Anand Patel - Dressage - Biography
My background of riding started when I was three years of age at a riding school where I began to take lessons as a total beginner. However as I grew into the sport it became evident that I had talent for it and it slowly became an obsession. As I grew old enough I volunteered at the riding school working all day in return for an extra lesson. At the earliest permitted age I took British Horse Society Stage 1 exam which is the first professional instructor’s exam. Passing this with no faults I went on to start training for my stage 2 whilst now taking on my first teaching commitments. In the interim I also had other equestrian projects such as the headship of a complicated Quadrille ride in front of a large audience. After passing my stage 2 following much discussion I decided to take a gap year in which I managed a riding school, which included training my own set of working pupils as well as training for my Stage 3 exam.
This year proved that I have the commitment to work with horses as often I would work fourteen hour days spent teaching and training horses. However, being the most experienced rider at the yard the majority of horses that I had were problematic and rather dangerous, this I feel taught me a great deal that was imperative in the betterment of my riding for the future. Towards the end of the year I passed my Stage 3 which was a long and gruelling exam.
In July 2008 I saw an advert for a horse that appeared to fulfil every criteria that I had for my future horse. After trying him I decided that he was the perfect horse for me to start my competitive Dressage career on; this is what I had worked towards most of my life.
Once again after lengthy discussions the previous owners of the horse made the decision to sponsor me in that they would sell me an affordable share of the horse therefore providing me with the opportunity of a lifetime.
I have competed my current horse at different shows around the country; my next aim is to get him to the Nationals and some Young Rider Dressage competitions.
My aim looking to the future, is to represent my country in Dressage at Grand Prix internationally, this is what I want to gear my life towards. However, to start training and competing on the national circuit and become known on the dressage set, coming from relatively humble backings it has become apparent that I need to secure sponsorship, as a budding professional Dressage rider with sights set to the top. This will enable me to train and compete at the level at which I feel that I am capable.
I am sure that with the correct support in the long term I am going to fulfil my goal of Dressage riding internationally.