RA rider, did that instructor know any sign before teaching at Camelot? Just curious, that’s so awesome! Is Sara the only Deafie there or do they have others?
The bracelet is cool! I moved in with former sig other and his house was already Deafwired. Had VRS in our TV’s (hated that he thought it was no biggie to click of whatever show I was watching to answer it, no matter what) doorbell was hooked to flashing lights and so was the phone. Alarm clock in the bedroom? That too…I became so insanely light sensitive (lights mean awake, pronto) I sleep with blackout curtains now haha.
And yep, deaf dog has a remote control I just buzz him with, I don’t know why it wouldn’t work for a rider too!
I’d forgotten (God knows how) but when I was married to my deaf husband we had a router mounted in a metal sleeve attached to our bedframe and hooked to a timer for our alarm clock.
My sister called it Vesuvius - it would rattle you right out of bed when it went off.:lol:
I think this should be publicly accessible: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=2312951976658
Just a short video clip (sorry about the quality - I was holding a tiny video camera while riding) taken in the desert this morning - Sara was telling me that Prozac Pony kept looking at things. He was quite looky this morning, perhaps because we kept hearing - and sometimes seeing - dirt bikes out there.
I think we’re going to try something like that remote device I found on Marilyn Electronics, to see if I can signal her without spooking her 
sign of Grace - I’m not sure when the instructor learned to sign. I know she took classes, but I’m not sure when that was in relation to when she started teaching.
Sara’s the only “only Deaf” student they have, but they have a couple others with varying degrees of hearing loss in addition to their primary disabilities. Sara works with one young student who has a cochlear implant, but really needs sign language to communicate during her lesson.
That’s a big part of the Camelot program - they have never in the 29 years they’ve been in existence charged for their services, but they expect their students to give back in some way - either by volunteering at Camelot or somewhere else. Quite a few of the volunteers are former or current students.
I feel very fortunate to be part of the Camelot family.
[QUOTE=pAin’t_Misbehavin’;5941311]
I’d forgotten (God knows how) but when I was married to my deaf husband we had a router mounted in a metal sleeve attached to our bedframe and hooked to a timer for our alarm clock.
My sister called it Vesuvius - it would rattle you right out of bed when it went off.:lol:[/QUOTE]That would drive you right out of bed, for sure!
My cousin is deaf (she got measles when she was 2 year old…she’s now 59). Not only does she ride, but she trained all 4 of her horses and they have wonderful manners! She actually takes them out, one at a time, on the trail and cuts limbs and branches and makes the trails rideable! I asked her once, “What do you do with your horse while you are doing this?” To which she replied, (and I nearly fell over…) “I tie their lead rope to my waist!” ACK! Like I said, I nearly fell over, but that’s what she does…She doesn’t sign…she reads lips. She is a wonderful horsewoman and she trained one of my horses for me!
Looking for other Deaf Riders
I am new to the group, my son is Deaf and rides English (Hunter/Jumper) He is an excellent rider and has gottne State Champion in his Class for several years. However he is always the only Deaf Rider and has always wished to find other Deaf/HH Riders who loved their Horses as much as he does!
In a couple of years he hopes to go on to college to become an Equine Massage Therapist or a Trainer in the field of Therapeutic Riding. He already has someone interested in hiring him upon graduaton from College/Training because of his natural talent
It is cool because his horse is Deaf too! They make an awesome team! Anyway, I would love to hear from anyone who is a member of this forum who would be willing to share their experience as a Deaf/HH Rider. My son’s trainer has learned Sign Language in order to communicate. Our local Newspaper did an Awesome story a couple of years ago on my son because my son (Deaf) kept winning Championships and the Reporter’s granddaughter continued to place behind him in our State Competition! The reporter told me that she decided that she “Must find this nice looking Deaf Child that kept winning and Defeating her Grandchild” The Article was a full 2 page story on the Front Page of our People Section of the local Newspaper!
I look forward to hearing from you so that I can tell Joseph that the world of Deaf Riders is not as small as it seems!
I’m not Deaf, but my friend who rides with me is. If you PM me with your or your son’s e-mail address, I’ll ask Sara if she’d be willing to share her experiences.
'm not a HH rider. I mostly trail ride (now, formally showed Dressage). At the time I was showing I still had some hearing with regular hearing aids. (They really weren’t a whole lot of help.) Probably the bigest fustration is just the people around you who don’t realize your deafness. Even those that do know aren’t in the habit of remembering that they have to make eye contact with you if they have a question/comment. (Try getting the folks in the entry booth to “look up” when they are filling out forms and talking to you at the same time!) On the other hand, you are not distracted by comments/noise/ect outside the ring. Because my focus was on my horse/test, my horse was always totally focused on the job at hand. I took a $50 backyard/home raised grade horse through 3rd level and earned my Bronze on him. We out scored many nicer/better Warmbloods only because we didn’t make the mistakes/ flubs that come from distractions while testing.
