Equestrian Horsemanship

Lis Hartel became paralyzed after contracting polio in 1944. Her dreams of riding horses and competing in the sport of dressage were shattered. After months in the hospital, doctors told her she'd never ride again. Lis tried anyway. But how do you stay on a horse without using your legs? How do you give the subtle cues needed in dressage with limited mobility? With hard work—and an unlikely horse named Jubilee!

Inventing Your Horse Career is a resource and collaborative initiative designed to help you pursue your equine job passion with fun and flair. We've tapped into the knowledge and generosity of those who have forged the horse career success trail impressively to help you gain insight from experience and lessons learned the hard way. We don't feature standard career paths and media darlings, but instead offer unusual people, perspectives, and solutions for keeping the horse in the mix as you plan for a comfortable living.