Last Updated on April 5, 2022
All horse lovers dream of achieving big things – whether it is winning a top horse race or popping over your first fence on your favorite pony. But who is the best horseback rider in the world?
This is not an easy question to answer, as it is very hard to compare the top riders! There are many different equestrian disciplines, all with some truly top-class horseback riders. Let’s see if we can figure out who the best horseback rider in the world is!
Who Is The Best Horse Rider In The World?
Sadly, we have to get one thing straight from the start – it is unlikely that we will be able to tell you who the best horseback rider in the world is! But we are going to find some great examples of amazing horse riders and find out all about their great achievements.
The reason why it is so difficult to find the best horse rider in the world is that horse riders compete in so many different types of events.
It would be impossible to compare riders across these events. For example, how would you decide who was best out of a top-level dressage rider and a highly successful jockey? Both excel in their sports but have very different horse riding skills.
However, we don’t think you’ll be disappointed with our list of the world’s best horse riders!
World’s Best Horse Riders Revealed!
Let’s take a look at some of the top horse riders in different equestrian sports:
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Top Dressage Rider – Isabell Werth
Isabell Werth is a German dressage rider who has competed in the Olympic games six times. During this time, she has won twelve Olympic medals, of which seven are gold.
This gives her the title of the rider holding the most Olympic medals in any equestrian sport, so you could argue that she is the best horseback rider in the world!
She has also won over 40 medals in other top-level competitions, including the World Equestrian Games, European Championships, and World Cup Finals
Isabell Werth has ridden many horses to victory, most famously Gigolo FRH, Antony FRH, Bella Rose 2, and Weihegold.
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Top Showjumper – Capt. Alberto Larraguibel Morales
It was very hard to choose a contender for the best showjumper in the world, as this is a highly competitive sport! When it comes to accumulating medals, many riders have hit the top spot over the years, with no one rider standing out above the rest.
There are also many different leagues for showjumping riders. This makes it hard to determine which rider has achieved the most during their career.
So, for our top showjumper, we’ve gone for a rider who has held the record for the highest jump for over half a century! Capt. Alberto Larraguibel Morales rode a horse named Huaso ex-Faithful over an incredible 2.47-meter high jump in 1949, and no rider has yet beaten this record.
Luckily, this incredible feat was captured on film at the time, with this amazing little horse seeming to fly through the air!
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Top Eventer – Sir Mark Todd
Sir Mark Todd was voted as ‘Event Rider of the 20th Century’ by the International Federation for Equestrian Sports and is one of the top eventers of all time.
The New Zealand rider has won numerous medals during his illustrious career and has competed in the Olympic games seven times. He has won two Olympic gold and three bronze medals, as well as being part of the winning team on many occasions.
Mark Todd has also won Badminton Horse Trials four times, and Burghley Horse Trials five times. He holds medals for over 20 other different international events.
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Top Jockey – Laffit Pincay Jr.
Winning an impressive 9,530 horse races during his career, Laffit Pincay Jr. is one of the best racing jockeys of all time. He had a long career of over five decades, during which he won over $237 million in race winnings.
At the time of his retirement, Laffit had won more races than any other jockey. He is famous for achieving the “Outstanding Jockey” award five times. His most notable wins include the Kentucky Derby in 1984 and the Breeders Cup Classic in 1986.
How To Become The Best Horse Rider In The World
There are two things all our top horse riders have in common – the right horse, and lots of hard work!
The top riders often select their mounts when the horse is relatively young. This allows the rider to train the horse up to the highest level. It can be difficult to tell how successful a horse will be when it is young, so many riders train several horses at once.
As well as athletic ability, a top-level horse needs the right mental attitude as well. It must have the will and desire to excel in its training. A winning equine athlete must have the endurance and stamina to compete at the highest level.
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As well as all this, the horse must be level-headed enough to travel around the world and cope with exciting new environments!
The top horse riders must be prepared to train every day to achieve their goals. This means training with their horses, as well as maintaining their own physical fitness. They must also study the rules and technicalities of their chosen sport.
