Equestrian glossary, A to Z.

Definitions here describe what a term means and who uses it; they are not instructions. Riding, handling, fitting tack and anything to do with an injured rider or a sick horse are matters for a qualified coach, a doctor or a vet. Rules are each body's published rule with its year, and they change: the body's current rulebook and its officials decide. Where sources disagree, each version is given. The FEI's own rules site refused our requests, so FEI rules are read as reproduced by Equestrian Australia's 2026 rulebooks and other bodies' copies. Event results and schedules are as of 21 October 2026.

Jump to: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y

A

Aachen (CHIO Aachen)

The show ground in the Aachen Soers, Germany, that hosts the annual CHIO. Because the 2026 FEI World Championships used the venue from 11 to 23 August 2026, the annual show ran once as "TSCHIO Aachen" from 22 to 24 May 2026, according to the organiser. (Aachen)

ABRS+

The Association of British Riding Schools, Livery Yards and Equestrian Centres, a British Equestrian member body. It was founded in 1954, runs what it calls Britain's longest-established riding school approval scheme, and widened the scheme to livery yards and equestrian centres in 2021. (How people learn to ride)

Air vest (air jacket)

An inflatable vest worn while riding. The 2026 FEI eventing rules recommend one for cross country but keep body protectors compulsory. Whether any air vest standard exists is disputed: the BHS says air jackets meet no recognised safety standard, while US Equestrian (2020) cites the SATRA M38 test-house specification as a benchmark some vests meet. (Air vests)

Annex O

The part of the FEI Eventing Rules (27th edition, effective 1 January 2026) that covers dress, saddlery and protective equipment, read here as reproduced by Equestrian Australia. It makes body protectors compulsory for cross country and requires fastened headgear from the FEI's list anywhere on the show grounds. (Competition attire)

AS/NZS 3838

The Australian and New Zealand riding helmet standard. The FEI accepts the 2006 edition from 1 January to 31 December 2026 only, and Equestrian Australia said on 22 April 2026 that it will not be accepted in its competitions from 31 December 2026. (Helmet standards)

ASTM F1163

The US specification for protective headgear used in horse sports and riding, published by ASTM International, which lists F1163-23 as current. Its scope covers tests of how well a helmet reduces head acceleration against a flat anvil and an "equestrian hazard anvil". Bodies differ on which older editions they still accept. (Helmet standards)

Athlete fall (eventing)

Under the 2026 FEI Eventing Rules (Art. 549, as reproduced by Equestrian Australia), an athlete has fallen when separated from the horse in a way that means remounting is needed. A fall of horse or athlete on cross country eliminates the pair. A suspected injury needs medical care. (Eventing)

B

Badminton Horse Trials

A five-star eventing competition in Gloucestershire, England, held in May. In 2026 (6 to 10 May) it was won by Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo, which Your Horse reported as the first horse to win Badminton three times. (Eventing five-stars)

BE80 to Advanced (British Eventing levels)

British Eventing's national levels, from BE80 through levels including BE90, BE100, BE105, Novice and Intermediate to Advanced, each with maximum show jumping and cross-country heights set by British Eventing. (Levels and classes)

BETA

The British Equestrian Trade Association, formed in 1979 to represent the equestrian trade and a member body of British Equestrian. It runs the body protector standard and labelling scheme that the UK, Irish and Australian rules described on this site refer to. (Body protectors)

BETA 2018 (body protector standard)

BETA's current body protector standard, dated 29 June 2018 and in force from 13 August 2018. Garments must meet all of EN 13158:2018, come in Levels 1 to 3, and carry a BETA sew-in label. BETA says its standard is not a guarantee of safety. (Body protectors)

BHS

The British Horse Society, founded in 1947, which describes itself as the UK's largest equestrian and horse welfare charity. It runs a staged qualification system, an approved centre scheme and road safety campaigns. (National federations)

BHS Approved Centre

A riding school, livery yard or other equestrian centre in the BHS quality-assurance scheme. The BHS says its inspectors make announced and unannounced visits covering horse care, coaching standards, safety of facilities and working practices including first-aid provision. (Learning from qualified instruction)

BHS Stages

The British Horse Society's qualification ladder, from Stage 1 (basic horse care and riding) through Stages 2, 3 and 4 Senior to the BHSI and the Fellowship, as the BHS units page lists them. (How people learn to ride)

Big Tour

The highest group of FEI dressage tests: Intermediate II, Grand Prix, Grand Prix Special and Grand Prix Freestyle, as Equestrian Australia's 2026 rules group them. Below it sit the Medium Tour and Small Tour. (Dressage)

Blood rule

A rule on what happens when blood is seen on a competing horse. From 1 January 2026 the FEI jumping rule (Art. 259) gives a recorded warning for blood caused by tack or the rider instead of automatic elimination. British Equestrian and British Showjumping opposed the change, while the International Jumping Riders Club and the FEI called the new rule proportionate (as reported by Nancy Jaffer, November 2025); the FEI dressage rule approved at the same assembly is stricter, with confirmed fresh blood meaning elimination. (Whips, blood and nosebands)

Body protector

A protective garment for a rider's torso, tested to EN 13158 and usually labelled with a BETA level. The FEI makes one compulsory for eventing cross country. US Equestrian (2020) says they reduce penetrating torso injuries and rib fractures but give no direct spinal protection. (Body protectors)

