The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) is the national governing body for most equestrian sports in the United States, including dressage, driving, endurance riding, eventing, hunt seat equitation, hunter, jumper, paralympic, reining, roadster, saddleseat equitation, vaulting, and western riding. The fundamental purpose of Dressage (a French term meaning training) is to develop, through standardized progressive training methods, a horses natural athletic ability and willingness to perform, thereby maximizing its potential as a riding horse. ... Endurance riding is an extremely strenuous sport, requiring the horse to complete, when competing at the top levels, up to 100 miles. ... Eventing, is an equestrian event which comprises dressage, cross-country and show-jumping. ... Equitation Equitation, in the dictionary definition, is merely the act of riding a horse. ... Hunt seat refers to a style of English-type riding. ... Show jumping is a form of competition in which horses are jumped over a course of fences, low walls, and other obstacles (e. ... Reining is a Western horseback riding competition. ... Equitation Equitation, in the dictionary definition, is merely the act of riding a horse. ... In architecture, a vault is an arched structure of masonry, forming a ceiling or canopy. ...

It also governs breed shows for the Andalusian, Lusitano, Arabian, half-arabian, Anglo-Arabian, Connemara, Friesian, Hackney, Morgan, American Saddlebred, National Show Horse, Paso Fino, Shetland, and Welsh breeds held in the US. Andalusian Referring to Andalusia A type of horse: see Andalusian horse This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... The Lusitano is a breed of horse from Portugal that closely resembles the Andalusian. ... The Arabian horse first appeared in the Arabian Peninsula at least 2,500 years B.C.E. They were carefully bred to maintain desirable features (e. ... The Anglo-Arabian horse is just what its name implies: a Thoroughbred (prefix Anglo) crossed with an Arabian horse. ... Connemara (Irish Conamara), which derives from Conmaicne Mara, (meaning: descendants of Conmhac, of the sea) is a district in the west of Ireland (County Galway). ... Friesian (alternate spelling: Frisian) can refer to: An inhabitant of Frisia (consisting of the province of Friesland in the Netherlands, and portions of the states of Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein in Germany) - see Frisians The language spoken in Frisia - see Frisian language A breed of horse from Frisia, see... Hackney is the principal area of the London Borough of Hackney in East London. ... Morgan is the name of several places in the United States of America: Morgan, Georgia Morgan, Minnesota Morgan, Texas Morgan, Utah Morgan, Vermont Morgan, Wisconsin Morgan County, Alabama Morgan County, Colorado Morgan County, Georgia Morgan County, Illinois Morgan County, Indiana Morgan County, Kentucky Morgan County, Missouri Morgan County, Ohio Morgan... The American saddlebred is a breed of horse that was developed in Kentucky by plantation owners. ... The National Show Horse, founded in the 1980s, is a cross between an American Saddlebred and an Arabian. ... The Paso Fino is a beautiful, naturally-gaited horse with a history dating back many centuries to Spain. ... See Shetland (disambiguation) for other meanings. ... Welsh is an adjective that may refer to: Of or relating to Wales The Welsh language The Welsh people Welsh may also refer to several places in the United States: Welsh, Arkansas Welsh, Louisiana Welsh, Ohio Irvine Welsh is a Scotish author. ...

The USEF keeps track of yearly points, accumulated at individual horse shows throught the year, and gives awards based on these points at the end of the year. Horse shows governed under the USEF are given an AA, A, B or C rating. Shows with an AA rating are the most prestigious and often offer the most prize money, whereas shows with a C rating are more local, with less prize money.

Governing bodies working under the USEF include:

• United States Hunter/Jumper Association (USHJA)
• United States Dressage Federation (USDF)
• United States Eventing Association (USEA)

Competitions recognized by the USEF must follow its rules and bylaws. The United States Hunter/Jumper Association, or USHJA, is the governing body for hunt seat and show jumping in the United States. ... The United States Dressage Federation, or the USDF, is the national governing body for the sport of dressage. ... The USEA (United States Eventing Association) governs the sport of eventing in the United States. ...