Paralympic Equestrian
All Equestrian events at the Paralympic Games are mixed, with athletes grouped according to their functional ability.
Did you know?
- Visually impaired riders are permitted to use ‘callers’ to help them navigate around the arena.
- Norway’s Ann Cecile Orr rode to a whistle on her way to winning two silver medals at Sydney 2000 – she is totally blind.
- The first World Championships took place in Sweden in 1987.
- The competition arena measures 40m x 20m or 60m x 20m (depending on the grade).
Key facts
Venue: Greenwich Park
Dates: Thursday 30 August – Tuesday 4 September
Gold medals up for grabs: 11
Athletes: 78
Equestrian events made their Paralympic debut at the Atlanta 1996 Games. The competition consists of two Dressage tests: a Championship Test, made up of set movements, and a Freestyle Test, for which riders choose their own movements and music.
How the competition runs
Dressage at the Paralympic Games does not differ from its Olympic equivalent in terms of what is expected of the competitors: horse and rider must be in harmony, and the overall picture must be of lightness and rhythm.
There are five grades for each test, which determine the complexity of the movements that the riders perform with their horses. These grades ensure that the tests can be judged on the skill of the rider, regardless of their disability. In addition to these 10 individual medal events, individual scores are combined to determine the winner of a team competition.
For more information on the history of the sport, visit the IPC website.
Equestrian Equestrian at the Games
Paralympic Equestrian became a Paralympic sport at the Atlanta 1996 Games.
Only 16 countries took part in the inaugural competition and it was vital that at least 24 teams participated in Sydney 2000 to allow Para-Equestrian Dressage to remain in the Games.
Thirty-four teams competed at Sydney, rising to 38 at Athens 2004, and the sport is now firmly established on the Paralympic programme.
The Athens 2004 Games were the first at which competitors were allowed to ride their own horses.
The change has brought Para-Equestrian Dressage closer to Olympic Dressage, where riders also form a partnership with a horse they ride and train consistently.
Get involved
Part of the British Equestrian Federation, the Riding for the Disabled Association has groups across the UK. For more information on the sport, check the websites of British Dressage and the International Paralympic Committee.
Learn more about how to get involved on the Parasport website
You can also visit the site of Paralympic Sport TV
