Kylie Christian and Bellaire Cannavaro. Image supplied.
With Fight Parkinson’s A Walk in the Park set to take place in Melbourne this weekend, para dressage rider Kylie Christian shares her five-year journey with Early Onset Parkinson’s Disease. Her goal this Sunday is to walk 2km; beyond that, she’s aiming for the 2026 FEI World Championships in Aachen with the handsome Ivan Carlos.
From the moment she received her first horse at eight years old, Kylie Christian’s passion for equestrian sport became an unshakable part of her identity.
However, when she was diagnosed with Early Onset Parkinson’s Disease just shy of her 45th birthday, the future she had envisioned seemed suddenly uncertain.
“I started noticing symptoms a lot earlier than when I was diagnosed,” explains Kylie. For a while, Kylie just thought she wasn’t riding as well and so left the family’s nice Warmbloods to her children and just worked the young horses. She put her tremors down to being cold or hungry.
“It was my instructor one day who said to me, ‘Kylie, there’s something wrong with you’. I went to the doctors, and they referred me to a neurologist, which was a three month wait due to COVID. In the end my best friend, a nurse, said, ‘I’m taking you to emergency, and we’ll have an answer today’. And that’s what we did and so the rest is history.”
Kylie was diagnosed within two hours of arrival. One of her first thoughts was that she could ride para dressage.
“I knew a young girl who was riding para dressage… the minute the doctor sat down with me and told me I had Parkinson’s, I said ‘I’m going to ride para’, and of course he just looked at me not knowing what it was. My friend and I Googled it right away and found that Parkinson’s did mean I would be eligible.”
Kylie Christian and Bellaire Cannavaro. Image supplied.
KYLIE’S ‘FOREVER HORSE’
Kylie says her first para dressage horse, Bellaire Cannavaro, became hers through the generosity of a stranger and is now her ‘forever horse’.
When she was first diagnosed, her saddle fitter, Kirsten Beard-Adams, mentioned to another client, Georgina Foote, that Kylie was in need of a para horse. Bellaire Cannavaro turned out to be the perfect match.
“I didn’t even know Georgina; I’d never met her before. And she just offered him to me, as she wanted him to go to a good home rather than just sell him at market rate. He basically saved my life. He gets me out of bed every day.”
Within a year of her diagnosis, Kylie was competing with success at the Australian Para Dressage Championships among many other accomplishments with Bellaire Cannavaro.
Now aged 21, Bellaire Cannavaro is retired from elite-level para dressage and is ridden by Kylie’s 16-year-old daughter, Honor, at Advanced level. A year ago, Kylie embarked on a mission to find her next dance partner – and along came Ivan Carlos.
FOUND IN THE NETHERLANDS
Kylie found her current horse, Ivan Carlos (Ampere x Wiecarla), in the Netherlands early last year prior to the Paris Paralympics. David McKinnon had set Kylie up with some horses to view, including Ivan – who had been found by British dressage rider Lewis Carrier.
Ivan was ridden and owned by young Irish rider Martha Jobling-Purser, who was working in the Netherlands. She had been competing him at CDI Junior events with success, but as he was started quite late, he was a little on the older side in terms of a Grand Prix prospect given the years still needed to reach that level – which was Martha’s ultimate goal.
However, Ivan’s level of training was perfectly suited to a Grade IV para dressage rider like Kylie.
With dreams of making the Australian team for the Paris Paralympics, Ivan was based in England with the plan being for Kylie to then fly over and campaign him in the lead up to the Games.
Kylie Christian and Ivan Carlos. Image from Kylie Christian – Para Equestrian Facebook page.
Three days before she was due to fly out, Kylie’s father fell gravely ill. Kylie delayed her departure for a month and then eventually made it to England with around a month to get to know her new horse before their next chance to gain Paralympic qualifying scores. Unfortunately, just prior to her arrival Ivan went lame – nothing serious, but he was still on box rest when Kylie landed.
“I sat in his box with him for weeks, praying I’d get to a competition to qualify ahead of Paris,” recalls Kylie. The remaining qualifiers at that point were over in Europe and so it wasn’t a straightforward – nor cheap – exercise to attend.
“I had barely even cantered Ivan before I entered the dressage arena in front of those international judges,” she recalls. To make things even more challenging, Kylie was also without a coach, as the change of plans and need to compete in Europe rather than England meant the one she had in mind originally was understandably unavailable due to the travel involved.
“I didn’t realise how important that was [to have a coach ringside at international events]. All those things contribute to how you perform,” reflects Kylie.
Kylie and Ivan ultimately fell just short of the qualifying scores, and while it was a remarkable result given the circumstances, Kylie was devastated. At the time, she didn’t share much about the challenges she’d faced just to make it down the centreline as she didn’t want to make excuses. Now, she’s able to reflect on the experience and realise that while she didn’t achieve her goal of making the team for Paris, there were many other things she did achieve.
“I’m pretty proud of the results now I look back at them, even though at the time I was disappointed and angry with myself. It’s made me stronger.”
Despite their lack of time training together, Kylie says Ivan was a star and didn’t put a foot wrong at the qualifiers – and the way he handled it all has given her great confidence in him for the future.
