Lee Pearson and Deborah Criddle got Britain's equestrian campaign at the Paralympics off to a flying start grabbing double gold in the dressage. Pearson recovered from an error in his programme on Blue Circle Boy to claim the Grade I individual dressage title.
Criddle then scored an impressive 74.400 points on Figaro IX to take gold in the afternoon's Grade III event.
The equestrian team's youngest member Sophie Christiansen took Grade I bronze to round off a satisfying first day.
Sixteen-year-old Christiansen recorded a score of 70% on Hotstuff, with Australia's Jan Pike (Aus) winning silver on Dr Doolittle with 71.895%.
Pearson, who picked up four golds at the Sydney Games, admitted after the event that he was relieved to have won.
"I made a mistake at the beginning of my programme, but luckily I corrected myself," he said.
 |  Winning here was more emotional than in Sydney |
"I thought I had thrown away my chance of the gold medal. "I just tried to put it out of my mind for the rest of the test and told myself it was only one mistake.
"Winning here was more emotional than in Sydney because I was riding my own horse.
"He is such a talented horse and he has certainly earned his space in the field when he retires."
After being presented with his gold medal, Pearson got off his horse and handed his flowers French rider Valerie Salles. Salles' horse Arestote had collapsed and died as it entered the dressage arena for the competition.
Criddle bettered German duo Bianca Vogel and Bettina Eistel to win her first individual Paralympic medal.
"It hasn't really sunk in yet," the 38-year-old said.
"We knew if everything went right we could win gold, but it is so easy to make a mistake and throw it away.
"Watching the last few horses go was nerve-wracking, particularly as in Sydney I was in bronze medal position until the last of the horses to go."
Bronze medallist Christiansen said winning a medal at her first Games had surpassed her expectations.
"I came here thinking it would be a good experience and I would do my best and then aim for a medal in Beijing, so to get a bronze medal here is unbelievable," she admitted.
The result bodes well for Britain's attempts to secure their third successive team dressage title.
The three riders' scores will count towards the overall team score.
The fourth member of the team event is Nicola Tustain from north Wales, who rides in the Grade II individual dressage on Wednesday.
The team event takes place on Sunday.
MMIX
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