Equestrian Wales is unique in being the ONLY website dedicated to equestrianism in Wales. This website has all the information you need to find local horse shows, county and agricultural shows, show jumping, dressage or endurance competitions, horse races, side saddle classes or carriage driving contacts in Wales. Equestrian Wales has dates, information and links to all the websites you need.

Are you interested in horse shows and equestrian disciplines in Wales? Do you want to find show dates and details of equestrian events in Wales? Or information about competitions in show jumping, dressage, eventing, le trec, endurance riding, side saddle riding, carriage driving, flat, national hunt or harness racing in Wales? This is the right place to find it.

To help you even more, all the Welsh equestrian information you could need is listed by region, so that if you are based in north Wales and are looking for show dates, a tack shop and new bridleway routes all in your local area of north Wales, you can find them all on one page in the Regions section of Equestrian Wales.

Horse showing is big business in Wales, at all levels. There are numerous horse shows held throughout Wales every year - from the prestigious agricultural and county shows featuring qualifiers to the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) and Royal International Horse Show, to the small local shows organised by volunteers.

At local level, amateur riders and their horses can do well with good basic schooling and little else - tack and turnout of horse and rider are not overly important at this level.

However, at county level, the way horse and rider are turned out can win or lose a class. The best way to learn how you and your horse should look for each class you intend to enter, is to watch the professionals - go to as many horse shows as you can, and study the winners of your classes. Look at what the rider wears - what colour jacket, which colour jodhpurs, long boots or jodhpur boots? Then look closely at the horse - is he plaited and trimmed, or left natural? What tack is he wearing? 

Equestrian Wales features listings of all the top horse shows and equestrian events in Wales, together with their 2008 dates and links to their websites, where available. Go along to these shows, watch horses and riders at work, and enjoy some fantastic days out.

To help you get started in showing, here is Equestrian Wales' brief guide to appropriate tack and turnout for you and your horse in the various showing classes:

Hunters, cobs, mountain and moorland breeds, hunter ponies, working hunters, and coloured horses and ponies - ridden classes: Rider - tweed jacket, brown gloves, brown cane, cream, beige or canary jodphurs or breeches (not white), long black boots, shirt and tie to complement the colour of your horse and jacket, hat with navy or black velvet cover. Horse - havana (brown) double bridle (snaffle for novice horse) with plain, flat noseband and browband, straight cut saddle to show off the horse's shoulder, preferably with no numnah or saddle cloth, though a small, discrete numnah matching the saddle/ horse could be used, girth chosen to match and co-ordinate with the colour of the horse. All horses and ponies should be plaited and trimmed apart from mountain and moorlands (check with the individual breed standards), cobs, which usually have hogged manes, and traditional coloureds, which should be shown untrimmed. Working hunters can wear a martingale, and boots for the jumping phase. The horse's boots must however be taken off for the ridden show.

Hacks, riding horses and ponies and show ponies, and part bred arabs - ridden classes: Rider - navy jackets with buttonholes (colours chosen to co-ordinate with horse/ tie/ browband etc), remainder as for other ridden classes. Horse - plain or raised noseband, with raised or fancy coloured browband. Remainder as before. All should be trimmed and plaited.

Plaited horses should have an odd number of plaits down the neck, plus one for the horse's forelock. 

Pure bred ridden arabs are shown untrimmed and unplaited, and judged as for riding horses - so manners, paces and schooling are all important.

Veteran horse classes can include horses of all different types - riding horse types, coloureds, mountain and moorlands, cobs etc - which should all be turned out as appropriate for the horse's type. So, a veteran pure bred arab will be shown untrimmed and unplaited, while a veteran hack will be plaited and trimmed with a fancy browband, and a veteran hunter type will be plaited and trimmed with a broad, flat noseband and plain browband.

In-hand classes have their own rules according to the horse's type or breed. Most horses will be shown in a snaffle (for novice or young horses) or double bridle. Foals may be shown in a leather foal slip, but yearlings upwards are expected to be shown in a bridle with a bit. In-hand arabs are shown in intricately embroidered arab halters, with embroidery to complement the colour of the horse, while welsh cobs are generally shown in rope halters. Whether the horse is plaited and trimmed or not depends on the type of horse - arabs, most mountain and moorlands, and traditional coloured's are shown unplaited and untrimmed, while hunter and riding pony youngstock are shown fully plaited.

If you are ready to start showing, Equestrian Wales lists show dates for all the affiliated and unaffiliated horse shows in Wales. If you are looking for a show near to you, all the shows in north Wales, mid Wales, and south and west Wales are listed on their respective regional pages.

If you are looking for another equestrian discipline in Wales, Equestrian Wales can help you there too.

