Meet Lisa Coulter of World Para Reining in Prosper

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lisa Coulter.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
In 2013, I was asked to coach a rider with physical disabilities at the AQHA World Show in Oklahoma City. I am a professional reining horse trainer and have been training horses since my early 20s. I have won many awards and championships over the years. I have competed all over the world in elite international level competition in the sport of Reining. Nothing has made me prouder than what began that day in 2013.

After I coached the rider I felt inspired to do more. We have never had disabled riders in the sport of Reining competing. So in 2014 I founded the World Para Reining non-profit organization. This org is set up to foster and develop riders with disabilities in the sport of Reining. We started at ground level and built and entire program.

No one had ever spun or slid a horse in competition that had paralysis. Or one leg. Or a multitude of other disabilities. We had no idea what riders were capable of. We have pioneered a whole new competitive opportunity for very special riders. And it’s the riders who bravely tried and tested all the maneuvers to see what we could accomplish.

WPR quickly took hold at major events in the US. And it wasn’t long before we gained International recognition. We are now in over 10 countries around the world and set to move into many more. We have major competitions and championships all over as well as grass roots development that anyone can attend no matter their finance level.
WPR is also proud of its efforts to reintroduce retired horses back to a career in competition with the Para riders.

Some of the greatest horses in Reining get retired because the need to keep up with high competition demands becomes too much for them. In Para Reining the demands can be much more about mental stability than high level competitive demands. So our beloved Reining horses are finding a new much needed career and retiring to the arena to safely and heroically carry riders to great achievements. The bond between a riders and horse is undeniably strong. And it’s multiplied greatly when a riders with life altering impairments suddenly finds the strength, courage and partnership in a horse to achieve greatness in sport.

We now are 4 years into WPR and enjoying great success and upward movement. We will be a part of the World Equestrian Games this fall as a demonstration event for the FEI. And next year we move into full FEI competition. This is huge for us all and the pinnacle of our sport.

Lives have been dramatically changed by WPR. We see riders accomplishing great things on the back of a horse. The ability to show themselves as parallel to able bodied riders is what makes the biggest difference in their lives. On regular ground the riders recognize their disabilities. On the back of a horse that all goes away and they feel equal if not greater. This is not something easily defined or easy to emote.

So my journey and life has been altered greatly as I find myself in the very privileged position to participate in the incredible stories of these incredible riders and horses. I will continue to help them pioneer and blaze new paths in pursuit of equality in sport and greatness in their ambitions. I am very very grateful to be able to give back to the world and embark on something so totally challenging and scary. But also the most remarkable and meaningful thing I have ever done in my life.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It’s been an incredibly hard road. Obstacles have been monstrous. We fear injury every day that we put riders on a horse. We have had to tackle new concepts in sport and redefine how we compete.

We also face criticism and misunderstanding from people in the horse industry that don’t recognize what we are doing or accomplishing. Para reining challenges people to look at their own competiveness and vulnerability on a horse. We suddenly see what life looks like on a horse in a different manner than we normally see in competition. That scares some people.

Every single time I watch my riders competing I hold my breath. I live in constant fear for their well-being and safety. But they push me past that. The riders challenge my bravery and ability to live life outside of a box. They have given me a rare chance to find a depth to my competitive spirit and unbiased view of the world and its challenges. I and in debt to the riders and horses in Para Reining for allowing me to find things within myself I never had I clue I possessed.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
We are the one and only organization to have disabled riders out competing in Reining. We compete on a global level and have hundreds of classes every year. We have a major Championship that pays the riders over $25,000.

We have held major events in Europe and the USA. We also have entry level competitive events around the world.

The goal is to show the world what riders can accomplish no matter their disability. Para stands for parallel. That’s a very important and distinct part of our message.

What were you like growing up?
Tenacious. Rebellious. Competitive. Fun. Horses have always been my life since I was young. No one else in my family rode. No one knows where my desire and love for horses came from. I grew up with a deep love for a horse. And I am competitive by nature. I fought hard and worked hard for a career as a professional horse woman. Nothing came easy in my career.

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.worldparareining.org
• Phone: 214 701 4416
• Email: lisaccoulter@hotmail.com or .worldparareining@hotmail.com
• Facebook: Para-Reining

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