It’s about the horses, not the riders: It is the horse, not the rider, being judged. These athletic horses are not required to be of any particular breed, but European “warm blood” breeds dominate the events.
Riders use English-style saddles.
In the hunt events the horse is judged for its form in negotiating a course of turns and fence jumps.
In jumper events horses are timed as they negotiate a fixed course including several jumps and many turns.
In only one event, equitation, is the rider the primary subject of the judging. Judges look for the rider’s form and handling of the horse as it negotiates a course. Equitation was created in the United States.
It is a centuries-old sport, but also one of the newest NCAA sports. It’s been listed as an “emerging sport” by the NCAA and several, mostly Southern and East Coast, colleges and universities are fielding teams. It’s a females-only sport at this time.
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Unlike the rest of the world, most of the riders in U.S. hunter/jumper and equitation events are women.
It’s not unheard of for a top-level jumper to sell for half a million dollars or more.
