstacles up to 1.1 meters high and one fence 3 meters wide. Then, they did an "obedience test" where the horse had to stay calm near scary objects.

Changes in Dressage (1920-1948)

In the 1920 Antwerp Olympic Games, riders had to perform their dressage test from memory. The arena was slightly larger (50m by 20m). New moves like collected gaits and specific serpentine patterns were added.

The 1928 Olympics allowed more time for the test, up to 13 minutes. Riders lost points if they went over time.

A big change happened at the 1932 Los Angeles Games: the piaffe and passage were introduced into the tests.

At the 1936 Berlin Olympics, the test length increased again to 17 minutes. It included more complex moves like canter pirouettes and one-tempi changes (where the horse changes leads every stride).

For the 1948 London Olympics, piaffe and passage were removed from the tests because horses didn't have enough time to prepare after World War II. However, other difficult moves like half-pass and canter pirouettes were still included.

Modern Olympic Dressage

Today, the dressage competition starts with a Grand Prix test. This test helps decide the winners of the team competition. The best 25 riders from the Grand Prix then perform a Grand Prix Special test. This test is shorter and focuses on the piaffe and passage. The top 13 riders from this group then move on to the Grand Prix Freestyle. This is a special test that each rider designs themselves, following strict rules, and performs to music. The scores from these tests help decide the individual medal winners.

Eventing: The Ultimate Horse Challenge

Eventing

Three-day eventing was introduced in 1912. At first, only active military officers could compete, and only on horses they owned or that belonged to their military branch.

Eventing at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics

The competition lasted five days.

• Day 1: The Endurance Test. This included a 55-kilometer (about 34 miles) ride on roads, followed by a 5-kilometer (about 3 miles) cross-country course.
• Day 2: A rest day for the horses.
• Day 3: The Speed Test. This was a 3.5-kilometer (about 2 miles) steeplechase course with 10 obstacles.
• Day 4: The Jumping Test. This had 15 obstacles, up to 1.3 meters (about 4.3 feet) high and 3.0 meters (about 9.8 feet) wide.
• Day 5: The Dressage Test. This was similar to the individual dressage test of that year.

Horses had to carry at least 80 kilograms (about 176 pounds) and wear a double bridle.

Changes in Eventing (1920-1990s)

The 1920 Antwerp Olympics brought big changes, like removing the dressage test from eventing. Riders were eliminated after three refusals, run-outs, or falls. The required weight for the rider and tack was reduced to 75 kilograms (about 165 pounds).

In 1924, the format changed again to what is closer to today's "long format" eventing. Dressage was brought back and held over two days. The cross-country test became a true endurance challenge with five phases, including roads and tracks, steeplechase, and cross-country.

The 1936 Berlin Olympics added new rules to protect the horses. Horses that were too tired or injured after the endurance test were not allowed to continue.

From 1952 to 1996, the eventing format stayed mostly the same. Women were allowed to ride in eventing starting in 1964.

Eventing Today: The Short Format

At the 2004 Athens Olympics, the "short format" was introduced. This removed the long roads and tracks and steeplechase phases from the endurance day. This change was made to make the sport easier to host at the Olympics, as it requires less space. While some people in the sport have criticized this change, it is now the standard format for most eventing competitions.

Show Jumping: Leaping Over Obstacles

Jumping

In 1900, show jumping was open to both military and non-military riders. Today, it's open to both men and women on any horse.

Show jumping courses have changed a lot. Early fences looked more natural, unlike the brightly colored poles used today. Fences were smaller, and the courses were not as tricky.

Show Jumping at the 1912 Stockholm Games

31 riders from 8 countries competed. Teams could have 4 riders, with the best 3 scores counting.

The course had 15 obstacles and 29 jumps. Many obstacles were jumped more than once, which is not allowed today. Fences were up to 1.4 meters (about 4.7 feet) high, and water jumps could be up to 4 meters (about 13 feet) wide. The course also included ditches, stone walls, and triple-bars.

