Hello,
Anyone out there riding with low vision, or know anyone who does? I’ve been riding for 18 years or so, and have been legally blind since birth. I’ve trained young horses, shown, trail ridden, dome some dressage, and am interested in starting to event. I have an amazing “project horse” who has come a tremendous way, and takes excellent care of me. Just wondering if anyone out there has any suggestions for the cross country phase of eventing. I’m fine once I get close enough to the jumps to see them, I’m just worried about finding the jumps over long distances … 
Ideas?
Wonderful that you can do so much with your handicap.
Can you drive vehicles?
There are some things we can’t do and it is not any kind of failing that we can’t just do everything.
I wonder if cross country jumping is not one of those things, depending on how impaired you may be?
I expect you may get a dispensation from the organization to have some kind of two way radio system and someone giving you instructions on course, but is it really safe for you and the horse to do that?
I can’t see too good without glasses and always took them off to ride, until I started showing and HAD to see around a course, so I know a little bit what is involved.
If I still could not have seen too well, I would have not tried to jump and put myself and the horse in that situation, I don’t think, so I think that you probably can see enough to be safe.
I know ropers that can’t see any more and still rope, a bell on the steer’s neck to help them and they even catch their share.
My son sustain sudden vision loss at age 7 due to a genetic disorder. He started to learn to ride at a therapeutic facility. Primarily riding dressage and at home with me. He did a few summer camps at the therapy barn and he rode with a group of able bodied campers. They jumped this week. He wasn’t to interested as it was evident when I attended the end of the week event…he’d get lost to the jumps. He could only see the jump right when it was in front of him. sometimes not allowing time for him to set up his horse…and they would spring over a 2 foot fence that seemed like a 3 footer and it wasn’t a pleasant ride for him.
During the explanation of the course it became evident that they forgot about his diminished vision and he didn’t get walked around or given a mental picture of where the jumps were. He was riding a big draft cross that was a ex-eventer. It looked like he was riding by the seat of his pants but he went for it.
I have seen riders with a head set and the coach tell them where to go on a stadium course. Although, sorry I find eventing just far to dangerous for someone lacking sight. They have drops and things you just can’t see on course and one small mistake for be a serious injury.
We tend to stick to dressage and he seems to enjoy that.
And in response to Bluey–no you can’t drive a vehicle when you are legally blind.
There is a woman who shows very successfully in the 3’ adult hunters at A shows. There was even an article in COTH about her awhile back.
Here’s a link to a non-COTH article about her - http://www.hunterjumpernews.com/?p=3721
Thank you all for your ideas. I plan to walk the course a bunch of times before the event, and that way I’ll know what’s a bank, what’s a drop, etc. I will look into the headset idea.
I certainly would not plan on doing this if I thought it would put me or my horse in danger. However, I know him (have been working with him and training him for 8 years), I know myself, and I know our abilities. We have done many hunter paces together, schooled cross country, and done just fine. I really do appreciate your concerns, but my trainers who know me and my horse don’t think I’m completely insane, so I’m going to go with them on this one.
I’m impressed! I have vision in only one eye (my left eye is completely dominant) and I can see the jumps but not where they really are, if that makes sense.
Do you go by “feel?” I’d love to know more!
I have a form of macular degeneration. I am past leagally blind.I did my first horse trial two years ago. The main thing is know your cross country course by heart. Walk the course until you don’t have to look at your map. Than walk it one more time. Pay attention to the footing espicially around the fences. Look for landmarks to use on course.
Take your time moving up the levels. You need your horse to be absolutely confident on course. It can be nerve wracking not seeing the fences. So if youe horse can step up and say “I got this one.” it is a big help.
Look to see if the places you are planning to got to offer cross country schooling days. You won’t know what jumps to school but you can get a feel of the terrain.
I schooled my mare up to novice level cross country. She loves cross country jumping. Our dressage sucks so I never got to show that level.Have fun. Get some pics for us if you can.Feel free to ask any questions.
Is there anyway that you could arrange to have a bright coloured object placed to give you a sight line to show you where the next jumps direction is? I know nothing about competing but I do coach a visually impaired rider and a jacket on a tree allows her to find the fences, she does rely on a very honest horse.
Having a well trained horse does make all the difference. When my son was ready to learn lateral work it was hard on our horse as he was just learning the movements too. It was okay for me because I knew how to ask. I enlisted a coach with well trained advanced horses. In his very first lesson he was leg yield and doing half pass at the trot. He was doing flying changes and a lovely collected canter. He moved to riding her old PSG horse. He was getting moment of passage and piaffe and was riding in a double bridle. He had a blast…I was so envious of him and one time I got to cool his horse out and try a few steps of piaffe…I worked off his lessons that winter and I think it was an experience he will never forget.
I do worry and seeing these horrific accident on the event field is enough to make anyone worry.
I guess too, the mom in me speaking out and understanding the things my son goes through on a daily basis. His conditions is in both eyes and affects colour and depth perception. He sees better in dim lighting, so riding indoors is better for him. He doesn’t see things till they are nearly in front of him. I am proud of all that he has accomplished he just finish third year university with one year left.
You sound like you have a good team working with you. I wish you all the best!
[QUOTE=caper;4823661]
I do worry and seeing these horrific accident on the event field is enough to make anyone worry.
![/QUOTE]
While I have to agree with this. I think being visually impared is almost a blessing in diguise.You tend to think hard when it comes to moving up levels.Personally I was not moving up ubless my horse was 100% solid at the cross country phase. Double clear was not good enough.Another benefit is that the horse learns to think for themselves. I know I can not set up my horse for a fernce 100% of the time. I dictate the pace and the horse choses her take off spot. I follow her and stay out of way. So if I do chose a take off spot and it is wrong my horse knows it and fixes it. Yeah your fences are not going to be pretty at times. Just take your tiime and have fun.
Not for jumping, but I will say “not seeing” does help your feel. I will ride at night in the outdoor without lights, just to help me with feel - of course, we know the arena, and know the area, and it’s not pitch black, but it really does help you focus on “internal” vs “external” - something very important for me, since my days are spent doing so much eye-hand!
I completely agree that riding with low vision makes me less likely to get in my horse’s way. I’m working a lot on just setting my pace, and letting him find the distance. He’s really very good at it, and I just have to go with him. I’m certainly in no rush to move up the levels, just want to go out there and have fun. My horse has come so far in the time I’ve had him, and really enjoys jumping, I just want to try something new.
I’m pretty sure that I can’t use a headset or have any dispensations at recognized events, but maybe at schooling or unrecognized events or hunter trials. I’m going to look into it.
Thanks for everyone’s help and support 
I will post pics when I have them!
Low vision eventing
My daughter evented to Training with low vision. She did well enough to qualify for AEC’s. As the mom, I worried alot! She found it relatively easy through Novice. At Training level, she would walk the course at least twice, sometimes three times. She too had a great ability to stay out of her horse’s way. Maybe riding in a darkened arena would be good conditioning for everyone.
She got her start on a wonderful experienced mare. Moved to another wonderful hunter/jumper pony and then taught a dressage gelding and green horse to jump.
With correction, her vision is 20/60. She has a daytime restricted driver’s license.
It can be done. It sounds as if you know what you’re doing and have the right horse to do it on. Best wishes and have fun.
Someone sent me this video and looks like they are making a movie of her story:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-N3fieAbfR0
She is a severely visually impaired, very competitive barrel racer at the top of the game.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8xQFeFaI38
paraequstrian show jumping. Not exactly cross country but cool none the less.
