American equestrian Lizzy Traband has marked a milestone in eventing, securing a victory with her five-year-old gelding Rhapsody Blue at a qualifying division held at Loch Moy Farm in Maryland. Competing with the aid of a custom mechanical prosthesis attached to a system of cords running across her right shoulder and back, Traband navigated the rigorous multi-phase competition to claim the top spot in the five-year-old young horse division.
A Lifetime Around Horses in Happy Valley
Born without her left hand and lower arm, Traband grew up on her family’s Carousel Farm in Happy Valley, Pennsylvania. According to family history and background accounts, her mother, professional trainer Annette Traband, established an environment where she learned to manage without special accommodations from an early age. Rather than relying on a prosthetic device during her infancy, her family encouraged her to adapt independently, a philosophy that later shaped her approach to horsemanship.
Traband’s early equestrian education included training “Toby,” an Amish auction pony purchased for $800. Because the pony was unsuited for traditional show jumping, Traband and trainer Tommie Turvey worked with the animal in liberty training, trick work, and bitless riding, eventually turning him into a well-known exhibition pony.
Early Career and Taiji Horsemanship
By age nine, Traband founded Taiji Horsemanship, an initiative aimed at providing accessible equine training concepts. Before turning twelve, she was regularly teaching clinics across the United States and Canada. In 2010, she attended the World Equestrian Games as an invited guest, an experience that focused her ambitions toward competitive show jumping.
A scholarship from the United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) allowed her to relocate to Wellington, Florida, a primary hub for American equestrian sport. Competing primarily on catch rides, leased horses, and home-bred mounts, she earned recognition as the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Junior Equestrian of the Year in 2016. That same year, industry publication Horse Nation honored her Taiji Horsemanship video series as the top virtual training curriculum.
Collegiate Success and International Experience
Traband balanced her competitive career with academic pursuits at Penn State University, where she earned a degree in finance. As captain of the Penn State equestrian team, she led the squad to three consecutive national championship appearances and received the university’s Female Athlete of the Year honor. While studying, she also developed EPN Global, a digital platform designed to streamline stable management operations.
Following her graduation, Traband traveled to Europe, spending nearly two years working and competing under German horseman Paul Schockemöhle. That stint in Germany broadened her exposure to the international high-performance market and the upper tiers of European show jumping.
The Mechanics of Competing with a Mechanical Prosthesis
Although she spent years riding one-handed, Traband adopted a custom mechanical prosthesis approximately a decade ago to refine her rein contact. The device relies on an intricate harness system of cords spanning her back and right shoulder, allowing her to open and close the mechanical hand to maintain consistent contact with the horse’s bit during high-intensity competition.
Her recent partnership with “Rhapsody Blue,” a young horse bred by Lori Larrabee, culminated in their recent eventing win at Loch Moy Farm.
Next Steps in the Eventing Circuit
Following the victory at Loch Moy Farm, Traband and Rhapsody Blue continue their developmental campaign aimed at higher-level young horse divisions.
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