Reprinted from The Horse Report (Spring 2014) with permission from the Center for Equine Health, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis (UC Davis). 

National Sportsmanship Day was March 1, and whether the athletes we most admire happen to be human or equine, they have uplifted and inspired us through the love of competition. Horses were part of the ancient Olympic games in 680 BC and have been competing with and alongside their human counterparts through the ages. The equestrian disciplines of jumping, dressage, and eventing have been part of the Olympics for more than 100 years.

The Olympic games are based on a philosophy that advocates using sport not just as a physical activity but also as a means of educating people. According to this philosophy, the good sportsmanship, sense of fair play, and respect for fellow athletes developed through participation in sports teaches men and women of all races, religions, and nationalities to work peacefully together in competition toward common goals.

The Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) functions in a similar role as the International Olympic Committee, serving as the international governing body for equestrian sports. The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) is our national regulatory organization, regulating competitions and promoting the safety and welfare of horses and riders while encouraging excellence at every competitive level. They provide a body of rules, an effective means of enforcing them, and a judicial process that is fair to competitors while providing for optimum integrity within the sport