Equestrian, one of the longest-standing sports on the Olympic programme, will bring both dynamism and tradition to the vibrant Deodoro Olympic Park at the Rio 2016 Games. There, at the second largest Games cluster, equestrian will rub shoulders with younger sports such as BMX, mountain bike cycling, whitewater canoeing and rugby sevens, along with a host of more historic Olympic sports such as modern pentathlon, shooting and hockey. It promises to be a colourful and diverse hub of sporting excitement come August and September 2016.

Horses first appeared in the ancient Olympic Games in 680 BC, when chariot racing was one of the top attractions. Equestrian sports, as we know them today, first entered the modern Olympic Games in Paris in 1900, when jumping events were included. Dressage and eventing joined the Olympic programme at the Stockholm 1912 Games and all three disciplines have been ever present since. At Atlanta 1996, equestrian became part of the Paralympic Games.

In this special series of articles we will start with an overview of the sport, explaining its history, different forms and looking at its leading nations, before revealing the extensive logistical planning that goes into bringing more than 300 of the world´s best horses into Brazil.

We will then go behind the scenes at the National Equestrian Centre, which will host the competitions in 2016, and speak to some of the Brazilian riders hoping to shine on home soil. In the company of the Secretary General of Germany´s Equestrian Federation, we´ll also have an in-depth look at the secrets behind his country´s continued success in the sport and ask him what the nation must do to stay on top. Finally, we will take you into the world of Paralympic equestrianism.

Schedule of articles: