Every FEI registered Athlete has an online biography page which you – and/or your National Federation (NF) – can edit directly.

FEI Biographies are used by Commentators, Speakers, Event Organisers as well as being consulted by equestrian fans from all over the world.

You can share sport specific information, your general interests, social media accounts, your official website and so much more...

Click here to get started on your biography page.

Step-by-step guidelines are available to demonstrate and explain how to create and/or modify your biography page.

Click here to have a look.

All FEI athletes have a sport nationality (a country they compete for), regardless of their age and level. Sport nationality is usually connected to state nationality. This principle is applied strictly for athletes aged over 18, except where specifically provided for by the rules (for details, please refer to this document).  A more flexible approach applies for athletes under 18. 

Athletes can only have one sport nationality at a time. The FEI's sport nationality rules determine the conditions under which an athlete is eligible to compete for a country, and the conditions under which a sport nationality can be changed. In order to be valid, a sport nationality change must be approved by the FEI. 

• Sport nationality change applications are examined by the FEI in accordance with art. 119 of the FEI General Regulations and can only be submitted by the National Federation (NF) of the country of the desired sport nationality. Applications submitted directly by athletes will not be accepted.
• ​Before applying for a sport nationality change, NFs should refer to this document which outlines the conditions to satisfy in order to change sport nationality, and verify that the athlete complies with such conditions.
• Only documents recognised as an official proof of nationality in the country considered will be accepted by the FEI as evidence of the athlete's nationality. 

How to apply: Athletes aged above 18
Adult Athletes must possess the corresponding nationality in order to be eligible to compete for a country.
To apply for a sport nationality change, National Federations must fill in the Application Form (carefully following all instructions), and send it to the address indicated in the form along with all the documents required by the form. Incomplete applications will not be processed.

How to apply: Minor Athletes (under 18)
A simplified sport nationality change process applies for athletes under 18 years old. To request a sport nationality change, NFs must send an email to catherine.bollon@fei.org, providing a copy of the relevant passport/official proof of nationality.

The FEI is part of a collaborative worldwide movement for doping-free sport led by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). The aim of this movement is to protect fair competition as well as Athlete health and welfare. As an Athlete, you are an essential part of the equestrian community and have the responsibility of ensuring that sport flourishes in a doping-free environment. As an Athlete, you are subject to human anti-doping testing and the WADA Prohibited List applies to you. 
 

With regards to the FEI Equine Anti-Doping & Controlled Medication Regulations, you are the Person Responsible, meaning that if your horse tests positive, you will be responsible for the violation. The Equine and Human Anti-Doping Rules are in place to protect Athletes and Horses as well as the integrity of our sport. It is important that you are always aware and up to date with these Rules. 
Details can be found here:

Equine Anti-Doping

Human Anti-Doping

It is important that parents and coaches educate Minors on the importance of Clean Sport and substance abuse. A Parental Guide is available here.

It provides parents of Minor Athletes with information on how to promote Clean Sport and handle situations where a Minor is using performance-enhancing substances.

In Equine Anti-Doping, the Athlete is always the person responsible for his/her horse(s), even if he/she is a Minor.
 

Everyone involved in our sport should be safe and treated with respect. When any member of the equestrian community - such as Athlete, Support Personnel, Coach, Trainer, Groom, Horse Owner, Official, volunteer or staff member - is subjected to or engages in abuse or misconduct, this goes against the best interests of equestrian sport.

All forms of harassment and abuse are prohibited and will not be tolerated by the FEI.

Harassment and abuse can be expressed in five forms, which may occur in combination or in isolation.

1. Psychological abuse

2. Physical abuse

3. Sexual harassment

4. Sexual abuse

5. Neglect

The FEI's Safeguarding Policy Against Harassment and Abuse aims to protect the members of the FEI equestrian community and includes a reporting system. Please read on here.

If you wish to report an incident, please fill out the FEI Incident Report Form.

