A rider due to compete at the World Championships aged 71 said her aim is of course to win a medal – but also show there is “no such thing as ‘it can’t be done’.”
Germany’s Heidemarie Dresing will start at Aachen, a home championship, as the overall world number two in the para dressage rankings but she is top of the Grade II list. She brings her 11-year-old mare Poesie 123, with whom she has won seven of her eight international starts this year.
“Naturally, my aim is to win a medal,” Heidemarie said. “At my first World Championships in 2022, the 2021 Paralympics and the 2019 European Championships, I came fourth several times. While I was fortunate enough to take three gold medals home with me from last year’s European Championships in Ermelo, the desire to make it on to the podium at the home World Championships in Aachen is very strong.
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“Beyond that, however, I also want to inspire older people and serve as a role model, because there is no such thing as ‘it can’t be done’! If you exert yourself and stay active, you can achieve amazing feats even at an advanced age.”
Heidemarie has multiple sclerosis, which means she has neurological and muscular impairments such as balance issues, fatigue and reduced muscle strength. She relies on a wheelchair, as she said she can only walk a few metres without it.
“Staying active keeps me fit!” she said.
Heidemarie first rode aged eight; her mother had always loved horses, she said. She had riding lessons and first competed in showjumping, then bought a horse with “the first real money I earned”.
Heidemarie Dresing: horses are my life
“Horses are my life,” she said “I can’t imagine life without them. Naturally, my training has changed since the onset of the illness, but I am still absolutely thrilled by the sense of unity and harmony we can create together.
“Sometimes I am moved to tears when I see everything the horses do for me and how considerate they are. They respond to the subtlest of aids and are forgiving of mistakes, too, which is something really special.
“Competing has always been part of my life, because I am very ambitious. When I thought my illness meant I would no longer be able to compete at shows, I initially wanted to quit. But then I learnt about para sports from [German para dressage rider] Hanne Brenner and suddenly I was able to compete again – albeit in a different way compared to before.”
Heidemarie Dresing added that Poesie is “as crazy as I am!”
“She is a fighter and has a mind of her own – after all, she is a girl!” she said. “But that is precisely the attraction of it. She is a truly special horse and the two of us harmonise extremely well together and share a very subtle form of communication.
“The horses provide fresh motivation for me every single day, they are the best medicine. It is fantastic that we para athletes are now part of the event in Aachen. It is great to have this opportunity to demonstrate our skills on such an impressive stage.”
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