I’ve seen some comments on social media posts and also heard people say things, but sometimes I’ve noticed people saying that Eventers are ‘better’ than other equestrians because we have to be good at three disciplines, not just one. I was wondering people’s opinions on this. Personally, I think that just because you win in three rings instead of one or two doesn’t make you a better equestrian than someone who only wins in the Eq ring or the Dressage ring. Also, I don’t believe they’re taking into account how much better an Eventer’s horsemanship is, because doesn’t being a good equestrian take good horsemanship and riding skill? I acknowledge that we do have to learn three disciplines instead of one consistently, but tbh there are some SJ or even Hunter riders that I think will always be better than me. I wanted to know if anyone agreed/disagreed with the title statement.
Good at talking themselves up 
Ever hear the expression; Jack of all trades …
I think you have true greats like Ingrid Klimke and Michael Jung who are as good as anyone in any discipline, but no, as a general rule, I think you would be hard pressed to say eventers are on average “better” than riders of other disciplines. A lot of subpar midlevel dressage and meh mid level show jumping happens, even at the top.
I think one thing eventers do better as part of the culture and requirements of the discipline is emphasize conditioning, including hacking out (and cross-training, obviously) at all levels as part of a complete/robust training program. I don’t know much about HJ, but this has been true IME as a distinction between low-mid-level eventing vs. dressage only riders/trainers. (Maybe this is changing in dressage now.)
I couldn’t say whether the horsemanship is better on average or overall, but I would not be surprised if it is perceived that way in part because of the connection to Pony Club, where the horsemanship standard is quite high.
The same way with any discipline you can have good and bad riders.
I started off in an eventing ponyclub, which was great as there were dressage and showjumping instruction as well as having our own cross country course.
There was a subsidiary club that held Friday Night Showjumping once a month as well.
So we competed in everything, the first club day was a gymkhana, we competed in dressage, Show jumping, Jumping Equitation, combined trainings, hunter trials and One Day Events.
Who says you only have to do one discipline?
I am a die hard eventer (did my first horse trial in 1970), a licensed official, and am part of the Eventing “PTB” on a local level.
But I certainly don’t think eventers, as a group, are any better (as riders or horse(wo)men) than riders in any other discipline. In fact, I have seen some pretty bad riding at horse trials.
Certainly it’s possible to be a bad horseman or a bad rider as an eventer, but as someone who started out in hunters and who has a lot of exposure to multiple disciplines, I think the cross-disciplinary nature is a big strength for eventers. Eventers IME are much more likely to work with multiple coaches, to show in multiple disciplines, and to be a bit more independent and practical in their approach to horses, riding, competing, and horsemanship.
In the hunter world, it’s possible, even easy and common, to have only one trainer your whole riding life. Or maybe a couple as you transition from junior to adult, etc. And in that world, a fairly full-service style is common. Same in many of the breed-specific show disciplines. Some of these riders never even attend a show or lesson outside their very narrow focus.
The fact that you will have to ride effectively outside an arena is itself a big skill builder that some riders in the other disciplines never get. We share this with endurance and competitive trail riding, which are also pretty interesting disciplines.
Eventers and dressage riders seem to be the disciplines where I most see a small group of people who will partake of clinics and the like without maybe ever showing, or showing very infrequently. They’re disciplines that attract people that just want to learn rather than get a ribbon. If you want a ribbon, there are easier ways.
IME eventers are less likely to do horsekeeping practices that are only for aesthetics and may not benefit the horse, or even harm the horse.
There are many ways to have a great time with a horse and eventing is just one. In some ways, eventing is still a fairly narrow set of activities. I don’t think any discipline has a monopoly on great horsemanship - there’s so much to learn from reiners and cutters and drivers and for that matter horseback archers. But I think there are structural aspects to a discipline that can either build or discourage horsemanship among its lower- and mid-level participants.
Of course we’re better! And modest too, lol.
Well said!
I hate seeing this stuff. This is the primary reason why I refer to myself only as a “rider” not a “Jumper” or “Eventer” or the like.
Eventing, as others pointed out, is not 3 phases at the Olympic level of each Sport. We do not do a Grand Prix Dressage test with Piaffe, Passage and the like before then running a 5* xc course and then have to jump a 1.60m show jump course on the last day. As such, we’re not riders who have the same experience levels (As a whole) as our Dressage and Show Jumping counterparts. It doesn’t make anyone better. It makes us all different.
We do have eventers who are slowly creeping up the show jumping ladder. We have eventers creeping up the dressage ladder. And we have show jumpers who event and dressage riders who do as well. And across the board I would say that there are many beginner - intermediate level riders who event/do H/J or Dressage who ALL need to stop and really work on their horsemanship.