In December 2022, the FEI updated the medical and maternity leave provisions in the Ranking Rules for Dressage, Jumping and Driving to introduce more flexibility to the rules. In addition, medical and maternity leave provisions were incorporated into the Para Dressage and Endurance Ranking Rules for the first time.  While on FEI medical/maternity leave, Athletes will retain 50% of the ranking points they earned in the corresponding month of the previous year. Athletes can choose the duration of their medical/maternity leave provided the minimum and maximum periods are respected. For medical leave, the maximum period is 12 months and the minimum period is 6 months. For maternity leave, the maximum period is 12 months and the minimum period is 3 months.  While on FEI medical/maternity leave, Athletes are not permitted to participate in any international or national competitions.

Athletes can apply for an official period of medical or maternity leave by submitting a FEI Medical Leave Request Form or a FEI Maternity Leave Request Form to the relevant FEI sports department. The Forms can be downloaded here and must be accompanied by a doctor’s certificate confirming the medical condition/pregnancy. Athletes are advised to consult the relevant ranking rules on the rules pages of the respective disciplines for full details on the rules relating to FEI medical and maternity leave. More information on riding while pregnant is available here.

Social media is a powerful and influential tool in today’s world, uniting personal communications with commercial opportunities. At its best, social media connects you to friends, peers, fans and other like-minded individuals around the world, forging strong, positive relationships. However, at its worst, it puts a spotlight on mistakes and negative comments which can be difficult to deal with.
 

As an Athlete, social media allows you to tell your story, whether from behind the scenes or the field of play and, thanks to the interactive tools within the platforms, fans can engage on a one-to-one basis like never before.
 

A strong social media presence is highly appealing to sponsors, who will consider this as a factor when choosing between potential partners. Athletes with a large and highly engaged social fan base will rate highly due to the exposure they are able to offer sponsors through their channels. Media will also regularly review social media accounts on the lookout for stories.
 

Whilst social media can be a great tool it is important to keep in mind the potential pit falls of the platforms and the resulting negativity.
 

♦ Does this post reflect the way I wish to be portrayed to the public?
♦ Could this post negatively impact me or anyone within my team?
♦ Could this post cause offence to anyone?

It is important to be aware of different cultures and language barriers. If you are not posting in your first language and are unsure about what you have written, consider getting someone to double check before you post. 
 

Internet has a long lasting memory. Once something has been posted online it is almost impossible to remove it, so be sure about what you wish to showcase to the world! It is also worth reviewing past social content to ensure it still meets your standards of today. 
 

All of us are horse lovers and you, as an Athlete, have a great opportunity to promote good horsemanship and horse welfare. But there are a growing number of people out there who question whether Horses should even be ridden, so please be aware that content you post on social media could have unexpected consequences that could be harmful to our sport. If in doubt, don’t post it!
 

If you do find yourself in a negative situation online, either as a result of a post or something that has happened offline, seek advice from a media professional or your National Federation on the best course of action. Managed properly, negative fallout can be limited, but if it is not managed in an effective and timely manner, it can cause serious and widespread problems. 
 

Split between your personal and professional profiles online - Many Athletes will have two profiles to keep a clear distinction between their private and professional life. There is no right or wrong way of doing this. What you share and with whom is down to personal preference.
 

Which platforms should I be on? - Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok . . . there’s a seemingly never-ending list of platforms out there, but you don’t need to be on them all. Decide which the best fit is for you and how many you can realistically manage well and go with those. It takes time to build up a strong community, so don’t be afraid to start with one platform and then expand to others over time.
 

Is this something that you can do yourself or do you need help? - Many Athletes use other people to manage their social accounts for them. This could be a professional agency/freelancer, a member of your office team, or a family member. Be realistic about your skills and the time you have available to dedicate to managing your social media profiles.
 

