Also, as long as we are able to understand the risks, and give our informed consent, then as adults, isn’t it up to us?Īnd what if you are already working in the equestrian industry before you lose your sight? Yes, riding is a high-risk sport, but then, when you are blind, just going to the shop is high risk. They say they would be breaking all kinds of health and safety regulations if they allowed it, and their insurance wouldn’t cover any accidents. Many people and organisations claim that it is too dangerous for blind and visually impaired people to ride or handle horses. The equestrian world, although not entirely hostile, is not always amenable to the specific needs of the blind and visually impaired. I finally convinced my parents to let me have riding lessons when I was 9 – and I desperately wanted my own pony!

If a toy, book, or game didn’t include a horse, I wasn’t really interested. As soon as I could walk, I trotted about on my imaginary pony. Remove me from horses for, say, three weeks, and I become very unhappy and unsettled.Īs soon as I could talk, I talked about horses. I don’t actually have to ride very often to be happy, but I do need to be able to touch, smell, and interact with them. I love all animals, but with horses, it’s different. (Strange really because I don’t come from a horsey family… in fact, my Mum was terrified of horses!) There was never a Eureka moment when I looked at a horse and thought “Wow!” It was just always there, like a seed had been sown in my soul before I was born. But while some people might think you can be blind or you can be horsey, but under no circumstances can you be both, I say: I beg to differ! A long-time love of horsesĪs long as I can remember I have loved horses. This has caused me a few problems with my equestrian aspirations. I was born with a recessive form of Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP), therefore I have never had good eyesight, and have been totally blind for a long time now. I’m Nikki Watson, a blind horse rider and general horse enthusiast – I’m 53 and I live in Devon in the UK with my husband Hal, my guide dog Quincey, and our three horses Florence, Peregrine and Mr.

Riding high horse game online