What Kind of Horse Riding Should I Do

One press picks a riding discipline to try, with what horse and rider do in it.

What Kind of Horse Riding Should I Do

Show all 50
  1. Trail ridingRiding outdoors on trails, bridle paths and forest roads, on a ride of any length.

Next step Draw something else to do outsideDraw a horse breed to go with it

How it works

Booking lessons, or looking for a new goal with a horse you already ride? Press the button for one riding discipline, from dressage to barrel racing.

Read the full guide

English or Western first

English riding is seen throughout the world, and its disciplines run from dressage to show jumping. Western riding grew out of ranch work with cattle, and reining, cutting and barrel racing all belong to it.

  • A riding school teaches only some of these, so ask which disciplines its horses and instructors know before you book.

Questions and answers

What are the different types of horse riding?

The two broad styles are English and Western. Inside them sit judged disciplines such as dressage and reining, timed ones such as show jumping and barrel racing, cattle events, team games such as polo, and trail riding. This list holds 50.

What is the difference between English and Western riding?

Mostly the saddle and the reins. An English saddle is flat, with no horn. A Western saddle has a horn and a deep seat, and the horse is trained to neck rein: it turns from light pressure of a rein against its neck.

What kinds of horse riding are in the Olympics?

Three: dressage, eventing and show jumping, each with individual and team medals. Men and women compete directly against one another, and the Paralympics hold dressage only.

What kind of horse riding is not competitive?

Pleasure riding, called hacking in British English, is riding for your own enjoyment with no competition. Trail riding follows trails, bridle paths and forest roads, on a ride of any length.

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All 50 riding disciplines

English riding 13

  • Classical dressage The art of riding in harmony with the horse, grown out of old cavalry training.
  • Cross-country riding Jumping across open country: a phase of eventing and, at local level, a competition of its own.
  • Dressage Horse and rider perform a memorised sequence of set movements, each scored by judges.
  • English pleasure A group class at walk, trot and canter in which the horse should look a pleasure to ride.
  • Equitation Classes in which the rider is judged, not the horse: position, aids, form and control.
  • Eventing One horse and rider compete in three phases: dressage, cross-country and show jumping.
  • Hunt seat A forward seat style of North American horse shows, ridden on the flat and over fences.
  • Para dressage Dressage under the same basic rules, with riders placed in grades by functional ability.
  • Saddle seat An English style that shows off a horse’s high action and extravagant gaits, above all the trot.
  • Show hunter The horse is judged on manners, fluid movement and correct jumping style, mostly over fences.
  • Show jumping Jump a set course of fences cleanly within the time allowed; knockdowns and refusals add faults.
  • Sidesaddle Riding seated aside, not astride, in a saddle built for it.
  • Team chasing Teams of four race the clock over a cross-country course of about 25 fences.

Western riding 14

  • Barrel racing Horse and rider run round three barrels set in a triangle, for the fastest time.
  • Breakaway roping A rider ropes a calf; a string ties the rope to the saddle, and the run ends when it breaks.
  • Cowboy polo Polo in a rodeo arena, with western saddles, five riders a side and a large rubber ball.
  • Cutting In a run of two and a half minutes, horse and rider cut single cows out of a herd before judges.
  • Pole bending Horse and rider weave a path round six poles set in a line, in a timed run.
  • Ranch sorting Two riders move numbered cattle from one pen to the other in the correct order, against the clock.
  • Reining The rider guides the horse through a precise pattern of circles, spins and stops.
  • Team penning Three riders separate three marked cattle from a herd of 30 and pen them, against the clock.
  • Team roping Two riders rope one steer: the header takes the horns and the heeler the hind feet.
  • Trail class One rider at a time takes a course of obstacles, such as a gate to open and a bridge to cross.
  • Western dressage The principles of dressage, ridden in western tack and western attire.
  • Western pleasure Horses are judged on manners and a relaxed, slow, collected way of going.
  • Western riding class A set pattern ridden mostly at the lope, judged on smooth gaits and clean flying lead changes.
  • Working cow horse Horse and rider are tested on working cattle, judged on accuracy, timing and responsiveness.

Working cattle 4

  • Camargue equitation The working style of the gardian herders of southern France, tied to Camargue horses and cattle.
  • Campdrafting An Australian sport: cut one beast from the mob of cattle, then guide it round a course of pegs.
  • Charrería The national sport of Mexico, grown from ranch work competitions between haciendas.
  • Working equitation Dressage, an obstacle course, a speed round and, for teams, sorting one cow from a group.

Against the clock 3

  • Endurance riding A long-distance race with veterinary checks on the way; the first fit horse over the line wins.
  • Gymkhana Speed pattern races and timed games on horseback, often for children and local riders.
  • Skijoring A winter sport: the rider gallops the horse while it pulls a skier on a rope.

Team games and team events 5

  • Equestrian drill team A group of horses and riders performs choreographed maneuvers to music.
  • Horseball Teams of four pass a ball with six handles and score by throwing it through a vertical hoop.
  • Pato Argentina’s national sport: two teams of four throw a ball with six handles through an upright ring.
  • Polo Two teams of four drive a ball between the other side’s goal posts with wooden mallets.
  • Polocrosse Polo crossed with lacrosse: each rider carries the ball in a stick with a loose net at its head.

Trails and open country 6

  • Competitive trail riding Long-distance riding in which the winner is found by speed together with how the horse recovers.
  • Icelandic equitation Iceland’s traditional style: a relaxed, long-legged seat on a horse with a smooth extra gait.
  • Mounted orienteering Finding control points across country on horseback, with a map and a compass.
  • Pleasure riding Recreational riding for your own enjoyment, with no competition; hacking in British English.
  • Trail riding Riding outdoors on trails, bridle paths and forest roads, on a ride of any length.
  • TREC Three phases from France: mounted orienteering, control of the horse’s paces and an obstacle course.

Recognized by the world federation (FEI) 2

  • Equestrian vaulting Gymnastics and dance on a horse that moves in a circle on a long line held from the center.
  • Tent pegging A rider at high speed tries to strike or pick up a small ground target with a lance or sword.

Skills and old traditions 3

  • Bareback riding Riding with no saddle, which asks for skill, balance and coordination.
  • Jousting A medieval game of two riders with lances, revived as re-enactment and as competition.
  • Mounted archery Archery from the saddle: shooting arrows while riding a horse.