A woman who rides horses skillfully or professionally, especially in circus performances or competitions.
From French 'écuyère,' the feminine form of 'écuyer' (horseman/equerry). French added the feminine '-enne' suffix, and English adopted the word in the 18th century.
Equestriennes in the Victorian era were celebrity superstars of circus riding—they performed death-defying stunts on galloping horses in front of huge crowds, at a time when women had very few public performance opportunities!
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