Reflecting on the experience, Kylie says her biggest take away is to simply slow down, enjoy it, and take in those special moments. “I realise now that I should have enjoyed that time competing in Europe little bit more… I should have stopped and appreciated it a little more.
“You’ve also got to lose to know how to win… and then you appreciate the win, and you want it so much more. I now want [Australian team selection] so much more than I ever have.”
The time she spent with Ivan while he was on box rest in the UK was certainly not wasted, and Kylie says all that time hanging out with him allowed them to bond out of the saddle. “I couldn’t bond with this horse any more, even if I tried… we are so bonded. I’ve spent so much time just sitting with him, to get to know him. He’s the coolest animal in the world.”
Kylie in the competition arena with Bellaire Cannavaro. Image supplied.
LIFE-CHANGING SURGERY
When Kylie was first diagnosed with Parkinson’s, her doctor had mentioned Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) surgery – but at the time, she thought there was no way she’d ever go down that path.
However, over time the medication she was taking began losing its efficacy and as she started to need increasingly higher doses, her symptoms – as well as medication side effects – became unbearable.
“Mid-2024 I was so bad with my symptoms… it caused my back to go out and I’d done a few discs in my back. I was trying to ride with that [in Europe] and it was pretty much impossible. My last ride in Hagan [Germany] was probably the most painful thing I have ever done in my life.”
Kylie returned to Australia and made the life-changing decision to undergo surgery, which took place in December 2024.
DBS surgery for Parkinson’s disease involves implanting electrodes in specific brain areas to regulate electrical signals and alleviate motor symptoms like tremor, stiffness, and slow movement. This procedure uses a pulse generator, similar to a pacemaker, to deliver electrical impulses to the electrodes, helping to control abnormal brain activity that causes Parkinson’s symptoms.
The procedure has not only restored her ability to ride but reignited her love for the sport. Just six weeks post-surgery, she was back in the saddle with Ivan with her sights set on qualifying for the 2026 World Equestrian Games in Aachen.
However, despite the success of the surgery, Kylie has not had an easy start to the year. A non-horse related fall in her driveway seven weeks ago left her with a broken elbow and although the plaster is now off, unresolved spasming led to a hospital stint.
Not one to waste time, Kylie used her hospital stay to write a children’s book: “It’s about how I told my children I had Parkinson’s, and it’s in the form of Oscar [Bellaire Cannavaro] telling a ladybug, which is my Nanna,” she explains. She hopes the book can eventually be published and shared with others diagnosed with invisible illnesses such as Parkinson’s, helping them to navigate the challenges of explaining that diagnosis to loved ones.
Kylie has built a strong bond with Ivan and is looking forward to getting back in the saddle. Image from Kylie Christian – Para Equestrian Facebook page.
NEXT STOP, SYDNEY
Kylie’s recent accident has interrupted her path towards her first para dressage competition with Ivan in Australia – but she’s determined to make it down the centreline.
The Hawkesbury Dressage Festival (15-17 June), held at Sydney International Equestrian Centre, features CPEDI3* classes and will see many combinations beginning their journey towards possible Australian team representation in Aachen next year.
“I’m going to do my best to get to Sydney… I can’t wait to get Ivan back out there competing. I just love riding him much and I miss it; I miss everything about [riding and competing], and so I just can’t wait to just get back out there and enjoy that part of it and appreciate why I ride in the first place, which is my love of horses.”
WALK TOGETHER, FIGHT TOGETHER
Since her diagnosis five years ago, Kylie has become a powerful advocate for both para dressage and Parkinson’s awareness. She mentors new riders, speaks at public events and shares her story to show that a diagnosis does not have to mean the end of a passion – it can mark the beginning of a new and equally meaningful journey.
Earlier this year, Kylie was approached by Fight Parkinson’s to be an ambassador, and she’s now preparing to take part in their annual A Walk in the Park this Sunday (27 April).
A Walk in the Park is Australia’s largest community event dedicated to enhancing the lives of people with Parkinson’s. More than just a walk, it is a community-driven movement raising vital awareness and funds to transform the lives of over 57,000 Victorians living with Parkinson’s.
Taking part for the first time this year, Kylie is asking as many people as possible to join the walk. She says Fight Parkinson’s mission to help support those living with Parkinson’s, as well as their families, is near to her heart.
“It’s really hard to know what your future is going look like [with Parkinson’s], and that’s something I struggle with,” explains Kylie. “I worry about my family the most. I’m okay; I know how to live with that. I live with it every day. However, my family are the ones just having to watch… and that’s really hard for them.”
Kylie is aiming to walk 2km for A Walk in the Park. It’s further than she’s walked in a long time, and something that was unthinkable until undergoing DBS surgery. She’s excited for the challenge, and is looking forward to connecting with the wider Parkinson’s community on the day.
Funds raised through A Walk in the Park enable Fight Parkinson’s to continue delivering essential programs, including advanced education, support services, and resources that empower people living with Parkinson’s and Atypical Parkinson’s.
Event details: A Walk in the Park
Date: Sunday 27 April 2025
Location: Federation Square, Melbourne
Time: Entertainment starts at 9:30 AM, with the walk commencing at 10:30 AM
Route: Choose between 4km and 2km options
Register now: Visit www.awalkinthepark.org.au or call Fight Parkinson’s on 03 8809 0400.
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