Mitsuhide Miyaji, 63, defied disability and advanced age to complete an inspiring the dressage individual test grade II performance at the Paralympic equestrian park in Tokyo on Thursday.
Riding his 14-year-old horse, Charmander, Miyaji finished seventh with a score of 66.824, earning a berth in the dressage individual freestyle test to be held on Monday.
After the event, the senior rider -- known affectionately by friends as "Miya-jii" (old man Miyaji) for his mild-mannered demeanor -- could be heard tenderly thanking his horse for its efforts.
In 2005, Miyaji had been working as an assistant trainer at the Japan Racing Association, when he suffered a stroke that left him with higher brain dysfunction and paralysis on the right side of his body.
He turned to equestrian as rehabilitation, which led to his taking up dressage in earnest.
As a result of the stroke, Miyaji has difficulty remembering his routes, so he needs someone to stand by the stables and call out each successive test on the performance program.
That special someone is his wife, Yumiko, who has supported him throughout his career.
As Miyaji does not have free control of his right arm, he uses a band to fix it to his torso. But the restraint snapped off during his performance at the Games on Thursday, sending his right arm swinging from the vibrations.
Propelled by Yumiko's focused shouts, Miyaji managed to maintain his balance by manipulating the reins held in his left hand as Charmander transitioned smoothly from the slow trot to the fast trot, and also executed a tidy circular maneuver.
But Miyaji is not ready to rest on his laurels just yet.
"I'm grateful for all my wife's help," he said, before adding, "But I still need to work a little bit harder."
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