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

Seree’s Year of the Horse equestrian snaffle bit necklace draws on that lineage without trying to modernize it away. —Dianne Plummer, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026

Mitchell himself helped found Los Rancheros Visitadores, the storied equestrian group that still rides through Santa Barbara County each year, with early gatherings centered at the ranch. —Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 21 Jan. 2026

Noun

At Davis, equestrian is a women’s sport, with 33 athletes on this year’s roster. —Bay Area News Group, Mercury News, 14 Jan. 2026

Toviggino, a long-time AFA lieutenant, is an avid equestrian. —Felipe Cardenas, New York Times, 13 Jan. 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