Working equitation is an equestrian

Equestrianism

Equestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...

discipline. The world regulatory body is the World Association of Working Equitation.

The Working Equitation discipline is intended to promote competition between traditional styles of working riding used in various countries, and also to act as a showcase for traditional riding costumes and equipment.

Competition events may be individual or for teams, and are in three or four parts:

• Dressage, in which the horses perform obligatory movements to music for around 7 minutes

• Ease of Handling, a gymkhana type event in which horses must overcome obstacles similar to those likely to appear in the field, such as bridges and gates

• Speed, where similar obstacles must be overcome, but against time

• Cow (only for team competitions), in which the four team members separate a specific animal from a group.

The Team event at the 2010 European Working Equitation Championships was won by riders from Portugal.