Botai

A culture of northern Kazakhstan of about 3500 BCE at the centre of the domestication debate. Outram and colleagues (Science, 2009) argued its horses were harnessed and milked; Taylor and Barron-Ortiz (Scientific Reports, 2021) argued the evidence fits hunting of wild horses instead. The question is not settled. (Domestication of the horse)

Breeches

Riding trousers. The FEI Jumping Rules (2026) ask civilian riders for white or light fawn breeches in competition, while US Equestrian's 2026 dressage booklet allows white, light or dark breeches or jodhpurs but not bright colours or patterns. (Competition attire)

British Equestrian

The consumer name of the British Equestrian Federation, established in 1972 and affiliated to the FEI as Great Britain's national federation. It says it has 20 member bodies and represents about 3 million riders, vaulters and carriage drivers (its own claim). (National federations)

British Eventing

The national governing body for eventing in England, Scotland and Wales, formerly the British Horse Trials Association. It became independent of the British Horse Society in 1997, and its season runs from March to October. (National federations)

British Showjumping

The national body for show jumping in Britain. It says the British Show Jumping Association was founded in 1923 and incorporated as a company on 31 December 1925. (National federations)

BSI Kitemark

A quality mark from BSI, which describes it as ensuring ongoing quality through continuous monitoring. The FEI names it among its examples of quality testing labels, and the UK's 2026 hat rules pair it with PAS 015, VG1 and EN 1384:2023. (Tags and quality marks)

Burghley Horse Trials

A five-star eventing competition in Lincolnshire, England, first held in 1961 according to Wikipedia. In 2026 (3 to 6 September) it was won by Gemma Stevens and Chilli Knight. (Eventing five-stars)

C

Cadre Noir

The instructors of the French riding school at Saumur. Sources disagree on its founding: the Saumur tourist office, in a search summary we could not open, dates it to 1815, Wikipedia to Versailles with a move to Saumur in 1828. UNESCO inscribed equitation in the French tradition, most associated with the Cadre Noir, in 2011. (Classical riding schools)

Capsaicin cases (Hong Kong 2008)

Positive tests for capsaicin in four jumping horses at the 2008 Olympic equestrian events in Hong Kong, after which the FEI provisionally suspended the riders. The FEI classed capsaicin as both a doping substance and a prohibited medication. The cases led to the FEI's 2009 Clean Sport reforms. (The FEI through the years)

Cardiac recovery index

A measure used at endurance vet gates that compares a horse's heart rate when it is presented to the vets with a second reading a minute later after a short trot. A 2020 study by de Mira and colleagues found waiting time at the gate was not significantly linked to heart rate or the index. A vet must be consulted about any horse showing signs of illness. (Endurance)

CCI

Concours Complet International, the FEI code for international eventing. Under the 2026 FEI Eventing Rules (as reproduced by Equestrian Australia), events run in a Long format (CCI-L) or Short format (CCI-S) at one to five stars, with a CCI1*-Intro level that may run as either; US Eventing, in a search summary, dates the long and short split to 2019. (Eventing)

CCI-L (long format)

The FEI eventing format in which dressage, cross country and jumping run on successive days and the cross-country course is long enough that the horse must be very fit, as the 2026 FEI Eventing Rules (Art. 502.1.2) describe it. US Eventing, in a search summary, says there is no five-star short format. (Eventing)

CCI-S (short format)

The FEI eventing format run over one or more days, with a cross-country course as difficult as the long format at the same level but shorter and more intense, and preferably after the jumping test (2026 FEI Eventing Rules, Art. 502.1.3). Not to be confused with the Olympic short format, which removed the endurance-day phases. (Eventing)

CDI

Concours de Dressage International, the FEI code for international dressage shows, given a star rating. British Dressage says British CDIs are three, four or five star, and that CDI-W events are World Cup qualifiers. (Dressage)

Central Equine Database

The UK database of equine identification, run by Equine Register for Defra together with the National ChipChecker. The BHS says it holds more than 1.2 million equine records. (Passports and identification)

Chariot

Horse-drawn vehicles whose history is tied to the domestication debate. Outram (2023) gives the Sintashta burials of the late third millennium BCE as the earliest physical evidence and Assyrian images of about 2050 BCE as the earliest depictions, and says whether riding or chariot driving spread first is still debated. (Domestication of the horse)

Clean Sport

The FEI's anti-doping reforms after the 2008 Olympic cases. On 19 November 2009 the FEI General Assembly adopted new Equine Anti-Doping and Controlled Medication Regulations and a Prohibited Substances List of more than 1,000 substances. (The FEI through the years)

Coefficient

A multiplier that makes a dressage mark count more than once. US Equestrian Open (2026) says difficult Grand Prix movements such as piaffe, pirouettes and one-tempi changes carry a coefficient, so they count double. (Dressage)

Colic

A condition the University of Nottingham team behind the 2016 REACT campaign describes as life-threatening; REACT's listed signs include restlessness, reduced eating and abdominal pain. Their research put colic at one in three emergency veterinary call-outs. A vet must be consulted about any horse showing signs of illness. (Horse health named)

Collective mark (Harmony)

