Welcome to the website of the
Israel Equestrian Federation (IEF)
The Israel Equestrian Federation coordinates all riding sports in Israel, in the following fields:
The Israel Equestrian Federation was founded in 1964, and was registered as a non-profit association in 1985.
The Federation is the only official Israeli body in the equestrian field, and is recognized by the international body, the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI), which governs some 130 member equestrian federations throughout the world, and by the Israel Sports Authority, the Israel Olympic Committee, and the Council for Legalized Betting in Sport in the Ministry of Science, Culture and Sport.
The Federation committees are elected by all the members at the Annual General Meeting. The elected representatives (the members of the Executive, members of the professional committees, and the members of the Comptrollers' Committee) serve on a voluntary basis.
The Federation has about 1400 members.
The Equestrian Federation organizes activities for all age groups, from young children up to 80-year olds!
Activities of the Israel Equestrian Federation
- Coordinating the activities of all the branches of equestrian sport in Israel, while adhering to the rules of correct administration and maintaining fairness in sport.
- Increasing awareness of the need for safety in riding and safeguarding the health of the horses
- Organizing riding competitions, leagues and championships in the various professions
- Establishing the constitution of the Federation, and setting the professional regulations of the various equestrian disciplines, while adhering closely to the regulations of the FEI that are accepted world-wide
- Qualifying judges and course designers
- Operating a training system, including courses and study days, bringing judges and trainers from abroad, and qualifying riding instructors and coaches
- Holding proficiency tests for riding school pupils, in order to encourage the riders and raise the level of riding, stable management, and instruction in Israel
- Representing the subjects connected with sports horses vis-á-vis the veterinary authorities
- Representing competitors vis-á-vis the FEI
- Entering riders in competitions and general support for Israeli sportsmen competing in international competitions, and representing them vis-á-vis the sports authorities in Israel (the Israel Olympic Committee and the Israel Sports Authority).
- Checking the standard of equestrian facilities during events/competitions
- Ensuring that outstanding sportsmen receive special treatment in the framework of their army service
- Providing assistance regarding personal accident insurance
- Providing assistance regarding licenses for horse trailers, and other subjects of importance to horse owners and riders
- Publishing a magazine and newsletters to provide information and instruction to members
- Increasing public awareness of equestrian sports
The Equestrian Disciplines
Horse riding includes a variety of different branches of the sport. The unifying factor is the fact that all are performed by the horse and rider working as a team.
Three equestrian disciplines were established in the framework of the Olympic Games, and have been part of the Games since 1912: Show Jumping, Dressage, and Three-Day Eventing.
Two other disciplines are candidates for inclusion in the Olympic framework in the next decade: long distance riding (Endurance) and Western riding (Reining). International competitions, leagues, and championships are held in these disciplines.
Other branches of riding include: tent pegging, racing and trotting, vaulting (gymnastics on horseback) and driving competitions, polo, and, in recent years, basketball on horseback.
Show Jumping
In this discipline, the combined ability of horse and rider are tested over a course of obstacles, usually with a time allowed. The difficulty of the test is set by a qualified course designer, who places the obstacles at varying distances and angles, one from the other.
The obstacles are of various types - straight obstacles, spread fences, triple bars, and combinations of two or three jumps. Obstacles with different heights and spread require a different approach at a different speed on the flat, and thus the rider is tested as to his judgement of pace and distances required in order to complete the course without faults.
Penalties are given for knocking down the obstacle, refusal or disobedience of the horse, and deviations from the course; the jumping faults are added to any time penalties incurred, to give the competitor's result.
Show Jumping is a great spectator sport, with exciting jump-offs against the clock between well-matched competitors.
Show jumping competitions were first held in Ireland in 1868, and Great Britain. Today, the leading show jumping countries are in Western Europe (especially Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Ireland), and also Brazil and the United States. The height of the obstacles at international Grand Prix and Olympic level is up to 1.60 m.
