Who else Has Issues With Their Sight?

newforest

newforest

Well-Known Member
Mar 15, 2008
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I know I am not the only one so just curious.

Later on I would like jumping lessons with the cob and current instructor has given me a few before. We came the realisation that what she sees and what I do isn't the same and I what I see as ok to come in and jump for her looked awful and vice versa. It looks straight to me but her straight line felt and looked like a run out.

Since the horse doesn't see the jump 4 strides away and what I see is likely wonky, it will need an honest pony to still go ahead and do it.

I just wonder if this is playing havoc with my twenty metre circles, where I think is a circle I am told it isn't and where I get told it is-it didn't look like it from where I was sitting. I have walked it one way and when I change the rein even walking on foot it isn't round.

I can do squares. ;)

So who else has a bit of an issue.
 
I had a severe squint corrected when I was 5 and although it mostly worked my eyes are still ever so slightly wonky. They seem to see at slightly different angles. When an object gets close to my face (am arm's reach away or closer) I go cross-eyed. When I hold something right in front of my face I can actually see "through" it - not literally obviously, but one eye sees it wonky and the other sees it straight, and the two different images sort of cross over so it feels like I am looking right through a solid object! It is also why I had to go digital when I got keen on photography - I need a screen to look at with both eyes and see that the subject is centred - if I look through a viewfinder, I end up with the subject off to the left, every time.

I don't think it effects my riding TBH as I tend to go more off feel than visuals - this may be why I am far better at flatwork than jumping! I can ride down a centre line no problem but ask me to approach a jump in a straight line and it's a different story! When I'm competing I need to walk the course exactly where I plan to ride it to get my bearings, I can't just look and go "I need to turn there".

For getting yourself into jumps in a straight line you could use poles to make the centre more visible and give you something obvious to aim at. Maybe having a crosspole at the front, or poles propped against the jump in a V-shape to channel you into the centre, or even two ground poles at right angles to the jump for you to ride between. You could also get your instructor to pop cones down for you to turn around before you straighten up for the jump.
 
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Interesting. Some people are better than others. I have a particularly good eye for a circle or an angle or a corner etc but lots of people struggle. Its like when you are doing anything i.e. decorating or making certain things.

Best thing is probably to measure everything out with a line and tape then put markers.

Circles are easy. One person (or a stake) stands in the middle with the required length of string. The other person walks to the end of the string and makes the circle round the stake/person keeping the string taught.

We have often marked out a whole areana this way. The end result is accurate but it often looks wonky because other lines, i.e the field fence/lay of the land etc is out.
 
I can't ride a straight line. I feel I have done one even with turning a A and looking at C. I am always off centre. I can do this with my friends medium dressage horse, so in theory I know he is listening and not just doing what he thinks is right.

I will try and ride between two poles and I have in the past had a cone out for where to turn. We run that over. We frequently knock the barrels down-I do with my feet because I haven't judged the gap.

My condition is where one eye looks to the left and one eye is straight. So neither are really paying attention to where I go. One is in the school and one is out hacking :)

If the cob jumps on the lunge she is doing so from what I believe is straight, which isn't. But she is being honest and doing it. I will attempt to make it straight by putting poles in front to help her.

Eta-I was convinced our school was out. I measured it all the way round and its 20x40, my eyes still tell me its smaller at C and its where I find it hardest to do a circle for worry of riding into the fence.
 
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Oh dear that is difficult. Can you have corrective eye surgery? an old friend of mine had this done and it was extremelly effective. In the short term I suppose you could try an eye patch. Another friend of mine is blind in one eye and has no problems, she is a keen show jumping competitor.
 
I did have an op as a child and they wondered whether I would need another at 18. I do have glasses for reading, tv and close work.
When I had the latest eye test I mentioned it but they said it wasn't worth having done.

Horses don't see what we do anyway so the cob doesn't actually know any different. Interestingly and what I felt was honest of her, is that she backs off the jump I have trouble judging myself.

I am getting my poles painted so I can see those better. They blend in with the sand.
 
I think horses pick up so easily on what we are thinking.

Its a difficult one but I am sure in time you will work together on this one. May be you are going to have to learn to trust her line rather than your own. That way if you feel confident, she will be less likely to hesitate:smile:

I will ask my friend when I see her next and ask how she gets on with only the sight in one eye.
 
I only have sight in my right eye but I don't think it affects my riding too much. I don't jump any more, I stopped a long time before I lost my eye, I do ground poles and can get the centre of the poles. The main thing I've had to work on is the centre line especially on the left rein. Where I thought I was on the centre was nowhere near where I actually was so I got someone to stand on my centre line and then had to work out where I needed to be so that I was on the real centre line. Oh dear, does that make sense?

Usual day to day things are mostly ok although I have trouble sometimes judging where small things are when I try to pick them up and I'm very good at knocking over mugs and tall glasses, usually when they are full. I say it's because I mis-judge their height, OH says I'm clumsy.
 
I would use Joosie suggestion of guide poles in a v on the jump, This will give you both somewhere to aim for and as long as you keep the stride steady Cob will do the rest and unless you want to take in some serious jumping down the line this will be enough to teach Cobby how to jump and you get a jumping fix.

As for walking in a straight line from A to C this is challenge for most people, Chanter snakes and if I move a muscle will go off course. Ginger is better but he has a true straight walk.
 
I did try lunging and using two guide poles. She made a better shape as well.

I have just ordered pole covers so I can at least see the centre of the actual pole. (there are coloured poles but I am not allowed to use those) these will be mine.
 
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