An overall dressage mark given for the test as a whole. From 1 January 2026 FEI Dressage Rules Art. 423.9 uses "Harmony", replacing "General Impression", according to HQ Magazine. Sources disagree on the earlier history: Eurodressage (2021) names the single post-2018 mark as the rider's position and seat, while US Equestrian Open (2026) says the FEI kept "Harmony" from 2018. (Dressage)

Compensating aids

Equipment or help that a para dressage athlete may be permitted individually to offset an impairment, such as special stirrups, belts, or a reader for the test, as the Aachen 2026 infosheet lists them. (Para dressage)

Concussion

A brain injury. Equestrian Canada says helmets protect against many head injuries but do not prevent concussion. Bodies publish return-to-sport rules: Equestrian Australia (August 2025) sets a stand-down of at least 21 days, and British Equestrian's 2023 guidance uses "if in doubt, sit them out". A suspected injury needs medical care. (Concussion protocols)

Cones (driving)

The third phase of combined driving: a timed course of up to 20 pairs of cones topped with balls, with penalties for a ball knocked down or for exceeding the time, as Driving Queensland describes it. Sources disagree on the ball-down penalty. (Driving and vaulting)

Cross country

The eventing test over fixed obstacles across open ground. Under the 2026 FEI Eventing Rules a first refusal, run-out or circle costs 20 penalties, a third on the course eliminates, and any fall of horse or athlete eliminates. (Eventing)

CSI and CSIO

The FEI codes for international jumping shows, rated one to five stars. A CSIO is an official international show and the only kind at which a Nations Cup may be held (FEI Jumping Rules 2026, as reproduced by Equestrian Australia). (Show jumping)

D

Dead Slow

The British Horse Society's road safety campaign, launched in 2016, asking drivers to pass horses at no more than 10 mph and at least 2 metres wide where possible. The BHS recorded 2,810 road incidents involving horses in 2025. (Riding on roads)

Dereivka stallion

A horse from a site in Ukraine once cited as evidence of riding about 4000 BCE because of apparent bit wear. Radiocarbon dating later showed it was an intrusive Iron Age animal, so it no longer supports early domestication (Outram, 2023). (Domestication of the horse)

Disobedience (jumping)

A fault in show jumping counted separately from knock-downs. Under Table A of the 2026 FEI Jumping Rules the first disobedience costs 4 penalties and the second eliminates, counted across the whole round. Equestrian Australia's national rules for classes of 1.15 m and under give 8 penalties for a second. (Show jumping)

Double bridle

A bridle with two bits, a bridoon and a curb. British Dressage permits it from Elementary level, and the 2026 FEI eventing rules allow it in the dressage test at four and five star only, with a cavesson noseband. (Bridles, bits and nosebands)

Dressage

A discipline in which horse and rider perform a set test of movements in an arena of 20 by 40 m or 20 by 60 m, each movement marked out of ten by one or more judges and the result given as a percentage, as British Dressage describes it. (Dressage)

Driving (combined driving)

The FEI discipline for horse-drawn carriages, built mainly around events of dressage, marathon and cones, with a single horse, a pair or a four-in-hand. Wikipedia (secondary) says it became an FEI discipline in 1970. (Driving and vaulting)

E

Ear hood

A cover for a horse's ears. The 2026 FEI eventing rules allow ear hoods in the dressage test if the ears can move freely and the eyes are not covered, and note they may give noise reduction. (Rugs and horse care kit)

EHV-1

Equine herpesvirus-1. An outbreak at the CES Valencia Spring Tour in early 2021, which the FEI called probably the most serious in Europe for decades, led it to cancel competitions in mainland Europe from 1 March to 11 April 2021. A vet must be consulted about any horse showing signs of illness. (Horse health named)

EN 13158

The European standard for protective jackets, body protectors and shoulder protectors for riders, people working with horses and carriage drivers. BETA records editions of 2000, 2009 and 2018, with impact performance unchanged each time. (Body protectors)

EN 1384

The European riding helmet standard. The European Commission withdrew the 2012 edition's reference on 13 October 2014; CEN announced EN 1384:2023 on 18 December 2023 with added hazard anvil tests and higher shock absorption requirements. (Helmet standards)

Endurance

The FEI long-distance discipline. Rides of 80 to 160 km are split into loops, and vets inspect each horse at the end of every loop (Bennet and colleagues, 2020). The 2026 Endurance World Championship is scheduled for Butheeb near Abu Dhabi, 14 to 20 December 2026, and had not been held on 21 October 2026. (Endurance)

Equestrian Australia

Australia's national federation. It says it was formed in 1951/52 as the Equestrian Federation of Australia so Australia could field a team at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. (National federations)

Equestrian Canada

Canada's national federation, renamed from Equine Canada in 2016. Its own history gives 1976 for the founding of the Canadian Equestrian Federation and 1977 for its status as the national association; Wikipedia gives 1977. (National federations)

Equine Ethics and Wellbeing Commission

An independent advisory body the FEI formed in June 2022, chaired by Professor Natalie Waran. Its final report, presented in November 2023, made 30 recommendations across six focus areas. (Horse welfare and the FEI)

Equine influenza

Influenza in horses, for which the FEI sets vaccination rules for competition. Its rules, as summarised in a 2023 FEI presentation, require recorded vaccinations, with a horse able to compete for six months plus 21 days after its last booster and not within seven days of any vaccination. Vaccination itself is a matter for the horse's vet. A vet must be consulted about any horse showing signs of illness. (Horse health named)

