Born with One Hand, Penn State Equestrian Team Standout Is an Accomplished Athlete

One of the standouts on the Penn State equestrian team, Lizzy Traband has a strong love of horses, a friendly personality and the skills you would expect from an accomplished rider.

She also rides with just one hand.

Traband was born without her left forearm and hand, and she began riding horses at an early age. Right out of the gate, she had quick success. By the time she was 12-years-old, Traband was performing at the World Equestrian Games and owned her own business helping train younger riders.

‘One of the great things about horses is they don’t see whether or not you have a physical or mental disability,’ Traband says. ‘They truly just see and react to your body language and how you treat them.’

Riding with one hand is all she has ever known, allowing her to focus on some skills that younger riders often overlook.

‘Horseback riding is all about balance and balance does not come from your hands,’ she says. ‘So actually not having a hand forced me to become an extremely balanced rider at an early age, which many riders aren’t forced to do. Now that I’ve progressed and am competing at a higher level, actually being born without a left hand was an asset to me.’

Centre County Report’s Ryan Berti has more on her story.

This video is produced by and for Centre County Report and shared through a partnership with StateCollege.com.