Equestrianism relates to the riding of horses. This broad description includes both riding horses for practical purposes such as in police work or for controlling herd animals on a ranch, as well as recreational and sporting aspects such as horse riding sports, dressage, show jumping, eventing, vaulting and polo. Other horse riding activities include horse-racing, hunting, fox hunting, rodeo, endurance, jousting and cavalry. Often horses are simply used for recreational rides, which many parks and ranches offer to visitors.

In former times equestrianism was closely associated with the military: medieval knights were equestrians, as were their military successors, the cavalry.


Haute école
The haute école (F. "high school") is a highly refined set of horseback skills.

Leading haute école démonstration teams include:

The Cadre Noir in Saumur, France. 
The Spanish Riding School in Vienna, Austria.