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Tuesday, July 18 2017 / Published in Weekly Feature

Devyn Adams: Riding in Darkness

Devyn Adams and Chance

By Mandy Boggs

Devyn Adams, a 17-year-old from State College, Pennsylvania, isn’t just a normal teenager. After all, what does the word “normal” really mean? Perhaps it suggests one must fit in with the general standard of society. It can be such a rigid word, causing someone to feel out of place or unable to do something that others can do. Devyn Adams is definitely not your typical teenager.

Devyn ran hurdles in track, has skied down the Appalachian Mountains, and surfed across the rough waves of the ocean. Although she’s still in high school, she writes weekly stories and articles on an online platform designed for college students and professionals. She’s an avid equestrian, competing on the hunter circuit, and a successful team member on her Interscholastic (IEA) riding team, making it to Zone Finals last year. She wants to be a police officer, or at least get a degree in criminal justice and help people, something she feels passionate about. She has an Instagram account full of beautiful photos she’s taken while riding across fields during sunset. And she’s done all of this while being legally blind.

More Than Coping

To Devyn, the word normal doesn’t bother her. For her, being “normal” sounds quite boring. She does the same things everyone else does, with a few exceptions and adjustments.

“I don’t know anything else so it doesn’t seem like that big of a tragedy to me. There are days I’m like, Wow, it would be really nice if I could see so I could have a driver’s license, which makes becoming a police officer a bit difficult, but I get along fine without it!” she giggled.

Devyn giving Chance a pat.

Devyn was born with CRB1, a type of Leber’s congenital amaurosis (LCA), a degenerative genetic issue that has virtually eliminated her retinas, resulting in blindness. “I only have about 20 percent of my vision, and only in the corner of my right eye,” she explained. “My head is always somewhat turned so that I can see large shapes and shadows of objects right in front of me. When I’m riding my horse in a field, I know that there’s a tree line next to me, but that’s only because I have that knowledge — the common sense, I guess you’d say. I assume the shadows are probably trees but can’t see them clearly.”

Since it is a degenerative disease, there are currently no cures or treatments to stop the progression. Therapy is available to help those with the disease learn to adjust to day-to-day activities with loss of vision, such as learning to use a cane and the system of Braille. Devyn has learned it all.

“I struggle more with my blindness in school than I do with riding,” she said. “In high school, my work load is double that of an average student. Since I read Braille, I have a lot more papers and work to do than other students. Everything has to be translated back and forth for myself and for the teachers to grade. Managing all of that is rough.”

Learning to Ride

Riding opened up a whole new world for Devyn. “In the past, I did hurdles, surfed, skied, and all of these other things, but I think the part about riding that I love so much is having a partner to do it with. Riding, to me, is more thrilling than any of those other things,” she said. “Riding gives me a sense of freedom that I don’t get anywhere else. When I ride a horse, there’s absolutely nothing that can stop me that wouldn’t stop anyone else. It makes me feel ‘normal,’ if there is such a thing.”

When asked what made her decide to start riding, and take on such a challenging sport for someone with limited vision, Devyn replied, “In kindergarten, all of my friends rode horses. I thought to myself, I don’t want to be like them. I don’t want to ride! Then, in first grade, I got a Breyer horse. I remember thinking, Wow this horse is so pretty, maybe I do want to be like my friends.

“When I started riding, my parents, who have always been supportive, asked if I wanted to ride English or Western. I said Western because I didn’t know the difference. It wasn’t until one day, when a girl mentioned that you can’t jump in a Western saddle, that I immediately asked for an English one. I wanted to jump,” she recalled.

As one can imagine, learning to jump without being able to see what’s in front of you had to be frightening for a young girl. Devyn considers herself to be pretty adventurous, but still readily admitted to being terrified the first time she ever jumped. “I was in sixth grade and riding a pony,” she said. “The very first time I took the pony to the jump, it refused. It was just a little cross-rail but to me it was the biggest jump in the world. The next time around, we went over it and I’ve been hooked ever since.”

Devyn is able to jump with only a sliver of vision.

Competing and Succeeding

Today, Devyn competes in schooling and rated shows in the Pre-Children’s Hunter divisions, and on an IEA interscholastic team. She has even competed in out-of-state rated shows, one of her favorites being at Chagrin Valley Farms in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. “The first year I went to Chagrin, I ended up winning my first big class on a 16-hand gelding named Bentley, a horse I rode at the time,” she said. “The first year I did the IEA team, I made it to Zone Finals with my team. I ended up doing really well at both Regionals and the Zones. I really felt like I fit in, finally.”

So how does she handle a course of jumps with only a sliver of vision? “Schooling shows are easier as I can school the course until I’ve really learned the layout of the ring. Rated shows are, of course, harder, especially if there’s no schooling, but I spend a lot of time walking the course on foot. I can see a jump right in front of me, so as long as I know the layout, I remember where to steer. Of course, I really trust my horse, too!” she said.

“I spend a lot of time picking out landmarks. Decorations, large objects, anything I can use to help me know when to turn. I count strides and have learned to really feel my horse. I can feel their body language change when we’re approaching the jump and about to take off. I use the same tools in flat classes and the schooling ring. I try to pick one spot and stick to it and not change my track much. I can hear horses coming by their breathing and footsteps. I struggle if there are jumps that match the footing, such as white jumps and light sand, but I do my best,” she explained on the obvious questions most are too hesitant to ask.

