Madrid Horse Week 2026 at IFEMA: Practical Guide and How to Make the Most of Madrid
This post reflects the situation as of 14 November 2026. Things may have changed since, so please check official sources before your visit.
In 30 seconds
What: Mutua Madrid Horse Week, Spain's biggest equestrian event, with an international 5* competition.
When and where: Thursday 26 to Sunday 29 November 2026, at IFEMA Madrid.
New this year: three FEI World Cups (jumping, dressage and, for the first time, driving).
Tickets: on the official website, madridhorseweek.com.
After a year's break (the 2025 edition was cancelled), Madrid Horse Week is back, turning IFEMA into a meeting point for riders, horses and fans from around the world. Whether you're coming to Madrid for the show or it just happens to fall on your travel dates, here's what you need to know, plus a few ideas to make the rest of your time in the city count too.
What is Madrid Horse Week?
It started in 2012 and has become one of the leading indoor equestrian events on the international calendar. Previous editions drew more than 45,000 visitors and around 300 horses. In 2026 it has a new name, Mutua Madrid Horse Week, and reaches its thirteenth edition.
You don't need to know anything about horses to enjoy it: the organisers pitch it as a day out for everyone, with top-level sport, shows and a family and exhibition area.
What you'll see in 2026
FEI Jumping World Cup, the highlight for many fans.
FEI Dressage World Cup, precision and elegance at their finest.
FEI Driving World Cup, this year's big new addition: horse-drawn carriages at full speed.
**A 5* competition and a parallel show** for amateurs and up-and-coming show jumpers.
Salón del Caballo, with stands, activities, a Pony Park where children can ride ponies, a kids' area and a Christmas market.
Tickets and practical tips
Where to buy: on madridhorseweek.com, the official website (sales opened on 1 October). Check prices and session times there.
One ticket, two areas: grandstand tickets include access to the Salón del Caballo on the same day.
With children: under-14s get free entry to the Salón del Caballo, and under-2s to the grandstand too.
No pets: IFEMA doesn't allow animals on site.
Eating on site: there are food outlets for breakfast, lunch or dinner, though it's fast food.
Getting there: Metro Line 8, the same line that serves the airport, stops at Feria de Madrid. If you're landing that day, it's literally on your way.
All the official information, including the day-by-day programme, is on the IFEMA website.
Madrid on horseback (in bronze)
If you love horses, central Madrid has a little secret: some of its equestrian statues are among the most interesting in Europe.
In Plaza Mayor stands Philip III on horseback, a work begun by Giambologna and finished by his pupil Pietro Tacca in 1616. It has been in the square since 1848, and almost everyone walks straight past it.
A few minutes away, opposite the Royal Palace in Plaza de Oriente, Philip IV rides a rearing horse balanced on its hind legs alone. It's also by Pietro Tacca (1640) and was an engineering challenge in its day: the story goes that Galileo Galilei helped with the calculations to keep it upright, making the front hollow and the back solid.
🐎 Fun fact: in Madrid, someone really brave "has more balls than Espartero's horse", after the general's equestrian statue on Calle de Alcalá by the Retiro. Ask any madrileño: they all know the saying.
These stories are best told standing in front of the statues. Our private walking tour of the city centre covers Sol, Plaza Mayor and the Royal Palace in 2, 3 or 4 hours, so it fits nicely into the morning before an afternoon session, or the day before Horse Week starts.
And in the evening, tapas
After a day of exhibition halls and fast food, a proper tavern feels like a treat. The Barrio de las Letras, where Cervantes and Lope de Vega lived, is right in the centre and the best area for an unhurried tapas evening.
If you'd rather someone else picked the taverns, our Tapas Tour à la Quixote starts in Plaza de Santa Ana and visits three of the neighbourhood's taverns in about two and a half hours, with drinks and 4–5 tapas included. A relaxed way to end a day at the show, or to start your trip on the night you arrive.
Tips for planning your days
Buy a ticket for the session you care about most (jumping, dressage or driving) and plan the rest of the day around it.
Old town in the morning, IFEMA in the afternoon, or the other way round, depending on the programme.
Book dinner: by late November Madrid is already in Christmas mode and weekends fill up.
Sunday 29 November is general election day in Spain; for visitors, the day runs as normal.
Wear comfortable shoes: between the halls and the old town, you'll walk a lot.
Coming to Horse Week and fancy a tour?
Our tours are private, so we work around your session times at IFEMA. Message us on WhatsApp at +34 614 500 379 and we'll find the slot that suits you best.
Sources: IFEMA Madrid, Oxer Sport (organiser), esMadrid and press, checked on 14 November 2026.
Cover photo: Valerie Semenova on Unsplash
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