The sport of Showjumping involves tackling a course of artificial jumps, as opposed to natural cross-country jumps. It takes place in an arena which can be grass or have an all-weather surface, indoors or outdoors. An Olympic sport governed by the FEI, it is also a popular unaffiliated sport with any number of classes being held at local shows.
Showjumping requires accuracy and care. Almost every horse of pony can jump, but they do not all have the technique, the will, or the desire to clear the fences.
Showjumping developed from the "leaping competitions" which were held at various shows in Europe and America during the late nineteenth century. There were high-jump and long-jump competitions for the horse and the rider but the idea of jumping a course of fences was, at the time, mainly restricted to natural cross-country fences. Jumping was first included in the Olympic games in Paris in 1900. It incorporated the high and wide competitions plus a timed competition over a course of artificial show jumps. In 1907, the first International Horse Show was held at Olympia in London, England, and the showjumping proved to be very popular. From then on competitions were organized throughout Europe and America for major trophies such as the Nations Cup. This began as a military competition open to three officers of the same nationality who had to compete in uniform. Today it is open to four rider of the same nationality, male or female, military or civilian.