Editing Equestrianism (section)

==History of horse use==
{{Main|Domestication of the horse|Horses in warfare}}
[[File:Cave painting in Doushe cave, Lorstan, Iran, 8th millennium BC.JPG|thumb|Prehistoric cave painting, depicting a horse and rider]]

Though there is controversy over the exact date horses were [[domestication|domesticated]] and when they were first ridden, the best estimate is that horses first were ridden approximately 3500 BC. There is some evidence that about 3000 BC, near the [[Dnieper River]] and the [[Don River (Russia)|Don River]], people were using [[Bit (horse)|bits]] on horses, as a [[stallion]] that was buried there shows teeth wear consistent with using a bit.<ref name=Chamberlin69>Chamberlin, J. Edward ''Horse: How the Horse has Shaped Civilization'' New York:BlueBridge 2006 {{ISBN|0-9742405-9-1}}</ref> However, the most unequivocal early [[archeology|archaeological]] evidence of equines put to working use was of horses being driven. [[Chariot]] burials about 2500 BC present the most direct hard evidence of horses used as [[working animal]]s. In ancient times chariot warfare was followed by the use of [[horses in warfare|war horses]] as light and heavy [[cavalry]]. The horse played an important role throughout human history all over the world, both in warfare and in peaceful pursuits such as [[transportation]], [[trade]] and [[agriculture]]. Horses lived in North America, but died out at the end of the [[Last Glacial Period|Ice Age]]. Horses were brought back to North America by European explorers, beginning with the second voyage of [[Christopher Columbus|Columbus]] in 1493.<ref>Bennett, Deb (1998) ''Conquerors: The Roots of New World Horsemanship.'' Amigo Publications Inc; 1st edition. {{ISBN|0-9658533-0-6}}, p. 151</ref> Equestrianism was introduced in the [[1900 Summer Olympics]] as an Olympic sport with jumping events.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-01-31 |title=Paris 1900 Olympic Games {{!}} Second of the Modern Olympic Games, France {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/event/Paris-1900-Olympic-Games |access-date=2024-02-02 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref>