Para-Equestrianism

Most people land here while checking one thing: what para-equestrian actually is in Australia, and what you need to do to ride and compete fairly and safely. The details matter—classification, permitted adaptations, and horse welfare rules can change what’s allowed on the day, and what level you can enter.

Para-equestrian (also called para dressage at most competitive levels) sits quietly alongside mainstream equestrian sport: the same arena, the same focus on calm, accurate riding, but with classification and approved compensating aids so athletes with impairment can compete on equal terms.^{1, 2}

What is para-equestrian?

Para-equestrian is the Paralympic equestrian discipline. In practice, it is para dressage: horse and rider perform a set test of prescribed movements, and (in some formats) a freestyle to music. Results are scored on accuracy, quality of paces, rider effectiveness, and the overall harmony of the combination.^{1, 2}

At Paralympic level, it’s mixed-gender and grouped by functional classification, not by age or gender. Athletes may have a physical impairment or vision impairment, provided they meet eligibility and minimum impairment criteria.^{1, 2}

How para-equestrian fits into the Paralympics (and what it doesn’t include)

Para-equestrian first appeared at the Paralympic Games in Atlanta in 1996. It remains a Paralympic sport today, with para dressage as the competition format at the Games.^{1, 3}

A common misconception is that para-equestrian Paralympic competition includes showjumping or eventing. Those disciplines may exist in broader adaptive riding contexts, but the Paralympic discipline is para dressage.^{1, 2}

Classification and grades (how fairness is built in)

Classification is the system that groups athletes by how much their impairment affects riding function. In Australia, Equestrian Australia manages national classification and works in alignment with FEI requirements for the international pathway.⁴

Para dressage uses five grades: Grade I (impairment has the greatest impact on riding function) through to Grade V (least impact). The grade determines the complexity of the test—some grades ride walk-only tests, while others include trot and canter work.^{2, 5}

What the grades generally look like

• Grade I: walk-only tests; freestyle may include some lateral work at walk.²
• Grade II: walk and trot tests; freestyle may include lateral work.²
• Grade III: walk and trot tests; freestyle may include canter and lateral work in walk and trot.²
• Grade IV: walk, trot and canter; freestyle may include lateral work and single flying changes.²
• Grade V: most complex tests within para dressage, for athletes whose impairment has the least impact on riding function.^{2, 5}

Classification is not a once-off label you pick yourself. It’s a formal process conducted by trained classifiers, using established criteria and documentation, and it can affect what tests you ride and what aids you may use in competition.^{2, 4}

Compensating aids and adaptations (what’s allowed, and why)

Para-equestrian allows certain “compensating aids” so riders can communicate clearly and safely with their horse despite impairment. These can include items such as a connecting rein bar, rubber bands, or approved rein modifications—depending on the rider’s needs and what is permitted under the rules and their classification profile.^{1, 6}

Two principles sit behind the fine print: fairness between athletes in the same grade, and safety for both rider and horse. That’s why some adaptations are permitted and others are not—particularly anything that could prevent a rider from falling free in an accident, or that changes the action of the tack in a way that may affect horse welfare.^{6, 7}

Common adaptation areas

• Reins and handholds: rein loops or handholds may be permitted within rule specifications, with measurements defined in the current rules.⁶
• Stirrups and lower-leg support: adaptations may be permitted where they improve stability and safety, but must still allow safe release in an emergency.⁷
• Whips and leg aids: riders may be permitted to use a whip as a compensating aid when appropriate under the rules and their profile.^{1, 2}

If you’re competing under FEI rules, the FEI Para Dressage Rules and related updates are the reference point for what’s currently permitted and how it must be measured or declared.^{6, 8}

Training and preparation: horse, rider, and the quiet work between tests

Para dressage preparation looks much like dressage preparation anywhere: consistent schooling, a sound and willing horse, and a rider who can reproduce calm, accurate work in a new arena. The difference is that training plans often include extra time for mounting routines, equipment checks, and practising with the exact compensating aids used in competition.

It also rewards steadiness. Tests are won and lost in small places—straightness on the centreline, a clean transition, a half-halt that arrives without drama.

Practical checks before you compete

• Confirm your current classification status and any required documentation well before entries close.⁴
• Check your declared compensating aids match what you’ll use at the event, and that they align with the latest rules wording and measurements.^{6, 8}
• Keep horse welfare front and centre: soundness, tack fit, and calm handling matter more than a flashy test.

Competitions and pathways in Australia

In Australia, the para-equestrian pathway runs through Equestrian Australia’s para-equestrian program, including national classification management and grade information for athletes moving into competition.^{2, 4}

For the Paralympic pathway and a high-level overview of eligibility, events, and how the sport works in Australia, Paralympics Australia provides a clear starting point, including information sheets and participation guidance.⁹

Challenges and benefits (without pretending it’s simple)

Para-equestrian can be demanding. Riding is physical, but it also asks for sustained attention: maintaining rhythm, shaping a horse’s balance, and staying precise when fatigue and nerves begin to thin the edges.

It also offers rare things: partnership with an animal that responds to tiny changes in weight and rein feel, a sport where adaptation is normalised, and a competition structure designed to make the contest about riding—rather than about who can best hide an impairment.^{4, 5}

Future of para-equestrian

The sport continues to refine its rules, classification processes, and equipment guidance as knowledge improves and welfare expectations sharpen. Recent rule updates show the steady direction of travel: clearer measurements, clearer protocols, and tighter alignment with safety and horse welfare in competition environments.^{6, 8}

Final thoughts

Para-equestrian is dressage with a wider doorway. The arena stays the same, the judging stays exacting, and the best rounds still look unhurried—horse and rider moving as one organism, guided by signals most people never notice. The difference is that the sport makes room for different bodies and different ways of communicating, then holds everyone to the same quiet standard: ride well, ride fairly, and look after the horse.^{1, 2}

References

1. International Paralympic Committee (IPC) – Equestrian: About
2. Equestrian Australia – Para Equestrian Grades
3. International Paralympic Committee – Sport Week: History of para-equestrian (24 March 2016)
4. Equestrian Australia – New to Classification
5. Fédération Équestre Internationale (FEI) – Para-equestrian jargon buster (grading and grades)
6. FEI – Para Dressage Rules: Changes for 2025
7. FEI – Para Equestrian Forum 2025: Equipment (examples of approved/rejected aids)
8. FEI – FEI Para Dressage Rules 2025 (rules library entry)
9. Paralympics Australia – Para-equestrian