ym pic ▁program ▁that ▁includes ▁a ▁live ▁animal . ▁ ▁Media ▁dep iction ▁ ▁Histor ically , ▁para - e quest rian ▁rid ers ▁have ▁been ▁treated ▁by ▁the ▁media ▁as ▁" super - cri ps ". ▁Media ▁coverage ▁suggests ▁that ▁these ▁rid ers ▁excel ▁at ▁their ▁sport ▁despite ▁the ▁fact ▁that ▁they ▁have ▁a ▁dis ability . ▁ ▁Their ▁r iding ▁ab ilities ▁are ▁rarely ▁considered ▁on ▁their ▁own ▁mer its ▁given ▁their ▁dis ability ▁type . ▁ ▁When ▁p ict ured ▁in ▁media ▁reports , ▁they ▁are ▁rarely ▁dep icted ▁in ▁competition ▁on ▁their ▁horses . ▁ ▁Instead , ▁they ▁are ▁dep icted ▁in ▁tack ▁rooms , ▁outside ▁of ▁a ▁compet itive ▁setting . ▁ ▁In ▁able - b od ied ▁e quest rian ▁ ▁L iz ▁Hart el ▁was ▁ 1 9 5 2 ▁Summer ▁Olympics ▁compet itor ▁who ▁was ▁post ▁pol io ▁and ▁had ▁a ▁dis ability . ▁ ▁She ▁won ▁a ▁silver ▁at ▁those ▁Games ▁in ▁the ▁dress age ▁competition . ▁ ▁Para - e quest rian ▁compet itors , ▁such ▁as ▁gold ▁medal ist ▁Lee ▁Pear son , ▁have ▁expressed ▁fr ustration ▁when ▁compet ing ▁against ▁able - b od ied ▁compet itors ▁because ▁these ▁able - b od ied ▁compet itors ▁often ▁do ▁not ▁want ▁to ▁comp ete ▁in ▁the ▁same ▁class ▁as ▁some ▁one ▁with ▁a ▁dis ability . ▁ ▁Para - e quest rian ▁classification ▁ ▁The ▁classification ▁system ▁for ▁para - e quest rian ▁sport ▁is ▁a ▁grad ed ▁system ▁based ▁on ▁the