What type of content will you be sharing and how often? - Consistency is key on social media. Fans like to know what they will get when following you. Decide on the type of content you would like to post and ensure that there is a regularity to how often you post. This helps build your relationship with your fans, but don’t be afraid to mix up the type of content at times and try something different!
 

Ensure you have authorisation to post images/video content - Just because you have found content related to you online does not mean that you have the right to use that content. Competition footage is often covered by broadcast rights so reach out to either the OC, NF or FEI to confirm that you are able to post this content. The same goes for images – try to find out the photographer who took the picture and ask for permission to use it. Most equestrian photographers travel around the world to events with you, so consider setting up a partnership with them to get images of your performances.

The FEI has put in place guidelines for Non-Rights Holders, explaining why image and video content from the field of play cannot simply be reposted and used. Please consult the FEI Competitions & Digital Media Rights - Guidelines for Non-Rights Holders. If you have any queries in relation to these guidelines, please email us at digital@fei.org. 
 

Don’t just post content out – engage with your audience directly - Like their comments, say thank you, reply to questions. You will probably make that fan’s day.
 

Be prepared for negative comments - Unfortunately it is almost impossible to avoid negative comments entirely. There will likely be someone who disagrees with you or dislikes something that you have done at some stage of your career, but it is important to maintain balance in this. Set guidelines for your pages about the type of comments you will allow or not allow. Consider which comments require a response and always respond in a balanced and measured way. Monitor these comments to see if there are any trends in type and number. While it is never nice to read negative comments, try to make a distinction between your online and offline life, and always talk to someone if you need to. 

Reach out to your National Federations to see if there is any support/training on offer related to social media.
 

Examples of young role models with strong social media presence:

♦ Footballer Kylian Mpappé.  Read more ... 
♦ Skier Mikaela Shiffrin.  Read more ...  
♦ Gymnast Laurie Hernandez.  Read more ...  

Interesting reads: 
♦ http://acupoflee.com/2017/08/21/social-media-tips-young-athletes/
♦ https://www.cision.com/us/2016/11/personal-versus-private-in-pr-and-social-media/
♦ https://championsid.com/social-media-for-athletes/
 

You are an ambassador for your sport and you probably have a huge fan base, so be mindful that any content written about you in the press, whether it be online or in print (newspapers and magazines) will be seen worldwide. Like social media, online content also stays there forever, so please do not use media interviews as an opportunity to stir up controversy. As an ambassador of the sport, you should be promoting the sport and not damage its reputation, or your own.
 

Here are a couple of helpful tips to remember when being interviewed:

♦ Ask to have the questions in advance and take time to think about how you’re going to answer them before every interview.
♦ If you are speaking to a journalist from the equestrian community, they will understand the jargon of our sport, but try not to use jargon or acronyms when you are speaking to mainstream media. Technical terminology will not be understood by either the journalist or the general public. Use simple terms.
♦ Never repeat the negatives in a question.
♦ Decide in advance on the message you want to get across so that the journalist and the audience focus on that.
♦ Think about why your sport is exciting and its unique appeal to a general readership of mainstream media.
♦ When you are doing TV interviews, be aware that the camera will focus up close on your face. Try not to nod as the interviewer is talking to you, and try not to look miserable! The interviewer is interested in you, so smile!
 

Sponsors like being associated with professional Athletes as they present a strong, inspiring influence and popularity as a result of their achievements. But a sponsor wants something in return.

A sponsor looks to generate return on investment when signing a sponsorship deal. Return on investment can be achieved through many means, for example: 
♦ Increased media exposure
♦ Increased product sales
♦ Increased customer loyalty
♦ Presence in non-established markets
♦ Increased brand awareness

A sponsorship deal is a two-way street – this means that an Athlete needs to benefit from the relationship, in most cases by receiving a financial contribution, and the sponsor needs to have return on his investment. In order to sign a new sponsor, or grow an existing relationship with a sponsor, it is important Athletes understand how to ensure a sponsor can get a return on their investment. 
 

