Paradressage

dress-age (noun): translates to “training” in French.

Horses have played an essential role in many cultures throughout history. Dressage celebrates the journey and mastery of balance, harmony and communication between horse and rider. This exploration of horsemanship spans many centuries. Modern dressage competition showcases the goals of this training in the show ring. I have often described it as ballet or figure skating on horseback – precision, harmony, balance and discipline provide an elegant and effortless beauty while a carefully orchestrated routine of movements and figures is performed.

para-dressage (noun): parallel to Dressage using the same basics in training, gaits, and figures where horses and riders perform a series of compulsory movements in a test. To allow for fair competition, athletes compete according to their Classification Grade. (source: Equestrian Canada)

Para-athletes are elite athletes with a physical impairment or disability. The paradressage classification system is designed to assign athletes a Grade (I through V) and profile (1 through 39) so they can compete against individuals with similar abilities.

If you are interested in learning more about becoming classified as a paraequestrian athlete I highly recommend connecting with Equestrian Canada to learn more and begin your journey.