A Horse for Legs

10/10/2020 6:03:00 PM
wikipedia.org
Image: wikipedia.org

Do you know?

  • Lis Hartel was not only the first woman to ride for an Olympic Equestrian Team but did so while being paralyzed from the knew down.
  • Her career makes her a hero to horse lovers, women and equine therapy advocates alike.

Let's explore more about this powerful woman!

fei.org
Lis Hartel - Her horse was her legs. Image: fei.org

Listen and choose the correct answer.

  • How old was Lis Hartel when she got polio?
  • According to the audio, which of the following is NOT true?
How old was Lis Hartel when she got polio?
  • 20 years old.
  • 12 years old.
  • 23 years old.

According to the audio, which of the following is NOT true?

  • The rider must guide the horse by using leg and hand movement.
  • When doing dressage, the rider can talk to the horse.
  • Dressage is done on a horse.

Complete the text you are listening to by dragging the correct word to each blank.

When Lis Hartel was twenty-three years old, she got sick. She got polio. This did something to her legs. Then Lis needed crutches to walk. Lis had been an . She competed in .

Dressage is done on a horse. The horse and rider go through a series of events. The rider cannot talk. The rider must guide the horse by hand and leg movement. The hand and leg movement is all but to the eye. People told Lis she couldn’t do dressage anymore. They said she needed her legs to  the horse.

What did Lis say? Lis said, “Why can’t my horse be my legs?” Lis would not give up. She went to the Olympic Games. She won a silver medal. Everyone  and cheered. No one had thought it was possible.

Read and answer the following questions.

horsenation.com
An Olympic Power Girl. Image: horsenation.com

When Lis Hartel was twenty-three years old, she got sick. She got polio. This disease did something to her legs. Then Lis needed crutches to walk. Lis had been an athlete. She competed in dressage.

Dressage is done on a horse. The horse and rider go through a series of events. The rider cannot talk. The rider must guide the horse by hand and leg movement. The hand and leg movement is all but invisible to the eye. People told Lis she couldn’t do dressage anymore. They said she needed her legs to guide the horse.

What did Lis say? Lis said, “Why can’t my horse be my legs?” Lis would not give up. She went to the Olympic Games. She won a silver medal. Everyone cheered and cheered. No one had thought it was possible.

Source: Daily Warm-ups Reading Grade 2

Most likely, if you watched dressage, you would _____
  • have to be at the Olympic Games.
  • hear the rider talking to the horse.
  • not see the rider’s hands or legs moving.
  • only see the horse and rider do one thing.
What phrase fits Lis?
  • “Don’t ever give up.”
  • “Do what others say.”
  • "Most things are impossible.”
  • “Athletes must be able to run.”
What kind of medal did Lis win?
  • blue
  • gold
  • bronze
  • silver

Put the right word in each blank. The sentences are from the text.

  1. Lis had been an . She competed in .
  2. She got polio. This did something to her legs.
  3. The hand and leg movement is all but to the eye.
  4. They said she needed her legs to the horse.
  5. Everyone and cheered. 

Put the right word in each blank. These are new sentences for the words in the text. 

  1. Her company is designing part of the village of Olympic .
  2. She wants to win prizes for .
  3. We all as the team came on to the field.
  4. He suffers from a rare blood .
  5. She felt in the crowd.
  6. It's a dangerous route - you'll need someone to you.