Riding is like Golf, it’s a lifelong passion more than a sport and you can (and likely will) die not knowing everything.
Judging others as “not as good” or yourself as “better” is just another sign that we need to remember to invest in our communities and work with those who feel like they must be above others and give them some perspective about being above the comments of this nature. Get a psychologist and work on what’s missing in your own life that you feel like you need to make those comments.
Em
#MIPSSaves
I used to adhere to that theory too, ages ago, when I only knew eventers personally and read about other disciplines. Since then, I’ve gotten to know A circuit hunter, eq and jumper riders, UL dressage riders and trainers, a pile of fox hunters. Eventers don’t have a monopoly on good horsemanship - or bad, for that matter. 
Disagree…different perhaps. We generally have a slightly different culture (although that is changing). You can learn from everything…and its good to be open minded. I gravitated to eventing because I liked that trainers didn’t prep horses at shows and you could be competitive without a fortune. And I liked doing different things. But when I first started eventing…no one started out doing eventing…you came from doing other things too…fox hunting, pony club, show hunters, jumpers, dressage…even western. Most top riders in any of the disciplines did other things…I know several top show jumpers who raced (on flat and over fences) too…and evented. I still like doing more than just eventing…and like that we are not just eventers…we are horse people.
I agree that eventers do not have a monopoly on good horsemanship. However, many even at the lower levels are brave and build confidence in their horses, are willing to work with challenging horses and help them become good citizens, and are willing to put time and practice into 3 disciplines plus conditioning. That is a lot more than many lower level (non FEI) dressage people seem willing to do.
Although I’m very much a dressage person, I appreciate boarding at an eventing barn.
We probably see a lot more cross discipline over here - Robbie Power is a classic - wins the grand national horse race and then wins the Hickstead Speed Derby in jumping, proving that a good jockey is just that - a good jockey.
A good horseman is a good horseman. So no, I definitely dont think eventers are ‘better’.
of course eventers are not the best horseman. It goes without saying that the best horseman are those of us who do three phases without the use of leg aids… COMBINED DRIVERS!!
But you know what really makes a good horseman? The curiosity to know what is out there, what is new and different. To not hold yourself above any discipline without at least trying it (exceptions for the few disciplines that are abusive, i.e., big lick). I’ve competed in many disciplines in my many years around horses, and been exposed to around/participated in many more. They have all taught me things, good things, bad things, useful tips, waste of time and so on. If I a good horse person it’s because not only have I wanted to learn from other disciplines, I want to incorporate the things I’ve learned in the management of my horses
I will say by virtue of needing to understand fitness, dressage and jumping, the narrow minded eventer is forced to expand their horizons more than a narrow minded endurance rider, jumper or dressage rider. But the answer to that problem is not to be an eventer, but rather to not be narrow minded.
Of course the obvious exception to this is to just do combined driving. Then you will be the best.
Couldn’t agree more!
A survivor of the long format 3 Day era, I’d say to successfully compete you had to be a top horseman, as far as learning conditioning and rating for speed
But as a now Dressage person, I’d say a lot of the dressage, then and now was not up to my present standards. It was a get it done somehow. And as I’ve long maintained, as dressage goes, so goes stadium.
However, as mentioned, there are riders at the top for a reason. Their dressage is excellent, as is their stadium. And they can ride and rate their horses subtly, saving time and their horses’ joints.
I do ranch, and we have to be good in way more than 3 disciplines. Let’s see, there is halter (conformation), pleasure, ranch riding, trail, reining, cow work, fence work, and cutting. Sometimes speed classes too. We win! Seriously, if you want a legitimate discussion, put this topic in Off Course.
I am not an eventer, so hopefully have an unbiased view. I tend to think of eventers as good all-round horse people for a few reasons. They have to switch between disciplines and adapt their riding for each. They tend to have a culture of self-sufficiency even at higher levels that is often lacking in other disciplines - hands on with the basic care, grooming, show prep, etc., rather than just being handed a perfectly turned out horse and stepping into the ring. It’s a discipline where making a horse is still a valuable skill, vs buying a “made” horse and keeping it in full training, and I love the variety of horse breeds, types, and price ranges all competing at the same event.
When my friends ask me to recommend a stable or program for their kids to start riding lessons, I always point them towards eventing barns where I know they will be taught solid safe basics on solid safe horses, with a good degree of horsemanship included in the lessons.
Does that mean I think eventers are “better” than riders in other disciplines? Of course not. There are good and bad horse people in every discipline. And eventers might not be as good at each discipline as someone who specializes in that discipline. But overall those are the traits I see and admire in the majority of eventers I know.
I’ve only scanned this thread, but I haven’t seen mention of the one thing eventers really are the best at: partying. Especially after XC day :lol: And we’re pretty good at helping each other out, even at competitions.