Equine passport

An identification document for a horse. The BHS says every horse, pony, donkey, mule and zebra in the UK must have one, that it must accompany the horse, and that it is identification, not proof of ownership. (Passports and identification)

EquiRatings

A company launched in 2015 whose quality index (ERQI) was used by Ireland nationally from 2016 and by the FEI under a deal signed in 2017, according to Practical Horseman. (Eventing safety history)

Equitation (US)

In US hunter/jumper sport, classes judged subjectively on the rider rather than the horse, according to a Practical Horseman article republished by Equisearch. (Levels and classes)

Error of course (dressage)

Riding the wrong movement or route in a dressage test. Equestrian Australia's 2026 rules deduct 2 marks for the first in national tests, 4 more for the second, and eliminate on the third; FEI-level senior tests have their own scale. (Dressage)

Eventing

A discipline combining dressage, cross country and jumping on the same horse, which the Olympic Federation of Ireland calls the most complex of the three Olympic disciplines. The lowest total of penalty points wins. (Eventing)

F

FEI

The Federation Equestre Internationale, the international federation for equestrian sport, founded in Paris on 24 November 1921 and based in Lausanne (Wikipedia, secondary); the British Dressage timeline instead says it was formed in Lausanne in 1921. Its next presidential election is due on 5 December 2026, per the Chronicle of the Horse (one passage in a Eurodressage report says November), and had not been held on 21 October 2026. (The FEI)

FEI passport and Recognition Card

Documents issued by national federations so a horse can compete in FEI events at certain levels. Equestrian Sports New Zealand says both must be revalidated every four years, while national passports do not. (Passports and identification)

FEI Tack App

The FEI's app and database for tack, equipment and dress. From 2026, HQ Magazine reports, tack and equipment rules moved out of individual sport rules into the central FEI Tack, Equipment and Dress Database and the Tack App. (Bridles, bits and nosebands)

Five-star (CCI5*-L)

The top level of international eventing. The Adelaide organiser describes its event as one of seven in the world, the others being Badminton, Burghley, Kentucky, Luhmuhlen, Maryland and Pau. The 2026 Maryland edition was cancelled, and Pau is scheduled for 22 to 25 October 2026. (Eventing five-stars)

Flag, missing a (eventing)

Passing a cross-country obstacle with a point of the horse's shoulder outside the flags while the head and neck pass inside. The 2026 FEI Eventing Rules set the penalty at 9; Australian 3DE reports it was cut from 15. (Eventing)

Forward seat

The jumping position developed by Italian cavalry officer Federico Caprilli (1868 to 1907) after studying horses jumping free, replacing the older style of leaning back over fences, according to Horse Canada. (Cavalry and the Olympic disciplines)

Four-in-hand

One of the three driving categories Driving Queensland names, alongside a single horse and a pair. At Aachen in August 2026 Boyd Exell won his eighth individual world title and the Netherlands the team gold. (Driving and vaulting)

Frangible device

A fitting that allows part of a cross-country fence to collapse; the MIM clip, for example, releases under vertical and horizontal force. Under the 2021 FEI Eventing Rules approved devices are compulsory on specified fence types at CCI1* to CCI5*, and the 2026 rules give 11 penalties for activating one in a way that changes the fence's dimensions. Sources disagree on whether they reduce falls or mainly their severity. (Eventing safety and frangible devices)

Freestyle (dressage to music)

A dressage test ridden to music, scored with technical and artistic marks. The Grand Prix Freestyle entered the Olympics at Atlanta in 1996, according to British Dressage. (Dressage)

G

German Equestrian Federation (FN)

The Deutsche Reiterliche Vereinigung, an umbrella body for equestrian sport and breeding based in Warendorf. Wikipedia (secondary) traces it to a breeders' association formed in 1905 and gives two different dates, 1927 and 1947, for its FEI affiliation. (National federations)

GR801 (US Equestrian helmet rule)

US Equestrian's general rule on protective headgear, which requires headgear meeting the standards on the Federation's website, with the applicable quality tag or label, for everyone mounted at licensed hunter, jumper and hunter/jumper competitions; the 1 May 2026 dressage booklet's rule DR120.1.1 applies the same GR801 headgear rule to anyone mounted at US Equestrian dressage competitions. The current list took effect on 1 August 2023. (Helmet rules by body)

GR801.6 (safety stirrups)

US Equestrian's rule, effective 1 December 2025, disallowing stirrups or saddle attachments with upward-facing rigid projections at the moment of a routine dismount. Officials give only verbal warnings until 30 November 2026, and the rule is enforced from 1 December 2026. (Boots, gloves and stirrups)

Grades (para dressage)

The five classes into which para dressage riders are placed by type and severity of impairment, Grade 1 the most impaired and Grade 5 the least. USPEA stresses that grades reflect physical impairment, not riding skill. (Para dressage)

Grand Prix (dressage)

The highest dressage level, at the top of British Dressage's ladder of national and FEI levels. Equestrian Australia's 2026 rules limit the Grand Prix Special to the 15 best Grand Prix combinations with at least 60 percent. (Dressage)