Scoring was very different back then. Riders tried to gain points. They lost points for mistakes like:

• Refusals: -2 for the first, -4 for the second, -8 for the third, and elimination for the fourth.
• Falls: -4 if both horse and rider fell, -6 if just the rider fell.
• Knocking down a fence: -2 if with hind legs, -4 if with front legs.
• Going over the time limit: -2 for every 5 seconds over.

Horses had to carry at least 165 pounds (about 75 kg).

Show Jumping Today: Penalties and Rounds

Today's Olympic Show Jumping competition has four rounds:

• Round 1: This is the first qualifying round for individual riders. The top 3 scores for each team are also used to decide the starting order for the team competition.
• Round 2 (Individual Medal Final): The top 30 riders from Round 1 compete. They start with zero penalties again. Medals go to the top three riders with the fewest penalties. If there's a tie, they have a jump-off.
• Rounds 3 and 4 (Team Competition): These rounds decide the team medals. Each team has three riders, and all three scores count. The top 8 teams from Round 2 move to the Team Medal Final (Round 4). The team with the fewest penalties wins gold. If there's a tie, all team members have a jump-off.

Today's courses have maximum heights of 1.65 meters (about 5.4 feet) and widths of up to 2.2 meters (about 7.2 feet). Water jumps can be up to 4.5 meters (about 14.8 feet) wide.

Scoring is simpler now, using a penalty system called "faults":

• 4 faults: For knocking down a fence or if the horse lands in the water or on its edge.
• 3 faults: For the first refusal or disobedience.
• Elimination: For the second refusal or disobedience, or if the horse or rider falls.

If a rider is eliminated in the individual competition, they can still compete in the team competition.

Where Horse Events Are Held

Sometimes, the Olympic equestrian competitions are held in a different city or country than the main Games.

• 1956 Olympics: The horse events were in Stockholm, Sweden, instead of Melbourne, Australia. This was because Australia had very strict rules about bringing animals into the country.
• 2008 Olympics: The equestrian events were in Shatin, Hong Kong, instead of Beijing, China. This was due to concerns about horse diseases in Beijing. Hong Kong was chosen because it had high standards for horse health and existing facilities.

Rules for Olympic Horse Sports

Age Requirements

Riders must be at least 16 years old for dressage and 18 for show jumping and eventing. This is because these sports have higher risks for both the rider and the horse. All horses must be at least 9 years old. There is no maximum age for riders or horses.

Number of Horses and Riders

The number of horse and rider pairs allowed varies for each Olympics and each event. Currently, for show jumping, a country can enter a team of 4 riders (one is a reserve). For eventing, a team has 5 riders (no reserves). For dressage, a team has 3 riders.

Substance Rules

There are very strict rules about what substances can be given to the horses competing in equestrian events. This ensures fair play and protects the horses' health.

Veterinary Checks

All horses at the Olympics must have a health check before the Games to make sure they are healthy and don't have any diseases. These checks can also happen during the Games.

Incidents and Injuries

Sometimes, accidents happen in equestrian sports, just like in other sports.

• 1936 Berlin: Two horses were sadly put down after breaking a leg during the cross-country event.
• 1956 Stockholm: One horse was put down after breaking a leg on the cross-country course.
• 1960 Rome: One horse collapsed and died after finishing the cross-country course.
• 2004 Athens: A horse suffered a serious leg injury during cross-country and was put down.
• 2008 Beijing: A horse broke its leg during cross-country and had surgery. Also, several horses were found to have substances in their system that were not allowed. These horses and riders were disqualified from the Games, and any medals or points they won were taken away.
• 2012 London: A Canadian rider was hospitalized after breaking her pelvis in a fall during cross-country.
• 2020 Tokyo: A horse was put down after getting injured during the cross-country event.

