First called the “Militaire,” the Three Day Event has its roots as a test for horses used as cavalry mounts. The predecessor to eventing originally began as a form of endurance riding, without jumping or galloping. Such competitions included a ride in 1892; travelling a 360 mile distance from Berlin to Vienna (the winner completed the ride in 71 hours and 26 minutes). However, these competitions did little to prepare horses and riders for actual combat, and so around the end of the 1800s, the French began raids militaires, which was the true forerunner to the three-day event.
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