What is Horseball?

Horseball originated in France in the 1970s, when two brothers from Bordeaux were asked by the French authorities to design a new sport which could be played in the whole of France. Taking their ideas from rugby and basketball, a game on horseback was then developed which was named Horseball. From its roots in France, it has now gained popularity in over 10 countires, the UK being one of them. It is also one of the ten discplines which is recognized by the F.E.I.

Horseball is a team sport, where 2 teams play each other at any one time. Each team consists of 4 players (the team may also have reserve players on the sideline). Before a goal is scored, the team must make a minimum of 3 consistent passes between them. Once they have made these passes, they are then able to shoot at the goal (a vertical stand which hosts a hooped shaped ring). If the ball passes through the hoop,a goal is scored. The opposition will be trying to defend their goal by either intercepting the ball as it is being passed amongst the offence team, pulling the ball from the offence team's hands or even using their horses weight to ride the attacker away from the goal. If the ball, at any time, falls to the ground, it is picked up from horseback by whoever gets to it first, as long as they are going in the same direction as the game was being played prior to the ball being dropped (this is to prevent the horses colliding with each other).