You don’t have to be an equestrian to run an equestrian event!* We’ve compiled some useful information to help you make your events accessible for the equestrian community.

*But you do have to have an equestrian marshal on the stewarding team! All equestrian activities must be conducted under the supervision of an equestrian marshal – please see Rules and Forms.

Travel

Most equestrians are willing to travel with their horses up to two hours each way for single day events, and up to 3-4 hours for multi-day events.

Some equestrians may be willing to travel further, but transporting a horse for longer periods of time will require stops every 3-4 hours, and may necessitate an overnight stop.

Facilities

What facilities does your site have? With sufficient space and float access, most sites can be used for equestrian events, but keep in mind that having to transport extra equipment may be a barrier to equestrians travelling to your event. Regional showgrounds are an excellent option for equestrian event sites, as most will have basic shelter, access to water, and designated arena space already available.

If you are using a site that doesn’t normally cater to horses, you will need to consider the following:

• Enough space for equestrians to set up individual yards (including electric yards) for each horse. We recommend a minimum of 4m x 4m per horse, to allow ample room for them to move and roll.
  • Don’t forget that floats and trailers will typically need to be parked adjacent to the yards.
• Space for horses to exercise (e.g. leading or riding) outside of specific equestrian activities.
• Access to clean water. Horses need 30-50L of water per day, and more in hot weather or with regular exercise. We recommend budgeting ~70L per horse, per day.
  • If your equestrian area does not have direct access to a waterpoint, you will need to consider the logistics of purchasing and transporting water.

Equestrian Activities

What do you need to run the equestrian activities themselves? Equestrians will bring their own equipment for specific activities (just like fighters will bring their own weapons and armour), but as the Event Steward, you will need to provide an appropriate space for those activities to take place:

• The amount of space will depend on the intended activities (please consult with your equestrian marshal), but an area the size of a small dressage arena (20m x 40m) will be sufficient for most activities.
• For mounted archery, the equestrian space will need to have a safety zone behind the farthest target and extending outward from the shooting line. We recommend adhering to the suggested range dimensions in the Lochac Target Archery Rules:
  1. “We recommend that the safety zone behind the farthest target extends at least 40 yards (36.5m) back, or for half the distance from the line to the farthest target, whichever is greater.”
  2. “For shoots of 50 yards (45.7m) or less, the safety zone to the sides of the shooting line and targets should extend outward at a 30- to 45-degree angle from both ends of the shooting line to a line even with the furthest target, and continue straight back from there.”
• We recommend a buffer zone of at least 1m between the equestrian area and spectators.
  • At least 1.5m is recommended for processions or driving activities that may occur outside of designated equestrian areas.

General Safety

To help our equestrians ensure our horses are safe and safe to be around, we ask that event stewards make the populace aware of these safety rules:

• Check with an equestrian before feeding the horses. Some horses are on very strict diets to manage health conditions, and cannot be given treats – please opt for gentle pats instead.
• Be mindful of your your movements and noise levels around the horses. Horses can be easily spooked by loud noises and sudden movement. Don’t run towards them, stay a few metres back from horses being ridden or led around site, and keep your movements calm and quiet.
• Follow all safety instructions given by the equestrians. The safety of horses and humans is our top priority – treat this situation the same as a marshal calling “Hold!” on the list field.

Thank you for supporting our equestrian community! We’ll see you at the next event!