Equestrian - Overview

Equestrian events originated in Ancient Greece, where it was thought that a perfect partnership was needed if rider and horse were to survive in battle. Dressage was therefore developed as a way of training horses for war. Equestrian events appeared at the ancient Olympic Games as chariot racing, which was a daring and exciting spectacle. The art of riding then fell into oblivion until its revival during the Renaissance. Dressage reached its peak with the creation of the world-famous Spanish Riding School in Vienna in 1729, which established the foundations of the modern discipline.