Bettina eistel autobiography

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Thalidomide was a drug they gave pregnant women before it was known that it caused birth defects Hence, Bettina was born without any arms.
Das ganze Leben umarmen: Autobiografie: Autobiografie.

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Bettina Eistel Rides Horseback Despite Absence of Arms

To say that Bettina Eistel is an accomplished dressage horse competitor with a disability is a huge understatement. With 2 silver and a bronze medal at the Vice-Europe in Portugal, 3 silver medals at the Vice World Champion in Belgium, 2 silver and 1 bronze medal at the 2004 Paralympics in Athens, 3 German Championships, and a bronze and silver medal in Hong Kong at the 2008 Paralympics, Eistel has quite the resume for any rider, let alone one with no arms.

Eistel was born with the birth defect when her mother was given Thalidomide, commonly given to pregnant mothers until it was later learned the drug was responsible for birth defects. Having no arms from birth, Eistel learned to do everyday tasks such as eating, drinking, putting on make-up, etc with her feet and toes. As a child, Eistel was enrolled in horseback riding lessons and taught herself the balance required to ride a horse as well as how to saddle, bridle, wash, and brush her horse with her feet.

Competing in horse dressage; a sport that features competitive ho

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Horse and Man

I was thinking about Christmas and presents and Christmas lists – and then I thought of this story… and it seemed more appropriate for this time of giving.

Originally posted in 2010.

I saw this photo today and it took a while for my brain to register what I was seeing… Take a look.

Look closely…

Yup. No arms. Her name is Bettina Eistel and her horse is Fabuleax 5.

What is even more compelling than the fact that she can brush her horse with her feet, is that she competes, very well, at the Paralympics in dressage.

Bettina didn’t just overcome her disability, she walloped it!

(Kinda makes me feel ridiculous for complaining about anything having to do with just about anything…)

Cantering

WHY NO ARMS?

Thalidomide. (I wanted to read her book but it isn’t translated into English and I cannot read German. I wonder if a Kindle could translate it?…) Anyway, she was born in 1961 in Germany, with no arms due to the drug, Thalidomide.

Her book

What is Thalidomide? Thalidomide was a drug they gave pregn

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Bettina Eistel and Fabuleax 5: Inspirational

What would you do if you didn’t have any arms?

Do you think you could saddle your horse, put the bridle on or hose it down?

Do you think you could learn to ride when you could only use your feet on the reins — and then successfully compete at the Paralympics?

I don’t know if I could do it but I do know that Bettina Eistel can do it all!

Bettina was a Thalidomide baby born in 1961 in Germany. Thalidomide was a drug given to pregnant women for morning sickness until it was discovered to cause terrible birth defects.

Bettina doesn’t let her disability stop her from achieving her dreams. After High School she studied History of Art, Archaeology and Ethnology, followed by eight years studying Psychology. She not only works as a graduate Psychologist in Hamburg but also competes in Dressage with her well named horse, Fabuleax 5.

Bettina is currently training with Franz Martin-Stankus and has competed in the Paralympics, European Championships, the World Championships and three times in the German Championships.

So when