Equestrian events were included in the Olympic Games for the first time in 1900 and then in 1912, in a format very similar to that which will be used at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games. In the past, the three-day event (Eventing) was restricted to military officers, while the jumping and dressage competitions were open to civilians, but only a handful of civilian riders competed up to 1948.

Equestrian consists of three disciplines: Jumping, Dressage and Eventing (Three-Day Event).