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Double Take
With her bestselling StableMates series back in print, illustrated by new cover designed by Joan Larson, Nikki Tate has turned her hand to juvenile biography for Double Take: Karen Brain's Olympic Journey (Sono Nis $12.95), a portrait of equestrian Karen Brain's brave quest to compete for Olympic glory after doctors tell her she likely won't recover from a shattered spine injury suffered during a fall. As a testament to her remarkable spirit, Tate chronicles Brain's journey from her hospital bed to the Paralympic podium. 978-1-55039-162-6
Here is a brief synopsis of Karen Brain's story from her website:
"Karen Brain was an accomplished rider, coach, and trainer in the Equestrian Sport of Three-Day Eventing, representing Canada at many competitions, until an unfortunate riding accident on September 18th, 2001 left her partially paralyzed with a spinal cord injury. She spent three months in the Hospital in London, Ontario and almost four more years doing Rehab at Parkwood Hospital as an outpatient. Karen's strengths as an Athlete, as in all athletes, were her strengths in recovery - positive attitude, self-determination, dedication, and perseverance.
"Karen started riding again, with many difficulties, about eight months after her accident. As she could not put her feet in the stirrups, she rode without them. She used two whips as her signals to the horse, in lieu of her legs. When she couldn't do something the "usual"; way, she found some other way to do it. She rode until she ached, and then she rode some more. She practiced her walking in the ring while she cooled her horse off, because she knew if she fell in the sand or hogfuel ring, it wouldn't hurt as much. She found out later, that the movement of the horse, forced the same movement in her own body as walking would do. So riding was therapeutic to her body, as well as to her soul.
"Despite her life-altering accident in 2001, Karen has attained the highest level of competition in both able-bodied and disabled riding competitions. Karen won two Bronze Medals at the 2004 Athens Paralympic Games with the mare Dasskara, and won two Silver Medals in 2005 at the Dutch Open International Dressage competition for disabled riders in Helvoirt, Netherlands with the Dutch gelding Mozart. Before her accident Karen represented Canada in 3-Day Eventing at the World Equestrian Games in Rome in 1998, with her horse Double Take, and the same year, the pair won the Advanced Canadian Championships in 3-Day Eventing.
"Karen has now set her goal to represent Canada at the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games, and feels that she is capable of winning gold! In 2006, Karen plans to compete in England and Belgium in International competitions for disabled riders, to qualify for the 2007 World Championships in Great Britain for Riders with a Disability.
"In late 2005, Karen moved home to BC, after living and training in Germany, the US and Eastern Canada for nine years, the past six years in London, Ontario. Karen has been fortunate to be able to train with world-renowned Coach, Conrad Schumacher, in Germany, who has helped her immensely, and with whom she plans to continue to train with. She feels honoured to have the privilege of training with him."
Here is a brief synopsis of Karen Brain's story from her website:
"Karen Brain was an accomplished rider, coach, and trainer in the Equestrian Sport of Three-Day Eventing, representing Canada at many competitions, until an unfortunate riding accident on September 18th, 2001 left her partially paralyzed with a spinal cord injury. She spent three months in the Hospital in London, Ontario and almost four more years doing Rehab at Parkwood Hospital as an outpatient. Karen's strengths as an Athlete, as in all athletes, were her strengths in recovery - positive attitude, self-determination, dedication, and perseverance.
"Karen started riding again, with many difficulties, about eight months after her accident. As she could not put her feet in the stirrups, she rode without them. She used two whips as her signals to the horse, in lieu of her legs. When she couldn't do something the "usual"; way, she found some other way to do it. She rode until she ached, and then she rode some more. She practiced her walking in the ring while she cooled her horse off, because she knew if she fell in the sand or hogfuel ring, it wouldn't hurt as much. She found out later, that the movement of the horse, forced the same movement in her own body as walking would do. So riding was therapeutic to her body, as well as to her soul.
"Despite her life-altering accident in 2001, Karen has attained the highest level of competition in both able-bodied and disabled riding competitions. Karen won two Bronze Medals at the 2004 Athens Paralympic Games with the mare Dasskara, and won two Silver Medals in 2005 at the Dutch Open International Dressage competition for disabled riders in Helvoirt, Netherlands with the Dutch gelding Mozart. Before her accident Karen represented Canada in 3-Day Eventing at the World Equestrian Games in Rome in 1998, with her horse Double Take, and the same year, the pair won the Advanced Canadian Championships in 3-Day Eventing.
"Karen has now set her goal to represent Canada at the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games, and feels that she is capable of winning gold! In 2006, Karen plans to compete in England and Belgium in International competitions for disabled riders, to qualify for the 2007 World Championships in Great Britain for Riders with a Disability.
"In late 2005, Karen moved home to BC, after living and training in Germany, the US and Eastern Canada for nine years, the past six years in London, Ontario. Karen has been fortunate to be able to train with world-renowned Coach, Conrad Schumacher, in Germany, who has helped her immensely, and with whom she plans to continue to train with. She feels honoured to have the privilege of training with him."
Submitted on October 13, 2007 in By David.
