Recently the jumpingaround.com crew have got to know some of the riders from Para Equestrian Ireland and what an amazing group of go-getters they are!

Para Equestrians are riders that many of us have no knowledge of at all and yet many in the dressage world are competing against them each weekend at Dressage Ireland competitions throughout the country.

We may notice them because they might "look different" but how many of us understand what Para competition is all about? Very few I suspect - and now is the time for this to change!

The Irish Para Equestrians are Eilish Byrne, Lisa Landau, James Dwyer (based in USA), Kathryn Wheelock (based in UK), Marion O'Gormon and Breda Bernie.

There are also Jean Daly and Joan Salmon who are currently heavily entrenched in study for final exams.

The Para Equestrians are graded according to their physical disability and I would not even begin to try and explain those gradings but the one thing I have learned recently is that the riders require top level Grand Prix horses - and this is where the request comes in....

Breda Bernie, has mild cerebral palsy and walks with the aid of a stick as her balance and coordination are affected. From the Dublin area, Breda has ridden in two Paralympics and two World Championships since beginning riding competitively in 1998. Breda has also won a bronze medal in the Freestyle at International competition.

With this fabulous CV to date, Breda has no horse and needs one urgently. Breda is keen to qualify for the Beijing selection events which are coming up from July onwards this year but cannot do so without a horse.

The horse needed has to a very special horse and perhaps he is sitting in your stables right now - Breda needs a horse which is 15 to 16hh (but not too wide) who has a good walk and trot and has to be educated to readily and easily work on the contact.

The tests Breda has to do include 10m and 20m circles in walk and trot, free walk, figure of 8 in walk and lengthened strides with smooth transitions being very important - but the horse she requires must have the mileage to go to competitions and behave and the walk and trot must be quality paces.

Breda trains with Donie MacNamara from Limerick but now she needs a horse - and the horse has to be quality - so where is this horse?

Do you have a horse with a big impressive walk and a floating athletic trot which may have done Grand Prix but is now perhaps a little bit older and not up to the passage and piaffe? Is this horse sitting in your stables doing very little? Does this horse have an excellent temperament and still wants to work and go to shows?

Would you like to have a horse competing internationally for Ireland?

If so then please contact Breda Bernie via email by clicking here