equestrian

adjective eques·tri·an \ i-ˈkwe-strē-ən \

Updated on: 13 Apr 2018

Definition of equestrian

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

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Recent Examples of equestrian from the Web

Called Rancho La Zaca, the bucolic property boasts a 25-acre vineyard, a shooting range, a stocked pond, equestrian facilities and miles of hiking and riding trails.

— lauren beale, latimes.com, "Wide-open spread for sale in Los Olivos was once James Garner territory," 2 Apr. 2018
For additional riding options, visit Longfield Stables, Palmetto Bluff’s world-class equestrian facility.

— Smithsonian, "Discover Palmetto Bluff’s great outdoors," 1 Apr. 2018
Andrade is also a partner in a South Carolina farm that raises show horses and sponsors equestrian competitions.

— jay weaver and antonio maria delgado, miamiherald, "Ex-Venezuelan treasurer close to Chávez is target of Florida money-laundering probe | Miami Herald," 31 Mar. 2018
His sister, Dorothy Morkis, became a successful rider and competitor in equestrian competitions.

— bryan marquard, BostonGlobe.com, "Charles Sarkis, 78; built a restaurant empire and owned Wonderland Greyhound Park," 12 Mar. 2018
Mannella's ingenuity has taken her from Randolph, N.J., to the Adaptive Sports Foundation at Windham Mountain, to equestrian competition and the Academy for Veterinary Science at Morris Tech, to Dartmouth – and soon, her second Paralympic Games.

— jane havsy, USA TODAY, "2018 Paralympics: Alpine skier Staci Mannella finds balance with guide Sadie DeBaun," 8 Mar. 2018
In May 2007, while competing in the Osberton Horse Trials, a high-level equestrian competition in the United Kingdom, her horse, Rolled Oats, clipped his shoulder on a tree, and Lomas went flying into its branches.

— avi jorisch, Newsweek, "How a Paralyzed Man Reinvented the Wheelchair to Help People Walk Again," 6 Mar. 2018
Figure skaters Maia and Alex Shibutani, equestrian Angela Peavy, volleyball players Annika Albrecht and Kelly Hunter, wrestler Kyle Snyder and distance runner Erin Finn are also finalists.

— stephen ruiz, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Former Lake Highland guard Joel Berry is finalist for Sullivan Award," 26 Mar. 2018
Wayans had intended to build a family compound with an 11,000-square-foot main house, a 5,600-square-foot guest house and equestrian facilities.

— neal j. leitereg and lauren beale, latimes.com, "Hot Property: Real estate reboot," 24 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'equestrian.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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.