Determination or Pure Stubbornness

By Vanessa Friedrich

Vanessa Friedrich loves horses, and turned riding into a professional career. Entering the United States as a member of a professional equestrian team, she switched from show jumping to the adrenaline-rich world of racing. It was a decision destined to have unforeseen consequences. After several races, Friedrich's horse stumbled while training for a steeplechase. The horse hit the ground hard, knocking its rider unconscious. When Freidrich awoke, she was the victim of a traumatic brain injury. Hospitalized in a foreign land, with half a world separating her from her family, Friedrich was forced to face her grueling recovery alone. Six months of intense outpatient rehab followed seven months of hospitalization, and the long-term effects of her injury demanded a change in careers. Many people in Friedrich's position would never want to lay eyes on a horse again, but Friedrich sought them out. Overcoming the physical and emotional damage of her injury, Friedrich found a new life working as a therapeutic riding instructor. A tale of recovery and courage, Friedrich's defiant story is an inspiration to anyone recovering from a serious injury. Did she win through with Determination or Pure Stubbornness? Perhaps it was both.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 149276566X
• ISBN13: 9781492765660
• Release Date: December 2013
• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
• Length: 166 Pages
• Weight: 0.68 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.4" x 6.0"