Grand Slam of Eventing

An award for winning Kentucky, Badminton and Burghley consecutively. US Equestrian lists two winners: Pippa Funnell in 2003 and Michael Jung across 2015 and 2016. (Notable riders and horses)

Great Stirrup Controversy

The long debate over Lynn White Jr.'s argument that the stirrup made mounted shock combat possible and so produced European feudalism. Critics including Bernard Bachrach challenged his evidence, and a 2002 summary concludes stirrups did not cause feudalism (Medievalists.net, read only in a search summary). (The stirrup and early tack)

H

Hackamore

A type of bridle named in the FEI tack rules. The 2026 FEI Jumping Rules allow gags and hackamores, while the 2026 FEI eventing rules require a hackamore on cross country to be used with a bit, with a shank of no more than 24 cm. (Bridles, bits and nosebands)

Half chaps

Leg coverings worn with short boots. US Equestrian's 2026 dressage booklet allows paddock or jodhpur boots with matching half-chaps or garters at Fourth Level and below, and Equestrian Australia's national eventing rules ask for matching full-grain leather chaps with short boots. (Boots, gloves and stirrups)

Hartington Report

The April 2000 report of the FEI International Eventing Safety Committee, chaired by the Marquess of Hartington after five event riders died in Great Britain in 1999. It named frangible technology and worldwide fall data as the two most critical areas. (Eventing safety history)

Hat tag

A tag an official applies to a helmet after checking its label. In 2026 British Riding Clubs, British Eventing and The Pony Club share one pink tag; Equestrian Australia is moving from yellow to green tags, with only green from 1 January 2029. The Pony Club says a tag is not a check of fit or condition. (Tags and quality marks)

High jump record

The FEI's official high jump record of 2.47 m, set by Huaso ex-Faithful and Captain Alberto Larraguibel Morales in Chile on 5 February 1949, as cited by Guinness World Records. (Notable riders and horses)

Highway Code Rule 49

The UK Highway Code rule that children under 14 must wear a compliant, securely fastened helmet when riding on the road, citing the Horses (Protective Headgear for Young Riders) Act 1990. It advises other riders to do the same and exempts a Sikh child wearing a turban. (Riding on roads)

Hind boots (FEI jumping)

Protective boots on a horse's hind legs, regulated in FEI jumping. Annex VIII of the 2026 Jumping Rules limits total equipment on any leg to 500 g and sets lengths, shapes and fasteners for hind boots. (Horse boots and bandages)

Horse fall (eventing)

Under the 2026 FEI Eventing Rules (Art. 549), a horse has fallen when its shoulder and quarters touch the ground, or the obstacle and the ground, or when it is trapped in a fence. A horse fall eliminates the pair. FEI statistics count rotational horse falls separately. A suspected injury needs medical care. (Eventing safety and frangible devices)

Hunter

In US hunter/jumper sport, classes judged subjectively on the horse's style, movement and overall picture, a format that began as a test of suitability for the hunt field (Equisearch, from Practical Horseman). (Levels and classes)

Hyperflexion (rollkur)

Riding or training a horse with its neck strongly flexed so the nose is well behind the vertical. In 2010 an FEI round table redefined it as flexion achieved through aggressive force, which it called unacceptable, while accepting "Low, Deep and Round" without undue force. Sources disagree on harm: an FEI workshop in January 2006 found no scientific evidence of structural damage when skilled riders used it, while a 2024 meta-analysis by Koenig von Borstel and colleagues found that 75 percent of 36 studies assessing welfare raised concerns. (Welfare controversies)

I

Inspec IC mark

The Inspec IC "Certified" mark, shown by the FEI as an example of a quality testing label. The UK's 2026 hat rules accept it, alongside the BSI Kitemark, for PAS 015, VG1 and EN 1384:2023 helmets. (Tags and quality marks)

J

Jockey skull

A round or elliptical riding helmet with no fixed peak. The British Riding Clubs 2026 hat rules and The Pony Club require one for cross country, with smooth front protrusions of no more than 5 mm; a removable cover with a light flexible peak may be used. (Helmet rules by body)

Jumping (show jumping)

A discipline in which horse and rider jump a course of obstacles within a time, aiming for a clear round, with penalties for knock-downs, refusals and time, as the Olympic Federation of Ireland describes it. It was the first equestrian discipline at the Olympics, in Paris in 1900. (Show jumping)

Jump-off

A shorter extra round in show jumping between riders tied for first place, decided on fewest penalties and then time (FEI Jumping Rules 2026, Art. 218, as reproduced by Equestrian Australia). (Show jumping)

K

Kikkuli text

A Hittite-era text on conditioning chariot horses, attributed to Kikkuli of Mitanni and dated to about 1360 BCE, published by Bedrich Hrozny in 1931, according to Wikipedia (secondary). (The stirrup and early tack)

L

Laminitis

A condition that BEVA's weight management material links closely with equine obesity and insulin dysregulation. World Horse Welfare lists laminitis among the health conditions owners should weigh in rugging decisions. A vet must be consulted about any horse showing signs of illness. (Horse health named)

LDR (Low, Deep and Round)

A head and neck position that the FEI's February 2010 round table declared acceptable when achieved without undue force, in contrast to hyperflexion achieved through aggressive force. (Welfare controversies)

