equestrian

1 of 2

adjective

eques·​tri·​an i-ˈkwe-strē-ən 

1

a

: of, relating to, or featuring horseback riding

equestrian Olympic events

b

archaic : riding on horseback : mounted

c

: representing a person on horseback

2

: of, relating to, or composed of knights

equestrian

2 of 2

noun

: one who rides on horseback

Did you know?

Equestrian comes from equus, Latin for "horse". Old statues of military heroes, like the famous one of General Sherman on New York's Fifth Avenue, are frequently equestrian. In these sculptures the man always sits nobly upright on a horse, but the horse's stance varies; depending on whether the rider was killed in battle or survived, was victorious or defeated, the horse traditionally stands with four, three, or two hooves on the ground. Equestrian statues have been popular through the centuries, because until the 20th century almost every officer in Europe and America was trained in equestrian skills and combat.

Examples of equestrian in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

That lineup changed in 2023, when the International Olympic Committee approved a proposal to replace the equestrian show jumping section with an obstacle-course component for the 2028 Summer Games. —Matt Moret, New York Times, 28 May 2026

Colorado sports fans now have the chance to own a piece of Broncos history, as a Blue River Valley equestrian estate tied to the team’s beloved mascot hits the market. —Jessica Alvarado Gamez, Denver Post, 27 May 2026

Noun

The Briton’s triumph is not the only example of how experience can be advantageous in equestrian, a sport where athletes are still competing into their 70s for the biggest prizes. —Danielle Rossingh, New York Times, 21 May 2026

That department is severing ties with those 14 club teams, which UConn spokesperson Stephanie Reitz said also include men’s crew, cycling, equestrian, gymnastics, kickline, polo, running, sailing, ski, tap and woodsmen. —Katie Servas, Hartford Courant, 14 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Latin equestr-, equester of a horseman, from eques horseman, from equus horse — more at equine

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1681, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1730, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for equestrian

• pedestrian

Kids Definition

equestrian

1 of 2 adjective

eques·​tri·​an i-ˈkwes-trē-ən 

: of or relating to horses, horseback riding, or people who ride horses

equestrian

2 of 2 noun

: one who rides on horseback