Between 1898 and 1902, Lajos Malanotti was a student of the Hungarian military school in Pécs. He served in Zagreb from 1902 to 1905 and then completed a riding teacher training course. He then served in the First World War. Beginning in 1928 he was the commander of the 1st and then 3rd Hussar Regiments for six years. This is was followed by a spell as a commander of the Riding School in Örkény. In 1928, he competed in show jumping at the Amsterdam Olympics. During his sports career he won the 1930 Hungarian championship title in eventing and the following year he won a national competition in Toronto. In 1948, he ended his life by his own hands.