She now has her own horse, Chance. As she put it, there was an instant connection and she knew she had to have this horse. She’s been jumping 3’ at home, and is hoping to move up to the Children’s Hunters later this year. Devyn may not see all of the stars she’s reaching for, but that hasn’t stopped her from reaching for them.

Photos courtesy of Devyn Adams

 

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A column from Liz Halliday-Sharp herself The spor A column from Liz Halliday-Sharp herself 
The sport of eventing is a demanding and mentally challenging discipline that requires a combination of physical and mental fortitude from both the rider and horse. While having a coach can be incredibly beneficial, self-coaching can also play a crucial role in a rider’s success.

I think that given the opportunity, most riders would like to be coached every day. The reality of life in the horse world, however, is that the majority of us need to absorb as much from the lessons we have on a limited basis and then practice those skills at home to improve.

When I am riding, I try to have a plan for the horses each day and focus on what I’m looking to achieve. It’s important to be aware of the steady improvements rather than trying to solve everything all at once. This is especially important when teaching horses new movements or exercises that they might struggle with, and we need to give them time to learn and understand what we are asking for.

I have a couple of quotes that I use regularly when I’m teaching, and these are mottos that I hold myself to in my daily work as well.

The first is, “If you do what you have always done, you will get what you have always gotten.” This is a quote that was said to me many years ago when I was still motor racing and I keep it in the back of my mind each day. It’s easy to get stuck doing the same thing every day with your horse and bad habits are hard to break, from both riders and horses!

This leads me to my next quote, which is, “If what you are doing isn’t working, try something else.” It really is as simple as that! Many riders I see keep asking a horse to do something the same way over and over with an ongoing negative response and they wonder why things don’t get better. In these circumstances, I recommend that the rider change something, even if it’s wrong.

Read the full article by clicking the link in our bio! Don’t forget to keep your eye out for our April subscription!
📸Photo by Alex Banks Photography
The✨April issue✨ of Sidelines Magazine is here The✨April issue✨ of Sidelines Magazine is here and we are so excited to feature three-day eventer Liz Halliday on the cover! Big thanks to photographer Melissa Fuller for the beautiful photo of Liz and Cooley Nutcracker- Liz Halliday-Sharp - HS Eventing. Liz and her horses have taken the eventing world by storm - and find out how Liz is at the top of the sport as a female eventer! As the horse world gears up for the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event 2023, it's the perfect time to enjoy our eventing issue!! We also feature eventer and woman entrepreneur Frankie Thieriot Stutes, who is not only an eventer, but also runs Athletux and FRANKIE CAMERON handbags and accessories. And don't miss our eventing story on Robert "Bobby" Costello, who will be leading the US Eventing team to the 2024 Paris Olympics- and US Equestrian has named Bobby the eventing technical advisor/chef d'equipe!! Liz, Frankie and Bobby all have GREAT stories - don't miss any of them and don't forget to get your tickets for the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day event! We are also excited to introduce you to hunter-jumper rider Casey Lorusso Smith, who is not only a talented rider but also a psychotherapist and incorporates horses into her career. If you are up for adventure, then read the story on dressage rider Priscilla Baldwin who certainly doesn't let any grass grow under her feet! We also head to the west coast to catch up with hunter-jumper trainer Jim Hagman of Elvenstar Farm, we feature beautiful art by equestrian artist Tammy Tappan, and we get to know Miranda Jones and her family. Miranda is not only an attorney who spends a lot of time in the courthouse, but she's a rider and spends lots of time riding, and is joined by her daughters also! We are excited to feature Stephanie Lightner in our Unbridled column, and don't miss our columnists George Williams, Robert R.L. Jacobs and Margie Sugarman! It's a great issue - and you can read it online, but don't forget to go to the website and order a subscription and get every issue delivered to your mailbox!! Enjoy this issue and enjoy the ride: Link in bio!!
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Marie Meyers has been around the world because of Marie Meyers has been around the world because of dressage, but it’s her farm in Moorpark, California, that has captured her heart. The farm and the business that thrives there represent Marie’s lifelong journey—a journey made up of good friends, spectacular horses and relationships made to last.

Marie was raised in Southern California, and spent her childhood playing just about every sport under the sun, but she didn’t discover riding until she was 14 years old. “I loved animals so much, so I started taking lessons. I did jumping at first, but I was very bad at that, for sure!” Marie laughed.

After some time, Marie moved on to take lessons at Foxfield Riding Academy and began riding dressage. “I fell into dressage by accident,” Marie said, “At the beginning, I thought it was extremely boring, but then I got hooked. By the time I graduated from high school, I had plans to travel to England to work for Franz Rochowansky, a former head of the Spanish Riding School.”

In 1988, Marie’s hard work paid off, and the pair was selected as alternates for the 1988 Summer Olympic Games. “They didn’t take the alternates that year, so we didn’t go to Seoul, but the experience, the training and the European Tour afterwards set me up for the 1990 World Equestrian Games in Stockholm, Sweden,” Marie said.

In addition to having success representing her country, Marie was busy with her life—marriage, a business, teaching lessons and clinics. 

Learn more about Marie in this month's edition of Sidelines Magazine. Click the link in our bio for more 🦄

📸Photos by Lindsey Long Equine Photography, www.lindseylong.com

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