Equetrian-+Dressage,+Eventing,+Jumping

Equestrian has been part of the Olympic programme since Stockholm 1912 Games. Dressage and Show Jumping were open to all, but few civilians took part. This changed at the Helsinki 1952 Games when women took part for the first time. Today, Equestrian medalists come from a wide range of backgrounds and countries. **How the Competition runs** Dressage tests take place in a 60m x 20m arena. Two competitions run at the same time- the Team medals are decided in one round and the Individual medals over three rounds. In each round the riders have to perform a Dressage Test, made up of a series of movements to be performed by the horse. The movements are set in a compulsory order for the first two rounds. For the third and final round the rider chooses what they will show the judges and the programme is set to music. The horse and rider are marked by five judges who will be looking for accuracy of movement, calmness, suppleness and flexibility. || Women have been allowed to ride in Equestrian events since 1952. However, it wasn’t until the Tokyo 1964 Games that a woman first competed in Eventing.
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 * [[image:ggggglamkbrlamkbrlamkbrlamkbr.jpg width="223" height="233"]] || Equestrian- Dressage
 * [[image:equestrian-eventing-beijing-2008-55116_lamkbrlamkbrlamkbrlamkbr.jpg width="260" height="235"]] || Equestrian- Eventing

How the competition runs

The Eventing competition takes place over four days. Days one and two are Dressage, day three is Cross Country and day four is Jumping. The Dressage and Jumping phases are similar to the pure Dressage and Jumping competitions. In the Cross Country event, riders have to complete a course over natural terrain of between 5,700m and 6,840m. The course contains solid obstacles that test the nerve, boldness and partnership of horse and rider. If the horse and/or rider fall they are eliminated from the competition. The rider with the fewest penalties at the end of the competition is the winner, with the Team Medals decided by the best three scores from each nation. || The horse made its first appearance at the Ancient Olympic Games in 680 B.C. when chariot racing was introduced. Equestrian has been part of the modern Olympic programme since Stockholm 1912, when 62 competitors from ten nations with 70 horses were involved. Women made their first Olympic appearance in Jumping at the 1956 Games in Stockholm.
 * [[image:Picture1yhtrgzlamkbrlamkbrlamkbrlamkbrlamkbr.jpg width="246" height="247"]] || **Equestrian- Jumping**

How the competition runs Jumping takes place in an arena, around a course of approximately 15 fences. Jumping courses are now highly technical, requiring boldness, power, accuracy and control from both the horse and the rider. The fences are designed so that if the horse hits them as they jump them, part or all of the fence will knock down and the rider will be penalised with ‘faults’.

Faults are also awarded if the rider does not complete the course within a set time. The winner is the rider with the fewest faults; if there is a tie, the result is decided by jumping a shortened course as fast as possible without knocking fences down. The Team medal is decided over three rounds by four riders and the Individual medals over five rounds. || include component="backlinks" page="Equetrian- Dressage, Eventing, Jumping" limit="10"