LEE Pearson wants the Paralympics and Olympics to switch positions in the calendar to ensure disabled athletes are not seen as an after-thought.

Like the world's best able-bodied sportsmen, nine-time gold medal winner Pearson is hoping to be in action in London this summer.

But while Usain Bolt, Jessica Ennis and co hit will the track in late July, the Paralympians will not be in full flow until September.

Dressage king Pearson, pictured below, said: "People ask me if I would like to see the two events combined into one competition, but I can't see how that would be possible.

"But I don't see any reason why every eight years they couldn't have the Paralympics first.

"In some ways the Paralympics is still seen as second class and we need to think of ways to get it on an even keel."

Pearson, who has the joint condition arthrogryposis, admits the Paralympics has come a long way even in the 12 years since he first performed at Sydney.

But the 38-year-old insists some places in the world are still playing catch-up with England when it comes to their approach to disability in sport.

Pearson, from Cheddleton, said: "You still go to some countries where you just don't see disabled people on the streets. They are not treated as equal members of society.

"I suppose I had my own issues and I've grown up now. If people stare at my legs as I walk along I just stare back at them. I don't really mind people being curious.

"The media in the UK are great, but elsewhere the Paralympics barely gets a passing mention.

"And there have been times when I have stepped off a plane and it feels like the whole country is staring at me like I shouldn't be there."

The former Westwood High School student's incredible skill in controlling a horse all stems from his hips.

If that seems difficult enough, it does not help that 11-year-old Gentleman, the prized asset of his stable on whom he rode to glory in Beijing in 2008, is a bit of a brute.

"He's bitten five people," said Pearson. "He's not trainable and he's very violent, but he's the only horse I have at the moment who can perform at that level.

"I do have Zion coming through who is not moody at all – although he did throw me off to break my back last year.

"People outside of the sport look at my record and will think I'm a shoo-in at London, but when you work with animals anything can happen."