LearnTo

Equestrian Canada's national athlete development framework, launched on 20 July 2026, with an eight-level structure and a LearnToCare horse-care and welfare pathway. Equestrian Canada's launch release calls it an evolution, not a replacement, of its earlier Learn to Ride and Drive programmes, while its own LearnTo page says it replaced the previous programme. (How people learn to ride)

Lipizzaner

The breed associated with the Spanish Riding School. The school says Archduke Charles II set up a court stud near Lipica in 1580, and that the Austrian herd moved to the Federal Stud at Piber in 1920. (Classical riding schools)

Longines League of Nations

The FEI's top-tier team jumping series, according to search summaries of World of Showjumping, which also place its first final in Barcelona in 2024. The 2026 Final, in Barcelona on 4 October 2026, was won by Germany after a jump-off against Brazil. (Nations Cup)

M

Marathon (driving)

The cross-country phase of combined driving: a timed course of up to 22 km with obstacles such as water, mazes and gates, as Driving Queensland describes it. The FEI's 2026 rules require fastened headgear for drivers and grooms in the marathon. (Driving and vaulting)

Medical armband (FEI)

A medical data carrier or armband that the 2026 FEI Eventing Rules (Art. 523.1) make athletes with relevant conditions, such as a recent concussion, diabetes or epilepsy, responsible for wearing whenever they ride at an event. (Concussion protocols)

Microchip (equine)

An implanted identification chip. Microchipping became compulsory for all horses, ponies and donkeys in England on 1 October 2020. US Equestrian's current page dates its all-discipline rule to 1 December 2026, while a 2024 US Eventing article gave 1 December 2025. (Passports and identification)

Military, the

An old name for eventing in several European countries, under which it entered the 1912 Olympics, according to secondary sources we saw only in summary. US Eventing says US teams for major championships were supplied by the US Cavalry from 1912 to 1948. (Cavalry and the Olympic disciplines)

MIM clip

A frangible fence fitting developed by Swedish inventor Mats Bjornetun, which releases under both vertical and horizontal force. Practical Horseman reports that the FEI approved the MIM Safe New Era Clip in 2013. (Eventing safety and frangible devices)

Mounted games

Competitions that The Pony Club's history poster traces to 1957, when Prince Philip suggested a mounted games competition that became the Prince Philip Cup. (How people learn to ride)

N

Nations Cup

The official international team jumping competition, held only at a CSIO, over two rounds on the same course and day under Table A (FEI Jumping Rules 2026). Horse Network dates team Nations Cups to 1909; other sources give later dates. (Nations Cup)

Noseband measuring device

The FEI's 1.7 cm device for checking that a noseband is loose enough under Veterinary Regulations Art. 1044.8, which applies to all noseband types; stewards check selected or all horses at FEI events. Sources give its start as 1 January or 1 May 2025, and US Equestrian's national dressage rules use a two-finger check instead. (Bridles, bits and nosebands)

O

Olympic equestrian events

Dressage, eventing and jumping, held at every Games since Stockholm 1912 after Count Clarence von Rosen proposed them in 1906. The Olympic Federation of Ireland says competition was limited to male military officers until 1952, when it opened to civilian men and to women. (Equestrian sport at the Olympics)

On Horsemanship

Xenophon's Greek treatise on choosing, keeping and training horses. Wikipedia (secondary) dates it to about 355 BCE in one article and about 350 BCE in another. (Classical riding schools)

Optimum time (eventing)

The target time for an eventing cross-country course. Under the 2026 FEI Eventing Rules exceeding it costs 0.4 penalties per second begun, finishing faster earns nothing, and taking more than twice the optimum time eliminates. (Eventing)

P

Para dressage

Dressage for riders with impairments, judged within grades. British Dressage dates the first para dressage World Championship to 1987, its Paralympic debut to Atlanta 1996 and its recognition as an FEI discipline to 2006. (Para dressage)

PAS 015

A British riding helmet specification published by BSI. BSI lists PAS 015:2011 as withdrawn on 3 January 2025, but the FEI, Equestrian Australia and the UK's 2026 hat rules still accept it; for competition, the bodies' lists are the rule. (Helmet standards)

Penalty points (eventing)

The eventing score, in which the lowest total wins. Dressage marks are converted by subtracting the percentage from 100, and cross-country and jumping penalties are added (FEI Eventing Rules 2026, Art. 544). (Eventing)

Pontic-Caspian steppe (horse origin)

The region a 2021 Nature study led by Ludovic Orlando, analysing 273 ancient horse genomes, named as the home of modern domestic horses, whose genetic profile spread across Eurasia from about 2200 to 2000 BCE. It is one of several versions in the domestication debate. (Domestication of the horse)

Pony Club

A youth riding organisation founded in England in 1929, with a ladder of tests dating from 1932. Wikipedia (secondary) says UK membership runs to the end of the year a member turns 25. (How people learn to ride)

Prix St Georges

The first level of the FEI's senior tours, above British Dressage's national Advanced level, and the start of the Small Tour with Intermediate I. (Dressage)

Protective headgear (FEI)

A helmet complying with the testing standards on the FEI's published list. FEI General Regulations Art. 140.1 (2026) requires it, properly fastened, while riding anywhere on the showground, and from 2026 a breach brings a fine instead of a yellow warning card. (Helmet rules by body)