Show jumping is a competitive equestrian sport where the horse and rider clear a series of obstacles at various heights. The very first major show jumping competition was held at Olympia in 1907. Since then, the rules and conventions have gone through a series of changes. Horse and rider are penalised for knocking a fence down (although various rules exist depending on which pole and which fence is knocked down), refusing to jump a fence, and if horse and/ or rider fall (again, rules apply).

Competitions are held UK wide to qualify for the Welsh Masters series of show jumping classes. These include classes for young horses according to age, young riders, ladies, gentlemen, newcomers, and open competitions.

Listed on the Show jumping in Wales page are all the shows including affiliated or unaffiliated show jumping classes in Wales, useful contacts, specialist instructors and venues in Wales, show jumping centres, and pony club and riding club branches which run show jumping training days in Wales.

Dressage is a beautiful equestrian discipline, which tests the horse's training to the limit. At the highest level, dressage horses perform dance-like movements, including the piaffe (a collected trot on the spot) and the passage (a very slow and controlled, collected trot). Other top level movements include the pirouette (where the horse turns through 180 or more degrees at walk or canter while his hind feet remain on one spot) and one-time lead changes (where the horse, in canter, changes canter lead every stride, appearing to skip).

Equestrian Wales has a special Dressage in Wales page, listing dressage competitions and dates, dressage venues, and instructors in Wales. Many dressage competitions, affiliated and unaffiliated, are held throughout Wales. A number of pony clubs and riding clubs in Wales run dressage clinics and their own competitions. This is the only website bringing together all these Welsh equine interests in one place to help you find the information you are looking for.

Eventing (horse trials) is an equestrian sport made up of three individual disciplines - dressage (to test the horse's temperament and trainability), cross country (which tests the horse's stamina, speed and boldness over natural, fixed fences), and show jumping (over knock-down fences, testing the contrasting qualities of agility, accuracy and technical jumping ability).

Affiliated eventing is run by the FEI, and has its origins in the methods of selection of horses for cavalry training. Eventing is one of the few competitions where men and women compete on equal terms, and where top professionals compete (on their novice horses) alongside amateur riders on their novice horses.

In affiliated eventing, the base level (Intro) is for horses just beginning eventing. As horses (and riders) gain more experience, they work up through the stages from Pre-Novice to Novice, Intermediate and Advanced level. Unaffiliated eventing competitions (horse trials) are also held.

Affiliated and unaffiliated Eventing competitions in Wales take place at various venues - these are listed on the Eventing in Wales page, together with contact details. There are also a number of venues with good quality cross country courses which can be hired for cross country schooling.

Le Trec is a fairly new sport to Britain, introduced by the British Horse Society in 1998. Based on the French discipline 'Le Trec', British TREC competitions have a reputation for being friendly and fun, and open to all breeds and types of horses together with their riders of all ages, whether novice or experienced, and whether they are competing all out to win, or simply as a fun challenge and to enjoy riding in beautiful countryside.

The only requirement is that horses need to be well schooled and versatile. There are classes from local level, right up to international championship level.

Le Trec in Wales is proving to be hugely popular, making full use of Wales' beautiful mountainous regions and wide open spaces, perfect for orienteering on horseback.

The three phases test the partnership of horse and rider, the rider's ability to map read on a full day ride, and the ability of the combination to deal with various natural obstacles and hazards. All types of horses aged over 4 years, whether riding horses, native ponies or cobs can be perfect for Le Trec, as long as they have a calm and obedient temperament.

The first phase is Parcours D'Orientation et de Regularite (POR). This tests the rider's ability to follow a route on a map, at set speeds. At beginner level, this is ridden mainly at walk and trot, and is up to 12km long, whle at level 4 the route is 40km long and involves more challenging routes, including following compass bearings, and occasionally a night section.

Phase 2 is the Matrisse des Allures or Control of Paces/Gaits (CP). Horse and rider must negotiate a straight course 150m long and 2-4m wide at a controlled canter, and an active walk. Higher marks are awarded for a more collected canter, and a more forward-going walk.

Phase 3 is the Parcours en Terrain Varie (PTV). This consists of a 1-5km long cross country course, with the height of obstacles dependent on the level of competition. This varies from 2 foot at Level 1 (beginners), to 3 foot at level 4. Also included are obstacles which need to be negotiated dismounted, and tests of obedience and calmness.

Scoring is based on points. There are no penalties for failing to complete any part of the competition - the combination simply do not gain points.

Normal tack can be worn, though a saddle bag is useful to carry the required equipment. This includes a basic first aid kit for horse and rider, a compass, headcollar and lead rope, and waterproof jacket.

Classes can be for individuals, pairs or teams. Children under 16 can ride in pairs classes accompanied by an adult, or can ride in junior classes where they are accompanied only on the POR section by an adult on horseback, on a bike, or on foot.

In pairs classes, only the POR section is ridden together. The remaining phases are ridden separately, with the individual scores added together.

