What makes a champion Dressage horse? What makes a champion show jumping or eventing horse? How about what makes a good therapeutic riding horse? Listen for these answers and more in this week's Mad About Horses Podcast. Dr. Chris Mortensen starts off this podcast episode by delving into the incredible story of Lis Hartel, a Danish dressage rider who overcame polio to become a champion. He discusses Lis's significant contributions to equestrian sports and therapeutic riding. The episode explores different horse breeds used in various English disciplines like dressage, show jumping, eventing, and the qualities that make a horse suitable for each discipline. Also, the importance of confirmation in horse performance and different horse breeds involved in racing and driving are discussed. The episode concludes with a look at therapeutic riding horses and their qualities, as well as how Lis Hartel's story continues to inspire the Paralympic equestrian sport and therapeutic riding.   00:00 Introduction and Background 00:46 The Inspiring Story of Lis Hartel 03:56 Lis Hartel's Legacy and Impact 06:00 Transition to Discussion on Horse Breeds 08:51 Exploring the Characteristics of Dressage Horses 11:36 The Role of Warm Bloods in Dressage 17:52 Understanding Horse Confirmation for Dressage 24:08 Introduction to Show Jumping 26:54 Understanding the Vision of Horses 27:33 Breeds for Show Jumping 28:19 Olympic Show Jumping Champions and Their Breeds 29:50 The Role of Confirmation in Show Jumping 32:19 The Challenges of Cross-Country Course for Eventing 33:24 Breeds for Eventing 34:07 Olympic Eventing Champions and Their Breeds 35:16 The Diversity of Breeds in Eventing 36:00 Introduction to Horse Racing 37:51 Endurance Racing and Horse Welfare 39:51 Breeds for Endurance Racing 41:30 The Sport of Horse Driving 44:39 Therapeutic Riding and Suitable Breeds 48:02 Closing Remarks and Encouragement for Engagement Visit https://madbarn.com/mad-about-horses/ to learn more about the Mad About Horses podcast.  --------------------------------- Mad Barn Academy is dedicated to supporting horse owners, handlers and practitioners through research, training and education. Visit us to learn more at ⁠https://madbarn.com ⁠ You can also find Mad Barn at: ⁠ Instagram ⁠@madbarnequine⁠ ⁠ Facebook ⁠@madbarnequine⁠ TikTok ⁠@madbarnequine⁠ ⁠YouTube⁠ @madbarn ⁠ We would love to hear from you! Please send any questions or comments to ⁠[email protected]