#BeatTheBlindfold

[verity smith]

Hi all fellow horse crazy folks. I am Verity Smith, Blind Dressage Rider, who is bonkers about her sport. I hope that some of you managed to take a peek at the article in Horse and Hound 17th Dec 2015. Thanks to Laura Tomlinson for her undying support and would welcome all your support. Dressage is an amazing sport about 'ability' and not 'disability'. For those of you interested in the campaign, here is the youtube link https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=a3AoJImb-oM
Looking forward to hearing your comments.

 

[dollyanna]

I saw this on fb and thought it was the most ridiculous thing ever. Para equestrian sport has the ability to be one of the best examples of levelling the playing field between people with or without disabilities, but this just seems to put barriers back in the way. I don't understand it.
I have 2 friends who are registered blind and carriage drivers. One in particular (her mum has slightly better vision) cannot see when she sets off on the long diagonal where the other side of the arena is, let alone where the letter is. She has remarkable accuracy despite this because she has learned how to adapt to her own "limitations" in her life. It would be totally bonkers to blindfold her, to take away all her ways to adapt which allows her to compete on a level playing field. Sadly in driving there is no accommodation for blindness as yet at the higher levels in para competition.

I am fully behind you, I hope that the powers that be realise what a stupid, insensitive and debilitating thing they are doing, it knocks back para equestrianism so far to do this, surely they have to see sense. Good luck, I look forward to seeing you ride at Rio. I've already signed the petition.

 

[verity smith]

Hi Dollyanna. Thanks for your comments. Its wonderful that you 'get it'. Your friend sounds amazing. I feel much happier on a horse and could not imagine driving one - scary ! What I think the FEI and IPC failed to realise is that equestrian sport is the only olympic sport involving two athletes, one of which is 600 kilos of individual muscle and mind which we, as the rider, have to contain, control and reassure. Lets hope they see sense. Thanks for signing the petition.

 

[AmieeT]

I saw this on FB too!! I was absolutely disgusted with how you've been treated

I am a trainee optician, I shared the BBC post to another group of opticians all of whom agreed it was disgraceful.

I have also been correcting people in comments that confuse 'light perception' with being able to see!!

All the best, I will read the article now if it's still available.

Ax

 

[Shoei]

Hi Verity,

i just wanted to wish you all the best of luck. It is ridiculous how you have been treated. I cannot understand why anyone would want to penalize someone with a disability, for this is the way I see it. It certainly isn't creating a a level playing field!

I watched your youtube video recently and it made me cry!

Wishing you all the best

Shoei

 

[verity smith]

Hi Thanks a mill, it is so difficult when people have the misconception that blindness means blackness. Your comments are so helpful as the light perception I have is what my brain is trained to cope with. It may not be much but it is my night and day! We will get this rule changed as it is so cruel to blindfold people's dreams. Happy New Year may 2016 be a fab one for all of us