How to watch Equestrian at Olympics 2020: key dates, live stream and more

Split into three disciplines, Olympians will compete in both individual and team competitions, including dressage, eventing, and jumping. Whether you're looking to follow one specific event or watch equestrian with a Olympics 2020 live stream in full, we've got all the details below.

In the Olympics, some nations consistently outrank others - a prime example of this is Germany in equestrian sport. The gap between Germany and its competitors is simply astronomical. One look at the country’s medals and you’ll see it - 25 gold, 13 silver, and 14 bronze.

This year you’ll want to look out for Germany’s Isabell Werth, who is the most decorated Olympian in the equestrian category. She has participated in the Olympics five times since 1992 and, at 52, she’ll be competing again. But she’ll likely face fierce competition from Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin, who bagged gold at the 2016 and 2012 Olympics in the individual dressage event. 

Keen on seeing these stellar equestrian displays? You’ve come to the right place. In this article, we explain how you can watch equestrian at Olympics 2020. We’ve covered some of the essential equestrian event dates, but for information on other games, check out this detailed guide to the Olympics live stream.  

Olympics 2020 equestrian: key dates and times

- Dressage Team Grand Prix Special: Tuesday, July 27 from 5pm JST / 9am BST / 4am ET

- Dressage Individual Grand Prix Freestyle: Wednesday, July 28 from 5:30pm JST / 9:30am BST / 4:30am ET

- Eventing Cross Country Team and Individual: Sunday, August 1 from 7:45am JST / 11:45pm BST (July 31) / 6:45pm ET (July 31)

- Eventing Jumping Team Final and Individual Qualifier: Monday, August 2 from 5pm JST / 9am BST / 4am ET

- Eventing Jumping Individual Final: Monday, August 2 from 5pm JST / 9am BST / 4am ET

- Jumping Individual Final: Wednesday, August 4 from 7pm JST / 11am BST / 6am ET

- Jumping Team Final: Saturday, August 7 from 7pm JST / 11am BST / 6am ET 

Free Olympics equestrian live stream

Broadcasters worldwide are covering the delayed Tokyo Olympics. While the online Olympics Channel looks to pinpoint the highlights and other programming, you'll find more in-depth coverage through your domestic broadcaster. For those in the UK, you can watch BBC channels on linear TV or BBC iPlayer online, where they'll be showing key events.

TF1 in France, RTE in Ireland, and Channel 7 in Australia are amongst some of other countries that are airing the 2020 Olympics for free, with Channel 7 and its online platform, 7Plus, set to have the most comprehensive coverage.

Keep reading below for more worldwide Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games live streams options.

How to watch your Olympics live stream when abroad

No matter where you are around the world, there should be an Olympic Games stream to ensure you can watch Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, whether paid-for or free. However, you may find your preferred domestic coverage is geo-restricted when abroad, or that your place of work, college, or school has prevented the ability to access your chosen service and watch online.

Thankfully, there's any easy work-around. Simply download a VPN and you can spoof your device into appearing as if it's located somewhere else. Essentially, then, you can appear as if you're where your coverage is geo-locked to and watch as if you're right at home.

Use a VPN to watch Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games from anywhere

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Three simple steps to using a VPN to bypass geo-restrictions:

1. Download and install a VPN - our recommendation is ExpressVPN

2. Connect to the relevant server location - launch the VPN app, click on 'choose location' and select the right location, i.e. UK for iPlayer, US for Sling TV

3. Head to the chosen broadcaster's live stream - so if you're from the UK, just head to BBC iPlayer

FREE Olympics equestrian live stream in the UK

BBC in the UK is broadcasting the Olympics for free, and BBC One and Two will air hundreds of hours of live footage from key events. Online viewers can stream the games live through BBC iPlayer.

Unlike previous years, the BBC is not the exclusive rights holder for all the Olympics coverage. The other streaming services covering the Tokyo Olympics are Discovery+ and Eurosport, with the former holding the majority of the rights. Both their monthly subscriptions costs £6.99 a month or £29.99 for a whole year, with 3-day trials available on both respective services.

Along with Android and iOS, these services can be accessed through Fire TV, PlayStation, Xbox, Chromecast, and other devices. 

If you’re not in the UK during the 2020 Olympic games, you can always use a VPN to watch the games on time.

How to watch Olympics equestrian in the US with and without cable

In the US, NBC is broadcasting the 2020 Olympics, so US residents can catch all the games through the NBC channels. If you have NBC on cable, you can also catch the events online through NBC’s streaming platform. 

Cord-cutters will have to subscribe to a streaming service that has NBC, like Peacock TV, or Sling TV.

Peacock TV is offering a great reel of highlights for you to dip your toes into, and costs $4.99 a month or $49.99 annually. You can also benefit from a 7-day free trial.

If you're after more in-depth, live coverage, Sling TV and its Sling Blue package gets you access to NBC and NBCSN, available to new customers for just $10 for your first month, thereafter costing $35 a month.

You can use Google Chrome Browser, Samsung TV, iOS, Android, and other devices to access these platforms.

How to watch Olympics equestrian in Canada

Four Canadian broadcasters are telecasting the Tokyo Olympics - TSN, Sportsnet, CBC, and TLN. Cable subscribers can watch the games through any of these channels. 

For those looking for free coverage, the good news is CBC is offering a selection of live action with no charge via its website and across its apps on a number of devices, including iOS, Android, Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Android TV, and other select Smar TVs.

Other options include TSN / TSN OnDemand or Sportsnet, both of which you'll have to pay for if  you don't have a cable package. Sportsnet and TSN’s streaming services cost CA$19.99 a month.

TLN doesn’t offer a streaming service currently.

How to live stream equestrian at the Olympics for FREE in Australia

Australia’s Channel 7 is airing the Tokyo Olympics for free exclusively, and you’ll find the events on 7Two and 7Mate

If you don’t have cable access, you can try Channel 7’s streaming service, 7plus. It runs on iOS, Android, Apple TV, web browsers, and other devices. Here you'll find a ton of live coverage online.

Not in Australia? Use a VPN if you're away from home, in order to tap into your local Olympics coverage.

How to watch Olympic equestrian in New Zealand

New Zealand also has free Olympics coverage in 2021 thanks to broadcaster TVNZand its TVNZ OnDemand streaming service, with Olympic coverage airing 24/7 on TVNZ 1 and online.

If that isn't quite enough, then Sky Sport is also carrying the action, with a weekly pass costing from $19.99.

Other 2020 Olympics broadcasters around the world

With many countries around the world taking part in the Olympic Games, you can find a broadcaster to watch Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in most countries, whether free or platforms that charge.

For those countries we haven't mentioned above, Wikipedia's dedicated page allows you to see a breakdown of Olympic Games TV channels to tune into.