When equestrianism ceases to be merely a label of aristocratic status, it blossoms with new meaning in the lives of contemporary women. In recent years, equestrian elements have frequently returned to luxury womenswear in Western Europe, perfectly blending chivalry with modern style when paired with clean cuts and powerful sunglasses. Behind this lies a long and enduring bond between women and horses.
Data shows that by 2025, female riders will account for 80% of all riders in France, and the French Equestrian Federation has become the most feminized organization among Olympic sports bodies. Furthermore, equestrianism is the only Olympic sport without gender divisions, where men and women compete together for the same gold medal.
But this freedom on horseback was never innate.
Around the 14th century in Western Europe, especially in France, women were forbidden from straddling horses and could only ride sideways. Side saddles designed specifically for women became popular, offering an elegant posture but sacrificing stability and control. For aristocratic women at that time, riding was more about leisurely sightseeing than true mastery. The heavy, restrictive dresses they wore prevented them from mounting and dismounting independently, requiring assistance from others.
This contrasts sharply with the image of female riders today, effortlessly commanding the field: sleek riding attire, sun-protective sunglasses, and a steady astride seat, every detail proclaiming autonomy and power.
Since the Middle Ages, horseback riding, though one of the few activities permitted to women, functioned more as a carefully structured hierarchy of status and gender. Horses were expensive, and their upkeep was costly. Allowing aristocratic women to ride was primarily for convenience in patrolling territories and participating in social activities, a limited freedom of movement that ultimately served their families.
The distinction between side-saddle riding and riding astride further reinforced the social rules of gender separation. Side-saddle riding was never about improving a woman’s riding ability, but about making her “look more ladylike.” Elegant posture, professional training, and magnificent riding attire silently proclaimed: “I have a wealthy enough family to afford this expensive but impractical investment.” Even in the 1980s, Queen Elizabeth II of England still rode side-saddle when inspecting troops.
Women’s true freedom to ride astride is inextricably linked to the feminist movement. In 1914, riding sideways was still the only “legal” way for French women to ride; in 1930, women were finally allowed to wear trousers while riding horses and bicycles. In the decades that followed, the proportion of licensed female riders in France steadily increased, reaching over 70% by the end of the 20th century. The path to female liberation in riding posture is clearly visible in old photographs of Coco Chanel, while modern fashion shows further amplify this freedom with sunglasses.
Understanding this history makes Dior and Chanel’s horse-themed fashion shows even more impactful.
Dior’s 2019 Cruise Collection featured the all-female Mexican equestrian team Escaramuzas. During the Mexican Revolution in the early 20th century, women disguised themselves as men and fought on horseback. After the war, this group transformed history into performance, clad in magnificent gowns weighing nearly four kilograms, they executed challenging formations and techniques on galloping horses, their blend of strength and grace captivating the audience.
One female rider once said, “What male riders can do, female riders can almost do too; it has just been overlooked for so long.”
Under the dual constraints of traditional attire and prescribed riding posture, they still displayed astonishing power and control, a powerful metaphor in itself: within established rules, freedom and strength are still possible. This is precisely the core message that Dior’s creative director, Chiuri, has consistently conveyed: We Should All Be Feminists.
Coco Chanel herself was a fearless rider. Throughout her life, she dedicated herself to liberating the female body from corsets and long gowns. In her philosophy, haute couture was not about confining women into fragile works of art, but rather about serving freedom and action.
At the Chanel Spring/Summer 2022 Haute Couture show, Charlotte Casiraghi, riding out in haute couture attire, perfectly illustrated this idea: those exquisite garments, requiring hundreds of hours of work, should not remain in shop windows but enter life, embracing moments of movement, striving, and authenticity. In the world of Chanel, true luxury is always synonymous with freedom.
Charlotte Casiraghi once said, “Equestrianism is a dialogue, not domination, but communication with a partner. It teaches you humility, patience, and respect for another life.”
This statement reveals the uniquely nuanced relationship between women and horses. In traditional narratives, horses are often seen as tools, objects to be tamed, dominated, and made subservient to human will. In classical equestrianism, military riding, and racing training, “conquest,” “control,” and “authority” have long been key words.
But many female riders instinctively resist this instrumental perspective. They prefer to see horses as partners and companions, focusing on their health, emotions, and well-being. When riding against the wind, sunglasses protect their eyes and shield them from external distractions, allowing deeper focus on the unspoken communication with their horses.
Male strength is often associated with top-down authority and control, while female strength more frequently arises from communication, empathy, trust, and collaboration. Their authority is built upon the horse’s willingness, replacing harsh commands with patience and understanding, and communicating through embodied sensitivity to achieve silent mutual understanding.
This strength is vividly demonstrated on the Olympic stage. Women were first allowed to participate in Olympic dressage in 1952, and in the 21st century, female riders have nearly dominated the gold medals in this event. Women’s keen sensitivity to their horses’ emotions and their long-term cultivation of trust give them a distinct advantage in competitions that rely heavily on cooperation and tacit understanding. On the field, professional sports sunglasses are not merely protective gear but also symbols of the female rider’s confidence and composure.
Women’s influence is quietly reshaping the entire equestrian industry. More women are entering the fields of care, veterinary medicine, and training, promoting positive training methods, reducing punitive practices, and focusing on equine mental health and retirement welfare. The industry’s perception of horses is gradually shifting from “sports equipment” to “life partners.”
As I write this, I realize that the story of women and horses extends far beyond a movement for gender equality. Like the question posed at the Dior haute couture show. What If Women Ruled the World? The answer may lie on horseback: strength is not necessarily domination; it can also be connection, understanding, and shared growth.
True equality in equestrianism does not rest solely in gender parity, but in its ultimate test, not whether humans can conquer animals, but whether two lives can establish respect, understanding, and alliance.
Women are among the most compelling interpreters and advocates of this new paradigm. They have expanded equestrianism from an aristocratic pastime into a practice centered on life, emotion, and new forms of strength. Sunglasses, with their modern fashion language, capture this evolving aesthetic of power, allowing the spirit of chivalry to retain its classical elegance while adapting to the independence and sharpness of contemporary women.
This is the ultimate reason why equestrianism remains an enduring muse for fashion: it embodies a gentle yet profoundly powerful force, a force capable of redefining how we relate to animals, to others, and to the world at large.
