Subscribers have been asking me to post my one hour television special Riding For America, an American film Festival Blue Ribbon winner. I have posted clips but never before shown the complete documentary. Back in the 1980s I got the chance to go behind the scenes with many of the greatest American horseback riders as they United States equestrian team as they compete for the Olympics.
Equestrian athletes undergo a rigorous training program to prepare for the Games. Each equestrian discipline has its own specific criteria and selection process.

One of the competitive sports shown in this film is equestrian show jumping. It involves horses and riders navigating a course of jumps and obstacles that are set at a maximum height of 1.6 meters (5'3") and a maximum width of 2.0 meters (6'7"). In top-of-the-line show jumping competitions, riders and horses are expected to demonstrate exceptional athleticism, precision, and skill as they navigate the course. The jumps are often highly technical and require a combination of speed, agility, and accuracy.

To compete at this level, riders and horses must have exceptional talent and training, as well as access to top-notch facilities and coaching. They must also have the ability to work together as a team and have a deep understanding of each other's strengths and weaknesses.

Another equestrian competitive sport is called dressage. It involves horses and riders performing a series of highly technical and precise movements in a predetermined sequence, with the aim of demonstrating the horse's balance, suppleness, and obedience.
In dressage competitions, riders and horses are expected to execute movements such as pirouettes, piaffes, passages and flying changes with exceptional precision and harmony. The performances are judged by a panel of experts based on criteria such as accuracy and rhythm.

To compete at the top level riders and horses must have exceptional talent and training. They must also have a deep understanding of each other's strengths and weaknesses as well as the ability to work together as a team to create a seamless performance.

Another area of Olympic competition is three-day eventing which combines the disciplines of dressage, cross-country, and show jumping. It is considered one of the most challenging equestrian sports as it requires horses and riders to have a high level of fitness, skill and versatility.

In three-day eventing competitions horses and riders must compete over three days. The first day consists of dressage where riders and horses perform a series of precise movements in a predetermined sequence. The second day is cross-country where riders must navigate a course of jumps and obstacles that are spread out over a long distance and often include natural elements such as water, ditches and banks. The final day is show jumping, where horses and riders must complete a course of jumps set at maximum height and width.

The difficulty of three-day eventing lies in its physical and mental demands. Horses and riders must have excellent stamina and endurance to perform well in each discipline as well as the ability to switch between different types of riding and adjust to different courses and obstacles. The sport also requires a high level of strategy and decision-making as riders must make split-second decisions about their approach to each obstacle and adjust their riding accordingly.

Three-day equestrian competition is considered a relatively high-risk sport due to the physical and mental demands placed on horses and riders. The cross-country phase of eventing is considered to be the most dangerous.

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Thank you.
David Hoffman filmmaker