Individual, Open

The format was different as two rounds of qualifying were held, with the top 50% of riders advancing to the final round, with no more than three riders allowed in the final from any nation. The qualifying scoring was also different as it was a positive scoring system, rather than based on negative faults. The final round consisted of two rounds, again using the negative fault system, with both rounds to count for the final score. Only the top 20 riders and ties in the first final round advanced. German Olaf Petersen designed the course, which measured 770 metres in length, with verticals up to 1.60 metres. The largest oxer was 2.00 metres wide and the water jump measured 4.60 metres in width.

Gail Grennough had won the 1986 World Championship but was not named to the Canadian team for the 1988 Olympics. American Katharine Burdsall was the 1987 World Cup leader, but was also not at the Seoul Olympics. With several top riders out, the competition was considered wide open. In the final, West German Karsten Huck went clean in round one to lead narrowly over France’s Pierre Durand, Jr. (with 0.25 faults) and Canadian Ian Millar (with 0.75 faults). Thirteen riders tied for fourth with 4 faults. In the second round American Greg Best had the only clean ride to finish with 4 faults. Durand had only one fault to finish with 1.25 faults. Huck was the last rider and needed 1 or less faults, but hit the penultimate barrier and dropped back to a tie with Best, giving Durand the gold medal. In the jump-off Best and Huck both had 4 faults, but Best won the silver medal based on time.