Przewalski's horse

A horse of the Asian steppe. A 2018 genome study by Gaunitz and colleagues, known to us only through search summaries, concluded that Przewalski's horses descend from horses herded at Botai and are feral; a 2018 commentary by Songer, also seen only in summary, disputed that reading. (Domestication of the horse)

Q

Quality mark

A mark showing that a certification body keeps checking a product against its standard. The FEI and US Equestrian both define quality testing as monitoring the product's ongoing quality according to the original standard. Equestrian Australia says the CE mark is not a quality mark. (Tags and quality marks)

R

Recorded Warning

An FEI sanction short of elimination. In eventing, three Recorded Warnings to the same person within 24 months bring an automatic two-month suspension, and inappropriate whip use always brings one under the 2026 rules. (Whips, blood and nosebands)

Reining

A discipline that Equestrian Canada places in its Western programme and rulebook. It is no longer an FEI discipline: the FEI General Assembly removed it in November 2021, after the US reining body did not agree to the FEI being its sole governing body. It continues under national rules, such as Section K of Equestrian Canada's rulebook. (What equestrian sport is)

Ride Safe Award

A BHS road riding award that UK Highway Code Rule 52 recommends to inexperienced or returning riders. From 1 September 2026 the Ride Safe (Silver) award is an entry requirement for the BHS Stage 2 Ride assessment rather than part of Stage 1. (Riding on roads)

Rotational fall

A category of horse fall that the FEI counts separately in its eventing statistics. Rotational horse falls fell from 30 in 2016 to 15 in 2025, and over the period about one in five led to serious injury, against about one in 76 falls of an unseated athlete. A suspected injury needs medical care. (Eventing safety and frangible devices)

Rug

A covering for a horse. World Horse Welfare names stable, turnout and fly rugs, warns that over-rugging can harm health and welfare, and lists factors for owners to weigh. A vet must be consulted about any horse showing signs of illness. (Rugs and horse care kit)

S

Saddle (earliest)

The oldest directly dated riding saddle, according to a 2023 study reported by HeritageDaily, is a soft leather saddle from Yanghai in the Turfan Basin, radiocarbon dated to between 727 and 396 BCE. According to a search summary of the paper, its authors compare it with a Pazyryk-culture saddle from Tuekta, long treated as the oldest, and call theirs contemporaneous or possibly older. (The stirrup and early tack)

Saddle fitter

A person qualified to fit saddles to horses. The Society of Master Saddlers distinguishes a saddler, qualified to make saddlery, from a fitter, qualified to fit it, and introduced its saddle fitting qualification in 1995. The Society, formed in 1966, says the welfare of the horse is paramount. (Saddles and saddle fitting)

Safety stirrup

A stirrup with a release or breakaway design. The FEI eventing rules forbid any device that stops the boot separating from the stirrup immediately in a fall, and US Equestrian's dressage rule requires closed branches of metal or another breakaway mechanism. (Boots, gloves and stirrups)

Scale of marks

The dressage marking scale from 10 (excellent) to 0 (not executed), which Equestrian Australia's 2026 rules say is used under both EA and FEI rules, differing only in calling 5 "marginal" (EA) or "sufficient" (FEI). (Dressage)

SEI

The Safety Equipment Institute, the certification route US Equestrian and the UK's 2026 hat rules name for ASTM F1163 helmets. The FEI shows its logo, as "A Subsidiary of ASTM International", among its examples of quality testing labels. (Tags and quality marks)

Short format (Olympic eventing)

The eventing format without the roads and tracks and steeplechase phases. It debuted at the Athens 2004 Olympics, and the Chronicle of the Horse reports that the FEI removed those phases from its rules in 2009. (Eventing safety history)

Shoulder protector

A protector for a rider's shoulders, covered by a separate BETA standard. BETA claims eventing research found shoulder protection reduces the risk of a broken collarbone by up to 80 percent; it does not cite the study, so we could not check it. A suspected injury needs medical care. (Body protectors)

Small Tour

The first group of FEI dressage tests, Prix St Georges and Intermediate I, as Equestrian Australia's 2026 rules group them. (Dressage)

Snaffle

A single bit. British Dressage requires a snaffle from Introductory to Novice level, and from 1 January 2026 FEI dressage rules allow snaffle bridles up to CDI3*, according to the Chronicle of the Horse. (Bridles, bits and nosebands)

Snell

The Snell Memorial Foundation's helmet standards. E2021 certification testing began in July 2021 and E2016-labelled production had to stop by 30 September 2022. The US Pony Club calls E2016 out of date, while the FEI, Equestrian Australia and the UK 2026 rule accept it. (Helmet standards)

Social licence

A phrase used in welfare debates for the public acceptance a sport depends on. Opponents of the FEI's 2026 jumping blood rule, including the Equestrian Action Group, raised social licence concerns. (Horse welfare and the FEI)

Spanish Riding School

The classical riding school in Vienna, which treats a document of 20 September 1565 as its first mention; one travel site, seen only in a search summary, gives 1569 as its founding year. It says women were first accepted into rider training in 2008 and the first female rider was appointed in 2016. (Classical riding schools)

