Horse-Rider Pairing Perception by Dressage Judges and Equestrian Coaches

The ideal equestrian body image (BI) is a smaller physique and riders feel body shape (BS) influences sub-jective judge scoring within dressage competitions. The aims were to identify perceptions of equestrian coaches and dressage judges of rider body shape (BS), identify perceptions of appropriate horse-rider matching and establish the impact of BS on perceived rider ability. An online survey (GoogleFormsTM) was shared, respondents (n = 265, coaches = 174 judges = 91) viewed images of twelve riders of dif-ferent BS (Ectomorph, Mesomorph, and Endomorph) mounted on three horses of different breeds/types and asked to indicate the best horse-rider match. Judges were asked if body shape or inappropriate horse-rider matching influenced scores given, this was used to identify any bias from judges. A signifi-cant perception for horse rider matching identified the cob as the most appropriate for the Endomorph physique ( P < .001). Ectomorph was the most chosen as the ideal BS on all horses. Both coaches and judges identified the ideal physique as a smaller image from the BI scale. Both coaches and judges in-dividually perceive that BS impacts rider ability ( P < .001). These findings of BS perceived as linked to rider skill potentially identifies an issue and may correspond to the smaller physique being idealistic. Fu-ture research into physique related bias from judges is required to further identify the impact of BS on subjective judging within equestrian sport.& COPY; 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.