FITE

General Presentation

Droits FFE DR

Message from the executive

" FITE.The futur is in our hands "

Equestrian Tourism is now an economic reality and one of the surest ways of developing riding.
Equestrian Tourism has appeal. People like its values: focused on human relationships, leisure
time and the environment. It brings a breath of new life to the rural world, enabling it to diversify
and open up onto new perspectives.
Equestrian Tourism creates jobs and is a source of social and economic opportunity.
It reinstates the nobility of equestrian professions: liveries, catering, farriery, animal feeds,
makers of tack, carriages, equestrian clothing and equipment, etc.
It helps protect the environment. Focusing on a reasonable adventure in the company of an
animal whose history has been intimately linked with mankind for thousands of years.
Equestrian Tourism fosters human relationships, social mixing, exchanges between riders and
the populations that they meet on their travels. Whilst respecting other equestrian spheres, such
as traditional equestrian sports, it offers riders an alternative, a different vision and a different
relationship between man and animals
Without any doubt, Equestrian Tourism has now become the future of riding.
The FITE is its international spokesperson.

Hervé DELAMBRE, President.

" FITE. Incontinuous training... "

From the outset, training has been a fundamental part of the practice and development of the"Equestrian Tourism activity.
Primarily, it concerns those in charge, in other words the people with responsibility for guiding
and accompanying their customers on trail rides, but it also involves the riders themselves on
an individual level.
Naturally, the freedom to travel is closely linked to the ability to be independent and responsible
in a natural environment.
This ability requires knowledge that goes well beyond that of riding. This has been a constant
focus of those in charge of the NETO's. Encouraged and assisted by the FITE, over the past 15
years a certain number of NETO's have compared what they teach and the content of their
training courses. Having observed the points of convergence, they have signed a convention of
equivalence between their respective qualifications.
Professionalism and quality are the key words in a world that is increasingly demanding in terms
of safety, dependability and comfort.
However, things are constantly changing. Technical comparisons are made on an ongoing
basis and qualifications are updated to move towards even better standards.
It is also the FITE's role to lead this quest for excellence that underpins the credibility of
equestrian tourism. It must do this with national, international and European institutions as well
with the public at large.

Luigi TRIOSSI, Secretary General.

" TREC. a great source of pride "

TREC (Equestrian Trail Riding Techniques Competition) was developed through the desire to
enable outdoor riders to compete with one another on their own terms, in the place that they
know best: the natural environment. The three phases: POR (Optimum Speed and Orienteering
Course), PTV (Cross Country Trials Course) and MA (Control of Paces) simply express what
outdoor riders do every day. Without knowing it, all trail riders do TREC. Besides its increasing
popularity and respect, TREC is the best way of training riders and horses in all the subtle
aspects of trail riding.
For the FITE, TREC brings together riders in a friendly competition with a strong focus on sport.
It is a chance to meet, exchange and get to know one another.
These competitions help competitors and their horses to improve, preparing them for major
meetings and encouraging other riders to emulate them.
The importance now given to junior riders emphasizes that value has nothing to do with your
age.
TREC has become remarkably popular in the past twenty years. Today it is a premier event, a
real showcase in which the FITE is justly proud.

Frédéric Pierrestiger, Treasurer.

« Working Equitation-another FITE priority »

Working Equitation, is a discipline which preserves and develops equestrian skills related to the
driving and sorting of cattle. It is a traditional riding style practiced in many countries in Europe,
Asia, North and South America. This growing interest throughout the world is an important
factor.
Three major objectives of Working Equitation, among others, should be emphasized:

1. To encourage breeding:
Contribute to the selection and to the improvement of the more suitable horses for a
professional cattle work rider.
2. To promote the cultural traditions:
Transmit and encourage the technical riding and training of horses in the sorting of cattle.
3. To develop the economic impact:
Promote in Europe and worldwide, the opportunities for the horse industry, by developing
equestrian activities with the basic technical riding style of working equitation and to make the
horses more popular to a wider public.