In Israel about 700 competitors take part in competitions under the auspices of the Federation, which holds about 30 official competitions a year, with classes at heights from 60 cm (ponies) to 1.40 m.
Dressage
Dressage can be defined as a sport that also contains artistic characteristics.
The movements performed by the horse look similar to dancing, and are based on the movements that the horse performs in nature when he is excited - except that in dressage, these same movements are performed quietly and harmoniously, at the request of the rider. These movements test the horse's athletic ability, flexibility, and the range of his motion, and, at the artistic level, his expression, revealed in the beauty of his action.
In other words, through dressage training the horse finds his full potential, both at the athletic level, and in the expression of his personality, through his unique way of moving. This movement achieves its best form through the correct and systematic training of the horse by the dressage rider.
This sport epitomizes the partnership between the horse and rider, in that the rider brings the horse to the state described above (a healthy athlete, strong and self-confident) in a harmonic manner, and by means of aids that are so subtle as to be unseen by the spectator.
The leading countries in Dressage are in Western Europe, especially Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark, and the USA.
In Israel about 150 riders belong to this branch of the Israel Equestrian Federation, and they compete in about 20 dressage competitions during the year at the various national levels; we have several riders at International level, from Prix St. Georges to Grand Prix.
Western Riding
This type of riding originates in the Western USA, and is based on the day-to-day work of the cowboy and his horse. In Israel, Western riding consists of four different riding classes:
- Reining - controlling the horse's movement while guiding him through a series of maneuvers. The rider must have complete control of the horse, and the horse must carry out a number of maneuvers, including fast and slow circles, change of lead in the air, sliding stops, sharp turns, backing, and spinning (with one hind leg as pivot). All these maneuvers are performed at a controlled speed. Reining requires an exceptionally athletic horse and a high level of control by the rider.
- Cutting - The horse and rider are required to ride into a herd of cows at one end of the arena, to separate one cow from the herd, and to keep her from returning to the herd. From the moment of separation, the rider is not permitted to give the horse any signal, or help him in any way, other than spurring him forward.
- Western Pleasure - This is a style class, in which the winner is the horse that is judged to be the most pleasant to ride. The horse must demonstrate a free-flowing stride of reasonable length in keeping with his conformation. He should have balanced, flowing movement, while exhibiting correct gaits with the proper cadence, and good behavior. This class is the Western equivalent of Dressage.
- Trail - Performance of the horse over obstacles, with emphasis on his manners, response to the rider, and quality of movement. The obstacles are similar to those typically encountered on a natural trail: opening and closing a gate, backing round an L-shaped corner marked by ground poles, crossing water (ditch or pool), carrying a large object from one point to another, crossing a wooden bridge, putting on/removing a heavy raincoat, inserting/removing mail from a mail box, etc. The horse is required to show the three gaits between the obstacles.
- There are many other Western classes, not currently practiced in IEF competitions, such as Showmanship, Horsemanship, Western Riding, Hunter Under Saddle, Cowhorse, Hunt Seat Equitation.
- There are 300 members in this branch, and some 250 competing members, who take part in about 8 shows a year, with judges from abroad.
Endurance
- Endurance rides are races run over a distance of 80 km or more, over a well-marked track, to test the speed and endurance ability of the horse. The ride is divided into 20-30 km phases; at the end of each phase the horse must undergo a veterinary inspection, and if the horse passes the test, he must rest for 20 minutes before continuing to the next phase. In longer distance rides, and in hot and humid climates, the veterinary judges may decide on longer rest periods.
- In international competitions, the rides are run over 100 miles (160 km). The Endurance branch is planning its first 160-km ride for 2002.
- The winner is the horse and rider that finish the course first, on condition that the horse passes the veterinary inspection that is held an hour after the end of the endurance ride. In 160-km rides, the veterinary inspection is held 24 hours after the end of the ride. The horse must be in perfect health, fit and willing to continue, otherwise he will be disqualified.
