MOST events in the Olympics are segregated by gender, in the belief that it would be unfair to pit men and women against each other.

However, the equestrian event is apparently the only Olympic sport that is gender neutral.

Is this true?

Verdict:

TRUE

Equestrian is the only Olympic sport where men and women compete on a level playing field.

But horse riding requires skill, technique, precision and refined communication for a rider to form a "partnership" with the horse.

Equestrian is not a sport of sheer brawn but one of intelligence and requires harmony–like qualities.

The sport has a rich and diverse history, dating as far back as 680 BC in the ancient Olympic games, when chariot racing was one of the main spectacles.

Equestrian competitions were first organised by the Royal Dublin Society and riding was introduced as a tournament sport as of 1895.

In 1912, dressage became an Olympic discipline in Stockholm, Sweden, first in the disciplines of hunting, dressage and military riding, later under the term "eventing".