| In the 1950'ies there were several large bouts of polio | | | | loved to see her competing with the other, male |
| in Denmark. Many fell ill, 350 patients did not survive, | | | | contestants and stand on the platform as a winner. In |
| others did, but at the cost of the ability to use their | | | | 1956 she repeated the success and won another |
| limbs. Up to 3000 people were paralysed and many | | | | silver medal in the Olympics. She became an idol for |
| neverwere able to leave their wheelchairs. One of | | | | many people who admired her stamina and her way |
| those who did when she was hit by the devastating | | | | of tackling her situation. |
| illness in the epidemics of 1944 was the Danish | | | | Also she inspired others to take up horseback riding as |
| Equestrian athlete Lis Hartel. At the time she got ill she | | | | she took part in horse shows all over the world as well |
| was 23 years old and pregnant and the doctors told | | | | as advocating horseback riding as a therapeutic |
| her that she would never be able to ride on horseback | | | | treatment for certain disabilities. In Holland a polio center |
| again. She was paralysed from the knees and down | | | | and a riding school have been named after her. She |
| and also her hands and arms were severely | | | | also became the very first Scandinavian who was |
| weakened. | | | | accepted in The International Women's Sports Hall of |
| Lis Hartel refused to give up and trained until she was | | | | Fame in New York which happened in 1994. In 2005 |
| able to sit in a saddle again. Not only did she regain her | | | | The Danish Ministry of Culture established that she |
| ability to ride on horseback, but she also became the | | | | was one of the most important sports people of |
| very first woman who won the silver medal in the | | | | Denmark, 100 years back in time. In all ten sports |
| Olympics of 1952 which meant that she actually was | | | | people were selected for this honor. |
| the first female rider to take on the male contestants | | | | When she died in 2009 she was 87 years old, but it |
| and win. So of course she made both women and | | | | seems that she kept on educating young people in the |
| disabled people proud of her horsemanship and they | | | | noble art of riding on horseback. |