Bryanna Tanase: My Para-Dressage Journey

Guest Post: Bryanna Tanase, Para-Dressage Rider, Florida

My name is Bryanna Tanase and I am a 22-year-old Grade 1 para-dressage rider. I was born with cerebral palsy, which is a disability caused by brain damage before or during birth that affects movement, balance and coordination. Horses have completely changed my life so I wanted to share my equestrian journey with you, and how I was inspired to make the leap from a recreational therapeutic rider to an equestrian athlete.

In the Beginning

The first encounter I had with a horse, or in my case a pony, was during a preschool trip to afar where my little self became fascinated by a palomino found there. Once I saw the pony, I didn’t want to go anywhere else – I caught the horse bug and there was no looking back. Horses have consistently been a part of my life since then. I have seen just about every horse movie, read my fair share of books, and although I went on some small rides on and off throughout my life, my first real and ongoing experience with lessons and riding came in 2016 when my parents signed me up for therapeutic riding lessons at Quantum Leap Farm in Odessa, FL. After years of asking and wishing, my dreams came true thanks to them.

The lessons at Quantum were unlike anything I had done before, I was actively engaged in the ride and making choices, as opposed to being lead around. The team at Quantum have been so supportive since my first lesson. They taught me the basics of riding and continue to help me grow into a strong and confident rider today. I took a few years to allow myself to get comfortable with riding and being around horses, and 2019 was the year I began to take my para-dressage ambitions seriously.

Discovering Dressage

I discovered dressage, and not long after, para-dressage, through the internet when I was around 10 or 11. From the moment I watched both able-bodied and para riders dance through the arena sand with their horses, I was inspired and knew it was something I had to do and could do even with the challenges presented by my disability. The two worlds of therapeutic riding and para-dressage are completely different, the former teaches riding basics and horsemanship adapted to someone’s disability, whereas the latter teaches the horse and rider to be an athletic team.

In 2019 I made huge strides toward my long-term goal of qualifying for the U.S Paradressage Team and Paralympics. In March, I took my first ride in a dressage saddle, and from that point, my trainer at Quantum and I started to work on beginning dressage movements such as 20-meter circles. Then in October, I visited Sunflower Hill Farm in Ocala, FL to meet Bronze and Silver USDF Medalist and Silver Paradressage Coach Lisa Hellmer and Paradressage Rider Laurietta Oakleaf, who have since been important members of my support team. Then in January 2020, I received my national para-dressage classification at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival in Wellington.

Receiving my classification was important to me because it was a way of committing myself to the sport and my goals. Now, I am in the process of looking for a horse that I can eventually compete with and a dressage trainer I can work with because I realize that I still have much to learn about dressage and am lacking technical skill that I don’t get in a therapeutic riding session. Both types of lessons are important to my development because dressage lessons will help me develop technique and learn new skills. and my therapeutic rides will be for continued revision and strengthening.

Development

My mindset has changed as I continue to develop as a para-dressage rider. I focus more attention on my position in the saddle and the correctness of my riding. Additionally, I have started to take note of things I will need to be successful now and, in the future, including adaptive equipment, physical training for myself and my horse. If I became nationally or internationally recognized I would use my influence to help people with disabilities start in the sport of para-dressage and teach them how to ride.

Riders with disabilities of all types are serious athletes. We know what we signed up for when we started our journeys in this sport and are just as passionate and driven to reach our goals. While some may be nervous about us riding, we know our limits and would not be participating if we didn’t think we could. Even though we face more difficulties than most, we are not giving up and are letting our passion for horses and the sport lead the way. If there is anyone reading this who is considering working with para riders, we ask that you give us a chance to show you our capabilities and knowledge if you can. We may surprise you.

Horses have given me so much confidence, emotional support, newfound strength, the list goes on. They are my greatest joy. I love every moment with them whether I am in the saddle, on the ground, or simply enjoying their company. Horses remind me of my capabilities, and they are my true passion.

If you would like to reach out to me, my email is btanase@verizon.net. Follow my para-dressage journey on Instagram @bt.paradressage and check out my blog at https://parapiaffe.wixsite.com/blog,

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Suzanne Ashton

Suzanne Ashton, Founder of Everything Horse (Est, 2012), has a BA Hons in Marketing Management and a Diploma in Equine Science. Suzanne has ridden and owned horses all her life and has twelve years of experience in marketing, writing, design, SEO, and website creation.