So, if you want to become a top rider, be prepared to work hard! All our best horse riders had to start at the bottom, riding ponies and competing in local competitions. Your dreams of being the best horseback rider in the world may be within your reach!
Summary
While some of these achievements are incredible, don’t forget that many of us achieve small things every time we sit on a horse. Just being able to control a large, living animal is incredible in itself, so give yourself a pat on the back too!
We hope you have enjoyed our list of the best horse riders in the world. There certainly are some amazing equestrian athletes out there! Who do you think is the best horse rider in the world? We’d love to hear your thoughts – please add a comment below!
Who is a good horse rider?
A good rider is comfortable and confident with themselves and their horse. They can be happy and relaxed while riding. They don’t get nervous and afraid around their horse. They have a positive attitude when they are around their horse and they established a deep bond with their equine companion. A good rider is able to understand the horse and communicate well with their horse. A good rider will be able to understand what their horse is saying through their body language. A good rider is also able to make their horse feel safe and comfortable around them.
Who is the most famous female horse rider?
Julie Krone is an American horse racer born in 1963. She is famous for being the most successful female jockey in US history. She’s the only female horse jockey to ever win a Triple Crown race. In 2000, she became the first woman inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. She was also the first woman to win a Breeders’ Cup race. She has also been honored by induction into the National Women’s Hall of Fame and Cowgirl Hall of Fame.
What actor was the best horseman?
Ben Johnson (June 13, 1918 – April 8, 1996), who was born in Foracre, Oklahoma, was an American film and television actor, stuntman, and world-champion rodeo cowboy. In his youth, the tall and laconic actor Jack Johnson brought authenticity to many roles in Westerns. His droll manner and expert horsemanship added to his screen presence. Johnson arrived in Hollywood to bring his horses for a film and stayed working as a stuntman before his breakthrough as an actor. The role in the 1950s drama The Last Picture Show earned Johnson the 1971 Academy Award, BAFTA Award, and Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor. All the time throughout his career Johnson also operated a horse-breeding ranch.
Which jockey has won most races?
Russell Baze began racing when he was sixteen years old. The driving force behind his racing career was his family – also his father was a jockey and a trainer and helped train the horse that Baze won the first race on.
David Baze began his racing career in Walla Walla, Washington in 1974. After he won his first major title, he began to make a name for himself and in the early 1980s he was already winning racing titles at northern Carolina racetracks. Baze won more than 400 races for four straight years, and in 1995, he was honored with the Eclipse Award. Since then, he has won 400 or more races in a year seven times. No other jockey has accomplished that feat more than three times.
Why is Kentucky so popular for horses?
Many consider wide grassy plains of Kentucky the best place to raise and breed horses. Horses have been a part of Kentucky’s history since the early frontier settlers came to the area and developed a tradition of racing them for sport. Today, Kentucky is the home of the famous Kentucky derby horse race, the Preakness, and the Kentucky Oaks, one of the most prestigious horse races in America. In fact, the state is the birthplace of thoroughbred horse racing.
Horse farms flourish in the state and the Bluegrass region has become a horse-breeding hot spot. The farms there have produced a number of outstanding Kentucky Derby winners, including Easy Goer, Barbaro, Street Sense and Charismatic. Kentucky is also home to many thoroughbred farms, which are where the top horses in the country are bred.
Kate Chalmers is a qualified veterinary nurse who has specialized in horse care for the vast majority of her career. She has been around horses since she was a child, starting out riding ponies and helping out at the local stables before going on to college to study Horse Care & Management. She has backed and trained many horses during her lifetime and competed in various equestrian sports at different levels.
After Kate qualified as a veterinary nurse, she provided nursing care to the patients of a large equine veterinary hospital for many years. She then went on to teach horse care and veterinary nursing at one of the top colleges in the country. This has led to an in-depth knowledge of the care needs of horses and their various medical ailments, as well as a life-long passion for educating horse owners on how to provide the best possible care for their four-legged friends.
Kate Chalmers BSc (Hons) CVN, Dip AVN (Equine) Dip HE CVN EVN VN A1 PGCE