The 2008 BHS TREC Championships of Great Britain will be held in Wales from 15-17 August, at a venue yet to be decided. See the Le Trec in Wales page for further information.

Equestrian Wales also has dedicated pages for Polo in Wales and Polocrosse in Wales. Polocrosse is a combination of polo and lacrosse played on horseback by two teams of 6 players. Several Pony Club branches organise polocrosse training sessions and tournaments. Details can be found on the Polocrosse in Wales page.

Side saddle riding became hugely popular around the middle of the 1800s and gradually faded out of favour in the early 1900s. There are more and more ladies taking up side saddle riding today however, whether for competition, or just for fun.

Side Saddle showing competitions are run by the Side Saddle Association, but there are also classes for ladies' hunters ridden side saddle. The Side Saddle riding in Wales page lists all the shows in Wales which have side saddle riding classes. It also includes contact information for centres offering side saddle riding lessons in Wales. You can also ride side saddle in affiliated dressage and show jumping classes, with the judge's permission, if you wish.

If your main interest is endurance riding, the Endurance Riding in Wales page has all the information you need. Endurance riding is the ultimate long distance challenge for horse and rider. It is a major test of both horsemanship and fitness for horse and rider, demanding long hours in the saddle and, at the highest level, considerable fitness training.

Arab horses tend to be the most successful at the longest rides, having the stamina and soundness required to cover long distances at fast speeds. However, any type of horse or pony is suitable for endurance riding competitions at the lower levels.

Endurance riding is governed in the UK by Endurance GB. Rides are held nationwide over all types of terrain from February to October each year. There are three types of rides - Non-Competitive Rides (NCR) which cover routes of up to 30km, Competitive Rides (CR) which cover routes up to 80km, and Endurance Rides (ERs) of from 80 - 160km, normally ridden in one day.

Horses over 4 years old can compete in NCRs. However, horses must be over 5 years old to compete in Competitive Rides. There are Novice, Open and Advanced level competitions of all types.

Endurance riding is very popular in Wales, with a number of rides organised each year including the Red Dragon ride in mid Wales. The mountains and high grassy uplands of Wales make for perfect routes over varied terrain usually on good going. See the Endurance Riding in Wales page for details and dates of rides, and contact information.

The Carriage Driving in Wales page includes contacts for all the carriage driving instructors in Wales, centres offering carriage driving holidays, tack shops specialising in carriage driving equipment in Wales, and specialist carriage driving routes throughout Wales. It also lists all the horse shows in Wales with carriage driving or private driving classes in Wales. There are classes for all types of turnouts and horses, from hackney ponies and horses, to continental driving horses, to locally bred Welsh Cobs.

Learning to drive a horse is an ambition for many people. British Driving Society (BDS)qualified carriage driving instructors in Wales are listed on the Carriage Driving in Wales page to help you realise your ambition.

If you don't have the time to learn to drive, a trot round the quiet Welsh country lanes behind a well turned out pair of horses can create a special memory. Carriage driving centres offering carriage rides are also listed. You will also find turnouts suitable for weddings and funerals for hire, listed in the Carriage Driving in Wales pages.

If you have some leisure time, why not visit one of Wales' many racecourses. Whether your interest is flat racing in Wales, national hunt racing in Wales, or harness racing in Wales, Equestrian Wales is the only website to give all the information you need, tailored to Wales. The Point to Point racing in Wales page has dates and contact details for all the Welsh point to point meetings.

There are numerous horse shows and equestrian events in Wales, large, medium and small, with classes for all disciplines and all types of horses and ponies - show jumping, dressage, eventing, gymkhana games, and showing classes for all breeds and types of horse and pony. Many are organised by or affiliated to the major equestrian organisations. Equestrian Wales is the best place to find them, together with their dates and websites.

Click here to see a map of the counties of Wales.

Horse shows and equestrian events in north, south, mid and west Wales and the welsh borders. Affiliated, unaffiliated, in-hand horse and pony showing classes, ridden showing, show jumping, dates, diary, dressage, eventing, le trec, endurance riding, polo, polocrosse, carriage driving, side saddle, coloured horses, heavy horses, sports horses, welsh ponies and cobs, arabian horses, warmbloods, riding horses, hacks, hunters, children's ponies, gymkhana, mounted games, veteran, cob, Royal International Horse Show, Horse of the Year show, cherif, CHAPS, Ponies UK, SHB(GB), NSPS, qualifiers, county, agricultural shows, flat racing, national hunt racing, point to point racing, harness racing, aberystwyth, anglesey, usk, denbigh and flint, cothi bridge, monmouthshire, pembrokeshire, st mellons, united counties, vale of glamorgan, swansea county, vaynor and district, aberaeron, royal welsh, competition venues, equestrian festivals, in Wales.