Nov. 8, 2025
Six-time Olympian Robert Dover of the United States is recovering from surgery on two heart valves.
Robert, 69, who lives in Wellington, Florida, has spent longer in the hospital than expected as he has had “pacing issues” that, he joked to Dressage-News.com is “funny for a dressage rider.”
The operation was performed Tuesday by Dr. Joseph Lamelas of Naples, Florida who pioneered minimally invasive surgery.
“I have known for a year that I needed heart surgery on two congenitally bad valves,” he said. “Fortunately, the surgeon who invented a way to do this procedure minimally invasive with a two-inch (5cm) incision in your right side instead of open heart is my guy.
“I would have been ready to go home Thursday, but I’ve been having ‘pacing issues’. My heart rate and blood pressure are low and then my heart rate spikes up, not electrically connected from upper to lower chamber.
“I really hope they will let me go home tomorrow (Sunday) and monitor me for the next two weeks.”
Robert rode on six Olympic teams for the United States on six different horses for four bronze medals from 1984 in Los Angeles to 2004 at Athens. He was coach of the American team at the 2016 Olympics and at the 2018 World Equestrian Games in Tryon that claimed silver.
