IpD38/2026 - Assessing and enhancing the cognitive skills of show jumping riders

The research program aims to investigate the role of higher-order cognitive functions in the performance of competitive show jumping riders. In this discipline, performance results from the dynamic interaction between rider and horse and requires the integration of motor, perceptual, and decision-making skills. The research activity will involve the assessment of cognitive abilities, including attention, working memory, and executive functions involved in planning, action monitoring, and decision-making, in athletes competing in show jumping. The collected data will be correlated with measures of experience and competitive performance to identify the cognitive functions most strongly associated with success in the discipline. The findings will contribute to advancing knowledge of the cognitive determinants of performance and will provide the scientific basis for the development of cognitive training programs aimed at optimizing athletic performance.