Spurs

Fittings worn on a rider's boots. The 2026 FEI eventing rules make them optional, with a shank of no more than 4 cm pointing only to the rear; US Equestrian dressage allows up to 5.08 cm. (Competition attire)

Steward

An official who checks equipment and conduct. Under the 2026 FEI eventing rules a steward may inspect whips, spurs and dress before any test and refuse a start; in the UK stewards apply hat tags, and FEI stewards use the noseband measuring device. (Competition attire)

Stirrup (history)

A foot support hung from the saddle. Wikipedia (secondary) gives a Jin tomb figurine of about 322 CE as the earliest reliable depiction of paired riding stirrups and the tomb of Feng Sufu, 415 CE, for the earliest surviving pair; finds from Mongolia complicate the picture. (The stirrup and early tack)

Strangles

A bacterial disease of horses and other equids caused by Streptococcus equi subspecies equi, which often swells the lymph nodes of the throat. The Government of Ontario says it spreads by nose-to-nose contact and through contaminated objects, hands and clothing. A vet must be consulted about any horse showing signs of illness. (Horse health named)

T

Table A and Table C

The two scoring tables in FEI jumping. Table A counts penalties (4 for a knock-down, one for each second over the time allowed); Table C converts faults into seconds added to the time (FEI Jumping Rules 2026, Art. 216 and 217). (Show jumping)

Time faults (jumping)

Penalties for exceeding the time allowed. Since 1 January 2022 FEI Table A gives one penalty for each second or part of a second over, so four seconds equals a fence down (HorseSport.com, 2022). The eventing jumping test uses 0.4 per second instead. (Show jumping)

Training Scale

A German-based system of six building blocks in dressage: rhythm, suppleness, contact, impulsion, straightness and collection, as Equestrian Australia's 2026 rules describe it from the FEI rules. (Dressage)

Traumatic brain injury

A category of injury counted in injury studies. Thomas and colleagues (2006) estimated about 11,502 a year among people treated in US emergency departments for horse-related injuries in 2001 to 2003. A suspected injury needs medical care. (What the injury data shows)

Tryon 2018

The 2018 World Equestrian Games in North Carolina, where the endurance championship was cancelled on 12 September after a misdirected start and conditions officials judged an unacceptable risk to horse welfare. Some teams criticised the decision, according to reports we saw only in summary. (The FEI through the years)

U

US Equestrian

The national federation for most equestrian sport in the US, founded in 1917 as the Association of American Horse Shows and renamed several times before taking its current name in 2017, according to Wikipedia (secondary). (National federations)

V

Vaulting

Gymnastics and dance on a moving horse that a lunger controls on a circle, with the lunger, vaulter and horse all judged (Wikipedia, secondary). It has individual, pas de deux and squad competitions. (Driving and vaulting)

Vet gate

The veterinary inspection at the end of each endurance loop, where heart rate is the main criterion. Citing the 2016 FEI rules, Younes and colleagues give a threshold of 64 beats per minute after 20 minutes of recovery; we could not confirm the 2026 figure. A vet must be consulted about any horse showing signs of illness. (Endurance)

VG1 01.040 2014-12

An interim European helmet specification written by test houses and notified bodies after EN 1384:2012 was withdrawn in 2014, so CE certification could continue. The FEI lists it as one entry with EN 1384:2017, accepted on its own only during 2026. (Helmet standards)

W

WBGT (Wet Bulb Globe Temperature)

A heat index combining air temperature, humidity, wind and solar radiation, which the FEI's 2018 hot-weather guidance adopts for assessing thermal stress at competitions. (Heat and competition)

Whip rules

Limits on how a whip is used in competition. The 2026 FEI eventing rules treat using the whip more than twice in one incident, or after the final fence, as abuse reviewed by the ground jury. (Whips, blood and nosebands)

World Cup (FEI)

The FEI's indoor season series ending in a Final. FEI series began in jumping (1978) and dressage (1985), per Wikipedia (secondary); the British Dressage timeline gives 1986 for the Dressage World Cup. The 2026-27 seasons are in progress with no champion yet, and the Finals are due in Gothenburg in March 2027. (FEI World Cup)

World Equestrian Games

The FEI's multi-discipline championship held every four years from 1990 (Stockholm) to 2018 (Tryon). Wikipedia (secondary) says the FEI dropped the format in November 2018 in favour of separate championships from 2022. (World Championships history)

World Horse Welfare

A British Equestrian member body that publishes horse welfare guidance. Its rugging guidance says horses regulate their temperature well between about 5 and 25 degrees C. (Rugs and horse care kit)

Y

Yamnaya

A steppe culture. A 2023 study by Trautmann and colleagues judged five Yamnaya men dated about 3000 to 2500 BCE to have been frequent riders from skeletal markers; Ursula Brosseder, who was not involved, cautioned against reading it as proof that horsemanship was fully developed. (Domestication of the horse)

Yellow Warning Card

An FEI sanction. Under the FEI noseband protocol a horse whose noseband fails the check after competition is eliminated and the athlete receives a Yellow Warning Card; under the 2013 helmet rule, refusing an official's request to wear headgear brought one. (Whips, blood and nosebands)

Young Rider

An FEI age category, from the year a rider turns 16 to the year they turn 21 (FEI Jumping Rules 2026). British Dressage dates its addition as an FEI category to 1981. (Rider ages and categories)