My name is Angelika Trabert (but most people call me Geli). I was born in 1967 in Germany without legs and with only 3 fingers on my right hand. When I was six years old I sat on a pony for the first time. And so began my love affair with horses. Prompted by my interest, my parents searched for ways to enable me to ride – not easy to find then. So I started with Hippotherapy (physiotherapy on a horse) and came into contact with the "Deutschen Kuratorium für therapeutisches Reiten" (Riding for the Disabled in Germany). After this I had horseback riding lessons on different horses with different instructors.

In 1985, on my first visit to the USA, I stayed with the Price family for 5 weeks. With their daughter, Michelle who had lost her leg due to bone cancer at the age of eight, I rode for the first time without my artificial legs. Michelle offered me a ride on her sensitive horse "Prince", but asked me to do that without my artificial legs (like she did), because she was not too sure how he would react to bouncing legs on his belly. That was a new experience - for the first time it was possible to ride without pain and to learn about sitting on a horse correctly. Back home, I continued to ride in a Western saddle. It gave me more support and enabled me to stay on the horse without my artificial legs.

In 1989 I was given my first special dressage saddle with the help of Mr. v. Dietze (who developed most of the compensating aids in Germany). Then I started to ride dressage for real! I managed to become a trainer C (for able-bodied people in 1990), continued with the studies and became a trainer for disabled people also. I bought my first horse in 1992 - Ghazim, a Trakehner gelding (now retired). Together we lived through many ups and downs.

"Ghazim & me at an exhibition in Wiesbaden 2002

 In 2001 I qualified as a trainer A (higher level) in Dillenburg with Ghazim. I also took the first step towards becoming an equestrian judge. Throughout that time I was also competing. I started to ride at a serious international level in 1991. Since then I have competed at 4 Paralympic Games (Atlanta, Sydney, Athens and Hongkong), 4 World Championships and 2 European Championships - winning 11 Silver Medals and 1 Gold Medal.

 1996 in Atlanta I was elected "Athletes’ Representative" for the International Paralympic Equestrian Committee (IPEC), I was re-elected in Sydney 2000 and again in 2004 and 2006. I started the IPEC internet page for the athletes which then became the official IPEC page:  International: www.ipec-athletes.de Since 1996, I have been instructing disabled children in horseback riding and showing them the opportunities and possibilities which arise from working with a horse as a partner. For most of them it is a new experience - to decide on their own what to do, where to go, how to have such a big and powerful animal accept their decision and execute it! I was "on the road" for over ten years with my Trakehner gelding. Unfortunately, in 2004 he injured his right hind leg which sadly prevented us from competing together any more and I had to retire him. He now helps a 13 year old getting started in dressage and I still use him to fit compensating aids for other riders with a disability!

Searching for a new and suitable horse was difficult and it took more than a year before I found "Walmorel."  She is a (now) 14 year old Hanovarian mare from “Wolkenstein II” (Dame Sir by “Pik Bube”)., who learned so quickly that we even managed to take part in the Paralympic Games in Athens in 2004 - the first Paralympics where we were allowed to ride on our own horses. She continued with me through the European Championships in Hungary 2005, where we won a Silver medal with the team, as well as in the World Championships in the UK last year. In the Individual Championship we came 4^th, and again Team Silver.

Walmorel & me in Mannheim

Walmorel injured herself in the beginning of 2007, so could not be ridden for six weeks. During that time, I had the opportunity to ride a 7 year old Hanovarian mare from “Londonderry” named “Londria” (Dame Sir by “Weltmeyer”).

Not an easy mare, but one with great potential. So I took the risk and bought her. Londria & me at the German Championships 2008 in Berlin. With her I recently became German Para Equestrian Champion 2008, was selected for the German Para Equestrian team and together we competed for our country at the Paralympic Games in September 2008 in Hong Kong. Even her being only eight we won the Team Test there and got the Team SilverMedal. Germany has been one of the leading countries in “integrating” able and disabled bodied riding. So with both Walmorel and Londria I also compete against able bodied riders in regular horse competitions up to “M-dressage” (includes flying changes and half passes.

CHIO Aachen was opened by the German chancellor Angela Merkel. 37.000 spectators on Tuesday. On 1 July 2008 I had the honour to ride as the Para-Equestrian representative at the opening ceremony in Aachen together with Germany’s elite equestrians - Isabell Werth (Dressage), Ingrid Klimke (Eventing) and Ludger Beerbaum (Show Jumping). Photo Julia Rau f.l.t.r. Ludger Beerbaum, Dr. Angelika Trabert, Isabell Werth, Ingrid Klimke. Walmorel & me in Aachen 2006 at the World Equestrian Games. Quadrille we rode with four able bodied riders and four riders with a disability when Para-Equestrian became 8^th discipline of FEI, HRH Princess Haya welcomed us.

 In my "other life" I am an Anaesthetist. I have worked over nine years at the University hospital in Mainz, where I specialised in 2004. I would prefer to train more with horses, but due to my profession that is impossible and I have to compromise. I continue to work and ride but following a job change in 2005 I can at least have weekends free to enjoy my passion. I am very proud that we still manage to compete at the very top international events. at work, in the surgery room.

Until August 2005, was spent and enjoyed with my boyfriend. Together we flew planes, travelled to new places, tried new activities, skied and developed ourselves and ideas to make life easier. He gave me many new ideas. He was an inventor. For him the word "impossible" was simply a challenge to find the solution. And he did over and over. Building compensating aids was an important hobby. We had many projects – enough to last the rest of our lives which we planned to spend together. Marc & me 2005 But since 14 August 2005 we can only spend our time together in dreamland. Marc died when his airplane crashed into the sea while he was firefighting at a camping area at Sérignon Plage in the South of France. Now the projects will take longer ... but I will continue most of them (as Marc would have done)!