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I asked her once, “What do you do with your horse while you are doing this?” To which she replied, (and I nearly fell over…) “I tie their lead rope to my waist!”[/QUOTE]
I hope she doesn’t do this anymore…I heard about a woman who was killed because her horse spooked and took off…she had him tied to her waist while she picked up rocks. She was dragged…just horrible.
I’m severely hearing impaired and have been since birth. It’s been getting worse as I get older, though 
I will not use hearing aids. I wore a pair for 5 years and then stopped. Just didn’t like them. I use an Eponaire comm system in my lessons:
http://www.eponaire.com/id14.html
The one way is the one I have and I and my trainer love it! I wear it when we’re in lessons, out on the trail, at the vets.
She buttons the mic on her label and my ear piece fits nicely under my helmet. Sometimes I pretend I’m one of the Secret Service guys
I used to use two walk talkies on VOX for my lessons. But the comm system works SO much better.
Eileen
I had an instructor who was deaf since he was in his 20’s due to a riding accident. Great instructor, sure couldn’t talk back to him and he got his message across.
I had 2 students who were deaf…it took lots of body language and a willingness to look like an idiot to help my students understand what I wanted. Great students.
I am partially deaf in my right ear. To many ear infections and surgeries as a kid. As I get older the hearing gets worse. I am probably going to need a hearing aid in that ear soon enough.
I really have a hard time in windy lessons.
Assistive devices for hearing impaired riders
Hello! I am an audiologist and you all may be very surprised to know there are several options available that work in conjunction with hearing aids or CIs to help riders hear their instructors, announcers, etc. Particularly companion microphones or FM systems…
Hi,
I am new here also, but I wanted to second dmm.aud’s advice. I am a special education teacher, with my focus being preschool/students with communication disabilities and I use an FM system in my classroom. I teach at a school that serves primarily deaf students, but also students with other disabilities (such as apraxia, autism, etc.) who may need sign language in order to communicate/learn.
I also volunteer for a local special riders’ program and have worked with one rider who was deaf and several other riders who had other disabilities but signed. Signing and holding reins isn’t always easy! Neck reining is definitely helpful, but I love hearing these other ideas as well. Thanks!
One of the hardest things that I have a problem with is very windy days. I can’t hear a thing. The instructors forget that I am slightly hard of hearing and get frustrated with me. It isn’t that I am ignoring them…I just can’t hear them.
I need to come up with a different method for at shows with the bell for me to come in. It is getting harder and harder to hear that bell.
Next dressage show ask if you can have someone signal you when the bell rings. I’ve seen it done at a show before-actually the judge stood up and waved til the rider looked at her, then the judge sat down and the rider did her thing. I’m sure they would let someone give you a wave. You just need to ask for what you need.
Hello, I write a blog (deafequinefanatic.blogspot.com) and was looking at the Google Analytics settings for it, and somehow ended up in this thread.
I am 31, have been deaf since age 3 (bacterial meningitis). I have been riding English since I was 6…my mom had always loved horses and figured riding would help my poor balance due to compromised inner nerves, but riding helped far more than that. I fell head over heels in love with horses! (Okay, and also head over heels, right over the head of the pony I rode at the time–I remember that well!)
I took riding lessons 1-2x a week from age 6 through ~22 (hunter/jumper to eventing). All my riding instructors adopted some basic signs I showed them (IE, walk, trot, canter, stop, STOP NOW!, and you know, the like!). When they had complicated instructions they waved me over to the middle of the arena to relay them to me (I read lips fairly well). Then I would memorize them and go out and do them. It made doing complicated courses a little hard later in life, but thankfully I have good memory!
I have had the same horse since I was 15–an OTTB mare named Limerick. My blog is one long devotion to her
Interesting to find this thread! I need to read through all the posts, so I will bookmark it for later.
I would also like to add that my mare is very spooky–mainly over stuff she hears. If I think she will be particularly bad then I put sheepskin horse ear plugs in her ears, and that helps somewhat. And Sit-Tite…lots of Sit-Tite.
That aside, I can tell you that she has definitely taught me how to have a good seat over the past 16 years!!!
I would like a deaf rider’s insite
I am a horse fanatic, I ride both western and english, my horse is a paint. I am in my 2nd year of an American Sign Language class and we are doing a research project. I was so excited to find a deaf equestrian to research/interview. Can anyone help me out?
