A rare piece of Swedish equestrian history: archival footage of the Hubertusjakt at Järvafältet in 1956, featuring the horse Light, qualified for the Stockholm Olympics held that same year.
This short archival film captures the Hubertusjakt at Järvafältet in Stockholm in 1956, a traditional hunt ride that brings together horses, riders, and the rituals of a centuries-old equestrian tradition. The winner, Gösta Ekman, went on to become a legendary riding instructor at Solna Ridskola, leaving a lasting mark on Swedish equestrianism.
The horse Light carries particular significance. Qualified for the 1956 Stockholm Olympics, the equestrian events of the Melbourne Games uniquely held in Sweden due to Australian quarantine regulations, Light represents a moment when Swedish equestrian sport stood at the centre of the world stage.
Watching this footage today, what strikes you is not only the history but the continuity. The care for the horse, the discipline of the rider, the pride in tradition. These are the same values that the Professor Ingvar Fredricson Foundation exists to honour and carry forward.
Archival footage courtesy of Per Wilén. Video in Swedish.
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Two days. One shared goal: advancing horse welfare through science, education and practice. Join leading international experts at the Horse Welfare Summit 2026, where Dr Andrew McLean will deliver two keynote lectures and receive the Professor Ingvar Fredricson Foundation Scholarship.
A new review examines how smartphones are becoming genuine tools for monitoring a horse's soundness, heart rate and recovery, and even for meeting international competition requirements. Among the systems it highlights is Sleip, co-founded by Dr. Elin Hernlund, one of the Foundation's own scholarship recipients, whose work builds on decades of Swedish equine biomechanics research going back to Professor Ingvar Fredricson himself.
On November 2, visitors gathered in Hall B at the Jönköping Horse Show for the Professor Ingvar Fredricson Foundation’s 2025 scholarship ceremony, celebrating groundbreaking Swedish research in equine biomechanics. From the pioneering efforts of the 1970s—when high‑speed cameras and manual measurements were the researcher’s tools—to today’s AI‑powered motion analysis and robotic hoof simulators, the audience was taken on a journey through decades of innovation. Professors Lars Roepstorff and Marie Rhodin, together with Associate Professor Elin Hernlund, shared their latest breakthroughs, followed by live demonstrations showing how AI and high‑precision sensors are transforming the understanding of horse–rider interaction. Moderator Jens Fredricson guided the dialogue and inspired exchange between researchers, while post‑event discussions with attendees helped build valuable bridges between research and practice.
The FEI's guardian framework resonates with the work we champion at the Professor Fredricson Foundation. Advancing equestrian sport means placing the horse's welfare and wellbeing at the center — not as an afterthought, but as the foundation upon which all excellence is built.