- The same pair of horse/rider must complete the whole of the course, together, but the rider is not obligated to stay on the horse's back throughout the competition - he is permitted to dismount and walk or run with the horse.
- Endurance demands maximum fitness of both horse and rider, and months of fitness training for both before each competition. It takes a minimum of 2-3 years to bring the horse to peak performance. Horses must be at least 5 years old, before they are allowed to compete in 80-km rides.
- The welfare of the horse is paramount in Endurance. The motto of the sport is "To finish is to win".
- Endurance competitions were first developed in the USA. The first competitions were run over a distance of 100 miles, in 1955. The leading countries today are the USA, Australia, France and Great Britain.
- In Israel a number of main groups are active in the branch: Kibbutz Givat Haim Ihud, Kibbutz Revivim, and the Ha'alpakot Farm in Mitzpe Rimon, (winners of the Israeli championships for adults and youth in 2001).
Tent Pegging
- Tent pegging originated in India about 1851, among the officers and troops of British mounted regiments, as an organized sport, an alternative to their amusing themselves by collapsing the troops' tents by pulling out the tent pegs. The sport became popular in many other countries in which British Army cavalry troops were based. Today, tent pegging is an international competitive sport, in the process of recognition by the FEI.
- The competitor rides at full gallop to a line of pegs (varying in size from 20 cm to 5 cm) set in the ground. He must pick up the pegs with the point of his sword (or lance), and cross the finishing line. There are competitions for individuals, pairs and teams of four riders.
- Israel competed in a big international competition in India, in 2000 and 2001, against countries such as Great Britain, South Africa, Oman, India, and Australia, and won the team gold medal in Sword. In the last World Championship, which was held in South Africa in 2000, an Israeli representative - Udi Ben-Eliahu - won two bronze medals.
- Tent pegging is established in a well-organized framework, in a number of countries. The sport is popular in riding clubs, and activities are held on a regional and national basis in each country. The leading countries are South Africa and India.
- Activities have increased in Israel in recent years, and, with Udi at its head, two training centers have been set up for teaching tent pegging: in Kibbutz Givat Haim Ihud, and in Kfar Sirkin. These two centers work together and hold joint training sessions. There are about 35 competing riders at these two centers, including 20 young riders.
Therapeutic Riding
The benefits of riding for those with disabilities have been recognized for over 3000 years, since the time of Hippocrates. Research shows that people with special needs experience physical, psychological and educational rewards from riding on horseback. Therapeutic riding is divided into riding and vaulting (gymnastics on horseback) for remedial/educational purposes, hippotherapy (rehabilitation through the motion of the horse, conducted by health-care professionals), and sports riding.
Therapeutic riding is available throughout Israel, from near Eilat to the Upper Galilee and the Golan Heights. There are close to 30 therapeutic riding centers, 6 of which deal only with therapeutic riding, while the rest are part of commercial riding schools.
Our instructors have either trained and qualified abroad, of have passed the course run by the Nat Holman College for Coaches at the Wingate Institute. They work in close cooperation with other professional therapists.
The therapeutic riding branch of the Israel Equestrian Federation has been active since 1994. Its initial aim was to support and further the education of instructors working in this field. To this end, we became full members of the Federation of Riding for the Disabled International (FRDI), which gives our members full access to the FRDI's educational material, and allows them to attend the FRDI's international congresses.
We organize competitive activities suitable for all participants in therapeutic riding, for all ages and levels of ability. Junior and adult riders are encouraged to participate in regular dressage competitions under the auspices of the IEF, against able-bodied riders. With the establishment of the purpose-built Therapeutic Riding Center of Israel, in Tel Mond, it will be possible to hold many of the branch's activities there, as well as competitions in other equestrian branches.
Israelis have competed in competitions abroad, including the last two World Championships for disabled riders, and the Atlanta and Sydney Paralympics.
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