>>96039149
Dragonriders are rad as fuck.

>What is needed to do this concept justice?
How do you mean? At a system level, campaign level, player level?
Anyhow, give the 3.5e Draconomicon (>>96013251 >>96024559) as well as the Dragonlance books a read.
There's a lot of content that's geared towards Dragons and riding them as thralls or buddies.