Medal Table

Updated after the 2020 Summer Olympics

Rank	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	Germany (GER)	28	14	14	56
2	Sweden (SWE)	18	13	14	45
3	France (FRA)	15	15	13	43
4	Great Britain (GBR)	13	12	15	40
5	United States (USA)	11	23	20	54
6	West Germany (FRG)	11	5	9	25
7	Netherlands (NED)	10	13	4	27
8	Italy (ITA)	7	9	7	23
9	Soviet Union (URS)	6	5	4	15
10	Australia (AUS)	6	4	4	14
11	Switzerland (SUI)	5	10	8	23
12	United Team of Germany (EUA)	5	5	4	14
13	Belgium (BEL)	5	2	7	14
14	New Zealand (NZL)	3	2	5	10
15	Canada (CAN)	2	2	3	7
16	Mexico (MEX)	2	1	4	7
17	Poland (POL)	1	3	2	6
18	Spain (ESP)	1	2	1	4
19	Austria (AUT)	1	1	1	3
20	Brazil (BRA)	1	0	2	3
21	Czechoslovakia (TCH)	1	0	0	1
	Japan (JPN)	1	0	0	1
23	Denmark (DEN)	0	4	2	6
24	Chile (CHI)	0	2	0	2
25	Romania (ROU)	0	1	1	2
26	Argentina (ARG)	0	1	0	1
	Bulgaria (BUL)	0	1	0	1
	Norway (NOR)	0	1	0	1
29	Portugal (POR)	0	0	3	3
30	Saudi Arabia (KSA)	0	0	2	2
31	Hungary (HUN)	0	0	1	1
	Ireland (IRL)	0	0	1	1
Totals (32 entries)		153	151	151	455

Medals Won Each Year

Nation	00	08	12	20	24	28	32	36	48	52	56	60	64	68	72	76	80	84	88	92	96	00	04	08	Total
Argentina (ARG)						–			–		–	–	1	–	–	–		–	–		–	–	–	–	1
Australia (AUS)											–	3	1	1	–	1		–	–	2	1	2	–	1	11
Austria (AUT)					–	–		1	–		–	–			–	–	1	–	–	1	–	–	–	–	3
Belgium (BEL)	4		1	5	–	–		–			–	–			–	2		–	–	–	–	–	–	–	12
Brazil (BRA)									–	–	–	–	–	–	–			–	–	–	1	1	1	–	3
Bulgaria (BUL)					–	–		–		–	–	–			–		1			–		–	–	–	1
Canada (CAN)										–	1	–	–	1	–	1		–	1	–	–	–	–	2	6
Czechoslovakia (TCH)					–	1		–				–								–					1
Chile (CHI)			–							2			–	–	–			–			–	–	–	2
Denmark (DEN)			–		1	–		1	–	1	1	–			–	–		1	–	–		–	–	1	6
France (FRA)	3		3	2	1	2	3	1	4	3	–	1	2	2	–	1		–	3	1	1	–	1	–	34
Germany (GER)			4			3		7		4										7	4	4	4	5	42
United Team of Germany (EUA)										6	2	6											14
Great Britain (GBR)		3	–		–			1	1	1	3	1	1	4	3	–		3	3	–	–	1	3	2	30
Hungary (HUN)						–		1			–	–			–		–			–	–	–	–		1
Italy (ITA)	2			5	2	–		–	–	–	3	3	3	–	3	–	2	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	23
Japan (JPN)						–	1	–		–	–	–	–	–	–	–		–	–	–	–	–	–	–	1
Mexico (MEX)							–	–	4	–			–	–	–	–	3	–	–	–	–	–	–	7
Netherlands (NED)				–	2	4	2	1	–	–	–				–	–		–	–	3	3	4	1	2	22
New Zealand (NZL)											–	–					1	2	2	3	1	–	–	9
Norway (NOR)			–	–		1		–		–	–							–	–	–				–	1
Poland (POL)					1	2		1				–		–	–		2		–	–	–			–	6
Portugal (POR)					1	–		1	1	–	–	–	–		–				–	–	–	–	–	–	3
Romania (ROU)								1		–	–	–					1							2
Saudi Arabia (KSA)																				1	–	–	1
Soviet Union (URS)										–	–	1	2	2	2	–	8		–					15
Spain (ESP)					–	1			1	–	–	–	–		–	–		–	–	–	–	–	2	–	4
Sweden (SWE)			6	9	4	3	3	1	3	4	3	–	–		2	–		1	–	–	–	–	1	1	41
Switzerland (SUI)					2	1		–	1	1	1	3	2	1	–	2		3	2	–	1	1	–	1	22
United States (USA)	–		1	–	1	–	5	1	3	2	–	1	1	3	3	4		5	2	2	4	3	5	3	49
West Germany (FRG)													4	5	7		4	5						25