Tips for a successful relationship with sponsors:
♦ Social media platforms are increasingly visible in today’s world, and an Athlete’s presence on such channels is a valuable asset for sponsors. When Athlete’s win it helps increase their fan base, and in turn enhances sponsor visibility and brand awareness, so generating a return on investment for sponsors
♦ Tag your sponsor on social media 
♦ Ensure the visibility and exposure of your sponsor’s product/equipment at events/competitions when possible (i.e. in line with Rules and Regulations of competitions and events you attend)
♦ Ensure product placement of your sponsor’s brand in interviews, social media etc
♦ Always speak positively about your sponsor
♦ Defend your sponsor and your sponsor’s brand
♦ Build a strong relationship with your sponsor and ensure regular communication 
♦ Be proactive with your sponsor
♦ Liking a competitor brand is fine, just do not say so publicly or advertise competitor products on your personal channels
♦ Seek legal and tax advice when signing a sponsorship contract
♦ Ensure you do not act in a way that would be contrary to your sponsor’s values
 

Interesting read: 
♦ https://www.activeoxfordshire.org/uploads/uk-sport-get-sponsored-guide-20.pdf
 

Additional information can also be found on the IOC website under:
♦ https://www.olympic.org/athlete365/personalbrand/?utm_source=

email&utm_medium=social&utm_content=personalbrandtoolkit

By definition, sport psychology is the study of how mental strength influences sport and athletic performances. Sport psychology and mental training techniques are used to help Athletes reach their maximum potential and to provide them with tools to cope with the obstacles they may come across during their career such as pressure, injuries, anxiety and focus, to name a few.

The importance of psychology in sport still tends to be underestimated, although many would now agree that working on one’s mental skills is as important as working on one’s physical and technical skills.

What goes through your mind when you enter the competition arena? Are you afraid of failing, rehearsing the worst possible outcome, or is your inner voice encouraging you to excel? 
 

We all have an ongoing internal dialogue all day long, and what we tell ourselves affects every aspect of our life, including how we perform in sport. Negative internal messages are among the biggest contributors to performance anxiety in Athletes, fuelling self-doubt and increasing a lack of focus. Positive self-talk on the other hand, has proven to not only increase motivation and confidence, it can actually increase physical feelings of strength and contribute to enhancing one’s performance. 
 

At best, a negative mind-set will not make you perform worse, but it certainly will not make you perform better. It can be difficult to free yourself from the spiral of negative self-talk, but it is not impossible. Learning to change your inner self-talk from negative to positive is a skill every Athlete should acquire as this will strengthen mental toughness and enhance performances. 
 

Techniques for Improving Self-Talk
Increased awareness and refocusing - You can only change a behaviour if you are actively aware of it. Check in with yourself and start paying attention to what your inner voice is telling you. When negative self–talk kicks in, refocus on what you are doing and the positives of it.
 

Gain control over your thoughts – YOU decide on your inner dialogue. Block out negative thoughts and replace them with positive affirmations. Consciously substitute negative thoughts with positive ones. 
 

Create your athletic script in your head and see yourself perform. Many Olympic Athletes have learned to master the art of visualisation with the help of mental coaches. They spend hours envisioning what they want to execute and how it should feel.  Scientifically, it has been proven that the brain does not differentiate between a real memory and an imagined one. This means that when you imagine something intensely, with a lot of emotion, you can trick your brain into picking it up as being real. Through repetition, this technique has proven to be very successful in increasing confidence and positively reinforcing skills.
   
Getting Started with Visualisation
Find a quiet place - This is YOU time and it is important. So find a quiet place where, for the time needed, you will not be disturbed.
 

Focus and breathe - Learning to quiet your mind is one of the biggest challenges with visualisation. Focusing explicitly on what you want to achieve and blocking out all other thoughts is a learning process that requires time and practice. To help become collected and focused, start by making sure that you are comfortable. You may also want to take a few deep breaths in and out to help you become centred. Meditation can be a useful tool in learning to quiet your mind. 
 
