Summertime is show season for all riders across Canada, and riders with disabilities are no exception. Many riders with disabilities enjoy the chance to compete and ride with others to show their horse-riding abilities. There are many different kinds of opportunities for riders with special needs to enjoy competition including in-house shows, local schooling shows, and Para-Equestrian Canada video competitions.

Learning from lesson horses - Do you remember your first lesson horse? Was it a wizened old schoolmaster, retired from his horse show days, who patiently taught you how to post the trot and pick a hoof?

Adaptive tack is used in therapeutic riding to compensate for the rider’s physical or cognitive limitations, thereby enabling safe riding accomplishment. There is a wide range of adaptive tack and here is an introduction to the most commonly used items in a Canadian Therapeutic Riding Association (CanTRA) accredited program. None of the adaptive tack described here affects the well-being of the horse.