Several official bodies are involved in equestrianism, including the Fédération française d'équitation, which awards the diplomas known as "Galops", the Société hippique française [fr], the Groupement hippique national pour les centers équestres and the Institut français du cheval et de l'équitation, created in 2010 by the merger of the national stud farms and the École nationale d'équitation.

Despite the existence of a number of specialist press titles and two Equidia channels devoted to the subject on television, equestrianism remains a low-profile media activity.

It has, however, benefited from major advertising campaigns by the French Equitation Federation, using the childish slogan "Le cheval c'est trop génial" ("Horses are so cool").

[3] François Robichon de La Guérinière is regarded as the "father of French equitation", and his influence extends far beyond France's borders, as the Spanish School of Vienna was founded on his teachings.

Two great equestrians, the Viscount d'Aure and François Baucher, opposed their principles, which were eventually brought together in the doctrine of General Alexis L'Hotte, and his famous motto: "Calm, forward and straight".

[3] These military and scholarly equestrian practices continued into the 21st century, but in the meantime French society was turning largely to sport and leisure, which opened up new outlets for equitation.

The preservation of traditional French equestrianism took shape with the training mission of the Cadre Noir de Saumur, and the creation of the École Nationale d'Equitation in 1972.

Similarly, the development of "gîtes d'étapes" and equestrian farms enabled private individuals to practice equitation without any federal supervision, as the 200,000 independent riders estimated at the end of the 20th century were fond of riding alone.

[15] It's an important factor in the relationship between town and country: urban riders regularly visit their riding school in the countryside, giving them a chance to discover the world of agriculture.

[9][38] Jean-Pierre Digard notes that some female riders are driven by a desire for revenge or challenge in a milieu that has long remained masculine,[39] while other specialists put forward psychoanalytical explanations for young girls' attraction to the horse.

[42] The development of certain equestrian sports based on the practices of wealthy English lords, such as hunting with hounds, may have remained anchored in French memory and contributed to this false image.

[43] For many French people, horse-riding remains a "distinguished" sport, with dress conventions (the "bombiste look") and ritualized behavior, giving it an "old France" and "upscale" reputation, according to ethnologist Jean-Pierre Digard.

[56] Since the end of the 20th century, horse-riding practices in France have been extremely diverse: Jean-Pierre Digard describes them as "baroque", "hedonistic" and "sentimental ",[57] i.e. often stemming from foreign cultures, and focused on the pursuit of pleasure and closeness to the horse.

Hunter riding, a mix of dressage and show jumping, is one of the emerging disciplines, as are Equifun and Equifeel, which highlight the complicity, skill and maneuverability of the rider/horse pair.

[34] Equestrian sport has the particularity of being represented by two major disciplines of roughly equal importance: gallop (including steeplechase) and trotting (harnessed or mounted).

The policy pursued by the FFE has been criticized, in particular by Hervé Godignon, who has created the Mouvement pour les valeurs de l'équitation (MOVE) to oppose it.

[97] The organization of equestrian facilities also poses problems, as the number of structures has multiplied and they are encountering difficulties in terms of economics, respecting animal welfare and recruiting qualified employees.

From the most accessible to the most difficult, there are Club (reserved for riders from riding schools), Amateur (generally for owner-riders) and Pro levels, itself divided into national and international.

The Grand National circuit, created in 2008, covers all three Olympic disciplines and is organized along Formula 1 lines: sponsored teams of two riders aim to accumulate maximum points.

The Cadre Noir de Saumur regularly organizes presentations, and its July Carrousel, created in 1849, is the oldest military event in France, attracting over 8,000 spectators.

[105] Many localities, often rural, organize a "horse festival" combining competitions, demonstrations, parades, farm presentations and shows: in Rambouillet,[106] in Saint-Maur (Indre),[107] in Burgundy in Nevers and Ciel,[108] in Normandy in Forges-les-Eaux,[109] in Vendée in Moutiers-les-Mauxfaits,[110] in Auvergne in Dompierre-sur-Besbre,[111] in Midi-Pyrénées in Monclar-de-Quercy,[112] in Brittany in Guer[113] and Landerneau,[114] in Camargue in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer with the feria,[115] or in the Alps in Val d'Allos.

Created in 1987 and supported by the Conseil Général de la Manche, the event aims to promote French breeding through a variety of equestrian disciplines.

Ethnologist Jean-Pierre Digard suggests another reason: the gap between the professional riding world, still imbued with an ancient equestrian culture, and that of the new sport-leisure riders.

[121] The length and repetitiveness of events and the elitist image that persists (particularly in certain disciplines such as polo[122]) are other possible reasons, as is the absence of media stars despite the potential of riders like Nicolas Touzaint.

[140] The Gucci Masters has gained a certain notoriety thanks to the Style & competition for Amade event, sponsored by Charlotte Casiraghi: twelve duos, often featuring a well-known personality (Benjamin Castaldi, Nicolas Canteloup...), compete in disguise.

[141] Horse-riding is present in French cultural productions, whether in video games with Alexandra Ledermann's series, in cinema with films such as Jappeloup, Danse avec lui and Sport de filles, or on television.

[10] As a result, the racing, breeding, equestrian center, leisure riding and top-level sport sectors are not mutually supportive, a situation that Jean-Pierre Digard believes is accentuated by "the individualism and narcissism of riders ".

[143] This situation is perceptible through funding (the bulk of income comes from horse betting) and the absence of demonstrations in support of breeders when VAT on equine sales was raised in January 2013.

[120][132] The FFE has often been criticized for its failure to regulate the location of riding schools in France, which has led to a decline in margins for each center due to competition, and a risk of market saturation.

[148] For Jean-Pierre Digard, the general public's access to horse-riding has had perverse effects in terms of the horse's economic survival, putting it at risk of disappearing in the future.