Imagine your performance and the outcome you want – Imagine your performance from beginning to end as if you are playing a tape in your mind. Visualise the way you want it to unfold step by step. If your visualisation process turns negative, rewind the tape and start again until you see what you want to see. 

Use all your senses and go into detail – The more intense the experience of visualisation and the more detail you give it, the better your brain will remember it. Feed your subconscious as much detail as possible and take the time to envision every step of your performance clearly. Feel your body and every emotion that goes with it, feel the excitement that goes with achieving your goal.
 

Practice makes perfect – Visualisation is not a skill you acquire overnight, it takes time and practice. If the visualisation does not work right away as you want it to, don’t worry and don’t give up. Stay consistent in your practice and with time you will start seeing a difference as you are rewiring your brain to achieve your goals. 
 

It is important to know where you are heading, and having a clear goal will help you with that. Setting a goal gives direction, and allows you to think about and develop a plan of action to attain that goal. It also encourages motivation and focus, essential to a successful performance. 
 

Different Types of Goals
Outcome goals – These goals set your end destination and should be crystal clear. It is only through the clarity of the outcome goal, that the process and performance goals, through which you achieve your outcome goal, can be appropriately set. 

Example: Sam the marathon runner
Sam is a runner and wants to win the New York marathon. Winning this marathon is the outcome goal.
 

Performance goals – These are your building blocks en route to your outcome goal. They will help you monitor the achievement of your process goal and show you how you are progressing towards your outcome goal. These goals will also allow you to make necessary adjustments towards your outcome goal. 
Example: Sam the marathon runner
Running the Lausanne half-marathon in under an hour and 30 minutes. If the performance goal is achieved then everything is going according to the initial plan. If not, then the training sessions need to be readjusted so that your performance goals can be achieved.
 

Process goals – Process goals are the small goals which you use to improve your skills and focus your attention during your training plan. They revolve around technique and strategy, and are under your direct control, paving the way towards your bigger performance goal. 

Example: Sam the marathon runner
The number of weekly training sessions Sam completes to increase his endurance. 
 

When Setting Your Goals Remember to Set SMART Goals
Specific - Know exactly what you want to achieve.
Measurable - Make it meaningful and feel it. Stay focused, track your progress and feel the excitement at the idea of achieving your goal.
Attainable - Investigate whether your goal is realistically achievable and acceptable to you. 
Relevant - Know how and why reaching your goal is relevant to you. In order to reach it you need to know why you want it. 
Time phased - Set yourself a realistic timeline which allows some flexibility but also has clear deadlines. Remember, deadlines lead to action.

IPS, being “in the zone” or the concept of flow, are all terms which apply to the optimal stimulation level an Athlete experiences when performing at their best. The state itself is often described as one of confidence and deep concentration, with full immersion and focus put into the performance. It is characterised by a quiet mind, a sense of personal control and effectiveness. Fear of failure and overthinking one’s performance have no place in IPS.
 

Some Athletes will perform better in a calm state while others need to feel pumped with adrenaline. The important thing is to find your IPS and learn to regulate it when needed. Learning to regulate your IPS is a skill which, like everything else, requires patience, time and repetition. That being said, mastering it will impact positively on your own and your horse’s performance.
 

Techniques to Help Increase Your Chances of Reaching IPS
Regulate your stimulation level - Learn to understand and regulate your stimulation level. Breathing techniques can help with this. Breathing in slowly and deeply will lower the stimulation level; small rapid breaths will elevate it, so assess whether you need more or less stimulation and act accordingly. 

Meditation can also help lower the stimulation level, as can self-talk. Music can either lower or elevate it, depending on what is needed. The most important thing is to feel you are in control of your emotions.
 