Note: Dark gray squares mean the country either didn't exist or didn't compete in horse events that year.

Equestrian Events Over the Years

Past Olympic Horse Events

Nations Competing in Equestrian Events

Nation	96	00	04	08	12	20	24	28	32	36	48	52	56	60	64	68	72	76	80	84	88	92	96	00	04	08	12	16	20	Years
Argentina (ARG)								3			9	6	7	9	8	8	9	7		4			5	1	4	1	2	4	3	17
Australia (AUS)													4	4	7	7	4	7		9	10	5	11	14	8	12	12	12	9	16
Austria (AUT)							2	3		8	2		5	1			5	4	1	4	2	5	5	3	9	2	3	1	5	19
Azerbaijan (AZE)																										1	1			2
Belarus (BLR)																									1	3	2		3	4
Belgium (BEL)		X			4	18	11	9		3			3	2			4	4		3	1	8	6	6	9	3	10	5	5	20
Bermuda (BER)																				1	2	3	1	1	1	1	1		1	9
Bolivia (BOL)																1	1	1												3
Brazil (BRA)											6	4	3	3	1	3	3			4	4	6	9	11	9	10	9	12	7	17
Bulgaria (BUL)							2	3		3		3	4	5			4		11			1		3	1					11
Cambodia (CAM)													2																	1
Canada (CAN)												3	4	4	2	11	11	10		11	11	11	11	6	10	12	12	10	6	17
Chile (CHI)					2							9			1	3	3			4				2		1	4	1	1	11
China (CHN)																										6		1	6	3
Colombia (COL)																					4	3	2	1	1	1	2	2	1	9
Croatia (CRO)																						1			1					2
Czech Republic (CZE)																									1	1			5	3
Czechoslovakia (TCH)							11	9		9				2								1								5
Denmark (DEN)					4		1	3		4	6	5	6	4			3	3		3	4	7	3	6	5	4	4	4	5	20
Dominican Republic (DOM)																												1	2	2
East Germany (GDR)																7	7													2
Ecuador (ECU)																				1							1	1	1	4
Egypt (EGY)												3	3								1	1		1	1	1	1	1	3	10
Finland (FIN)						1	1	1		1	5	5	7						2	1	4	1	1	3		1	2	1	1	17
France (FRA)		X			4	24	12	9	3	9	8	9	8	7	7	7	10	9		11	11	12	14	10	11	6	10	12	9	25
Germany (GER)					13			8		9		8										12	16	14	13	12	13	12	9	12
Great Britain (GBR)				3	4		6			6	6	6	8	10	8	10	11	11		11	12	12	15	14	11	12	13	12	9	22
Greece (GRE)																								1	7					2
Guatemala (GUA)																		3	1	1						1				4
Hong Kong (HKG)																										3			1	2
Hungary (HUN)								5		9			3	4			8		8			5	5							8
India (IND)																			4				1	1					1	4
Iran (IRI)																								1						1
Ireland (IRL)											3	3	6	7	4	6	4	4		5	7	9	9	7	10	6	8	6	9	18
Israel (ISR)																													3	1
Italy (ITA)		X				10	5	5		6	6	4	6	7	7	7	8	9	4	8	5	12	14	7	8	6	3	6	4	24
Jamaica (JAM)																										1	1			2
Japan (JPN)								4	5	4		1	2	3	10	4	5	7		6	10	9	9	8	4	6	8	10	9	20
Jordan (JOR)																								1	1	1	1		1	5
Latvia (LAT)																													1	1
Liechtenstein (LIE)																					1									1
Luxembourg (LUX)																													1	1
Mexico (MEX)									6		6	4			7	9	8	8	8	12	5	6	4	4	4	5	4	1	4	18
Morocco (MAR)																											1	1	4	3
Netherlands (NED)						1	5	8	3	9	5	3	1				7	7		3	8	12	8	8	8	8	11	12	8	20
Netherlands Antilles (AHO)																								1	1					2
New Zealand (NZL)														1	3			1		5	8	6	6	7	10	9	6	5	7	13
Norway (NOR)					3	5		6		6		2	4							1	1	1				4	1		2	12
Palestine (PLE)																												1		1
Peru (PER)																				1								1		2
Philippines (PHI)																						1	1	1						3
Poland (POL)							6	5		6				4		4	8		11		4	4	5		4	3	4	1	3	15
Portugal (POR)							4	3		3	8	9	7	9	2		3				1	5	2	1	1	3	2	1	4	18
Puerto Rico (PUR)																		1		2	1		1		1			1	1	7
Qatar (QAT)																												4		2
Romania (ROU)										5		6	6	7					7						1					6
Russia (RUS)		X			7																			2	3	5	3	5	5	8
Saudi Arabia (KSA)																							3	4	2	4	4			5
Singapore (SGP)																													1	1
South Africa (RSA)																						3					1	1	2	4
South Korea (KOR)												1		2	7						10	5			4	1		1	1	9
Soviet Union (URS)												9	9	10	10	10	11	7	11		8									9
Spain (ESP)							4	6			7	6	6	8	3		4	4		4	8	8	13	11	4	2	3	9	5	19
Sri Lanka (SRI)																													1	1
Sweden (SWE)					17	22	12	9	6	9	9	9	9	10	3		5	1		8	4	12	13	9	11	12	12	12	9	23
Switzerland (SUI)							9	9		6	4	7	9	8	6	6	11	4		8	8	7	11	8	9	5	4	7	7	21
Syria (SYR)																											1		1	2
Chinese Taipei (TPE)																												1	1	2
Thailand (THA)																									1		1		3	3
Turkey (TUR)										4	6		6	3														1		5
Ukraine (UKR)																										4	5	5	2	4
Unified Team (EUN)																						8								1
United Team of Germany (EUA)													9	9	10															3
United Arab Emirates (UAE)																										1				1
United Arab Republic (UAR)														3																1
United States (USA)		X			4	8	5	5	8	8	7	9	8	10	10	11	11	12		11	12	12	14	14	13	12	13	12	9	25
Uruguay (URU)														3										2				1		3
Venezuela (VEN)													3								1					1		2		4
Virgin Islands (ISV)																				1	1	1		1						4
Yugoslavia (YUG)							1													3										2
West Germany (FRG)																11	11	11		11	13									5
Zimbabwe (ZIM)																												1		1
Nations	–	5	–	1	10	8	17	20	6	21	17	25	29	29	20	18	27	23	11	30	32	35	30	37	38	42	40	43	49
Horse riders	–	37-64	–	12	62	89	97	113	31	127	103	134	158	159	116	125	179	135	68	157	182	215	218	195	203	193	199	200	200
Year	96	00	04	08	12	20	24	28	32	36	48	52	56	60	64	68	72	76	80	84	88	92	96	00	04	08	12	16	20

Images for kids

• 

  Olympic Games Amsterdam, Netherlands 1928: Czechoslovakian rider Frantisek Ventura won gold in the jumping individual event.

• 

  Denis Lynch and Latinus competing in Hong Kong.

See also

In Spanish: Deportes ecuestres en los Juegos Olímpicos para niños

• Equestrian at the Asian Games
• Equestrian at the Pan American Games
• Equestrian at the Summer Paralympics
• Skijoring