In the UK, a 15-year-old Appaloosa gelding named Milo continues to win prizes at dressage competitions despite being completely blind. After losing his sight at the age of 13 due to an eye disease, the horse returned to the arena thanks to a special method of interaction with his 28-year-old owner, Megan Sher, reports infohub.kz.
To navigate, Milo uses his heightened sense of hearing and touch. The rider applies constant pinpoint pressure with the reins, hands, and legs, while Milo reads ground vibrations through his hooves. Megan compares this process to reading Braille: "I have become his eyes, and he uses touch and steps for spatial perception."
Despite his blindness, the horse has won the prestigious Royal Windsor Horse Show eight times in a row. The pair plans to compete in qualifiers for the Horse of the Year Show and London International, competing on equal footing with sighted horses.