Self-awareness – Pay attention to how you feel and analyse your past performances, whether during training or in competition. Be clear about what exactly your IPS is. It is crucial you establish this in order to know what state you are working towards. To help you, keep track of your performances with a journal. This will show your evolution in ways that might surprise you in the long run.   
 

Pre-performance routines - develop routines prior to your performance. This will help you increasingly gain focus and learn to blend out distractions. By creating pre-performance routines you can also help gain control over your thoughts and prevent overthinking and falling into self-doubt. The routine you create will also help you establish a calm and centred mind-set with increased feelings of self-confidence and positive thoughts.
 

Andre Agassi - one of the greatest tennis players of all time - "Many nights we’re in the gym until four in the morning, searching for new ways to build up my mind, my confidence, along with my body."   Read more ... 

Michael Jordan - global basketball legend - “That Zen Buddhist stuff really works!”   Read more ... 

Lindsay Vonn - Olympic ski champion and eight-time World Cup title-holder - "I always visualize the run before I do it. By the time I get to the start gate, I've run that race 100 times already in my head, picturing how I'll take the turns."   Read more ... 

Mikaela Shiffrin - two-time Olympic gold medallist skier - “Sometimes eyes closed, sometimes eyes open, but I’m always kind of zoned out,”   Read more ... 

Adrienne Sternlicht worked with mind architect Peter Crone to overcome doubt -  “It’s about whatever you decide to let confine you”. Read more ... 

If you want to find out more about the possibilities in your discipline and region, start by getting in touch with your peers, chef d’equipe and National Federation to see what is already in place/available. 

Knowing how much you love all things equestrian, we do our best to make sure you stay up to date with all the action.
 
From all the main Series and Championships to the profiles on athletes, horses and all the people working behind the scenes to make it happen, we’ve got you covered no matter which social platform you use! 
 
On Facebook we’ve got the main FEI page for an overview of all sports and content, but if your penchant is for one discipline then head direct to those pages. Video highlights, images, FEI.org articles, we’ve got it all here:
www.facebook.com/the.fei
www.facebook.com/FEIJumping              
www.facebook.com/FEIDressage
www.facebook.com/FEIEventing
www.facebook.com/FEIDriving
www.facebook.com/FEIVaulting
www.facebook.com/FEIEndurance
www.facebook.com/FEIReining 

Satisfy your cravings for stunning pictures and aspirational videos with our four Instagram accounts:
www.instagram.com/FEI_Global
www.instagram.com/FEI_Jumping
www.instagram.com/FEI_Dressage
www.instagram.com/FEI_Eventing
 
For quick, snappy updates and all the news you could want, head over to:
https://twitter.com/FEI_Global
 
Videos, videos and more videos can be found on our YouTube channel which allows you to Watch Live streams, competition highlights, vlogs and much more:
https://www.youtube.com/user/feichannel
 
If you love corporate talk as much as we do, LinkedIn is the place for you:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/5001336/
 
Can’t find the right words to express yourself? Say it with a GIF.
We’ve gathered the best reactions & moments from our athletes to cover (almost) every moment as well as boosting your InstaStories with our very own stickers:
https://giphy.com/FEI_Global
 

Knowledge is power, which is why in 2017 the FEI launched FEI Campus, a unique and free resource for everyone with a love of Horses and equestrian sport, wherever they are in the world.

Virtual classrooms, interactive teaching sessions and constantly updated content make this online e-learning platform FEI Campus is a true milestone for equestrian sport! ► Visit FEI Campus
 

Athlete scholarships are available through FEI Solidarity from the age of 16 for all FEI disciplines, with the exception of Vaulting which offers scholarships as of 14. The financial support provided through an FEI Solidarity scholarship is a contribution towards ongoing training for Athlete preparation to participate at Regional/Continental Championships & Games (technical level 1* to 2**/Dressage PSG).
 

Details can be found in the FEI Solidarity Programme.