The extraordinary bond between Lissa Bachner, a young blind woman and Milo, a neglected, frightened horse, helped them overcome staggering odds to become one of America's most inspiring, successful riding teams in the world of show jumping.
Lissa Bachman was born with a passion for horses and won her first blue ribbon at age five. Other awards would follow as a young rider, and for years Lissa trained with jumpers, tackling more difficult leaps, and working to perfect her ride.
When blindness struck in her teens, it appeared her passion for riding would come to an end. How could she jump hurdles when she could barely navigate through her own home?
But success, trust, and love came to Lissa when her trainer convinced her to buy a “diamond in the rough” from Germany. On News Year's Eve, Milo arrived at the barn, frightened and neglected. Taking one look at his shaking, filthy body, Lissa promised Milo that he would only know kindness. In return, Milo took special care of her in the ring. Through countless eye surgeries and the many months of training and work, Lissa and Milo formed a magic bond that made them inseparable. And winners.
With effortless humor and penetrating compassion, Lissa weaves a story of unfaltering faith in Milo, and the unconditional love they shared.
I love everything equestrian. When it came time to choose my summer reads, I immediately purchased, Patterson’s new book. I didn’t make it past the 2nd chapter. Still hungry for my horse fix, I purchased this book a couple of days ago. When I say, I couldn’t put it down, I truly mean it. I’ve never laughed so hard and cried so much in my life. The story is incredible and the writing is, surprisingly superb. I can’t recommend this book to enough people but I’m going to try. Frankly, I can’t wait to read it again. The journey this book takes you through is simultaneously, exhausting and exhilarating. It’s suitable for all ages and, for sure, everyone of all ages shoul read it.
Excellent read. Anyone who has ever loved a pet will relate to this incredible memoir. Easy to read, witty and poignant story about unconditional love. A must read!
Great read for any horse or animal lover! A captivating tale of a young woman and her love for her horse. Overcoming a difficult diagnosis to be a champion rider, Lissa shows strength and resilience with the help of Milo and Spike. Recommend to all readers!
Beautifully written story of an incredible and inspiring journey. Anyone who rides will love this book, but it’s about so much more than just riding, and the story will pull you in whether you love horses or not….highly recommend!♥️
While I realize the ending to this book was not the ideal ending. I have to note that neither do fairytales come true. However, Lissa did have that opportunity to live in a so-called perfect world, though it was short lived. This book truly does demonstrate clearly that we can triumph over tragedy if we put our heart and soul into it. This book further demonstrates how often times an external force, such as animals, can aid in the propulsion of the forward momentum.
I love horses. That kept me going. The acted out audio book killed it for me though. Although Lissa Bachner overcame an incredible challenge, i still wonder how she could afford the lifestyle (financial and emotionally dependent on her mother) and more importantly how she could sell Milo before making sure there was no other way. Those are two big meh for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This is the memoir of a woman with vision loss who had the privilege to find the perfect horse for her. Milo taught her about the incredible, singular bond that forms between human and animal, a bond that transcends everything, a bond that defies words and logic. Because of Milo's love and commitment, the author continues to ride and compete long after his death, even as she also continues to lose more of her vision. This is a beautiful, heart-warming story. But as a blind reader, I was always aware of the unique support and opportunities the author received. In one telling seen after the author has suddenly lost all her remaining vision, she demands that her mother and her longtime eye doctor find a cure = her blindness before storming out of the room in tears. They stay up all night and do find something, a drug only available in Italy. A family friend flies overseas to rush the medicine back to the waiting family. Later, when the bottle of eye drops somehow goes missing as the family packs the house up for a move, someone flies to Italy again, buys four bottles of the drug and speeds them back to America. Owning horses is expensive, and competing with them all over the country at a semipro level is even more costly, and while there was some worry about how bills would get paid, there was never any real doubt that they would. The author never had to find or keep a job, balance working to earn money with a sport that demanded large amounts of it. She had trainers who helped her with everything. The commitment of time and energy to caring for and competing on horses of Milo's caliber is evident. The level of wealth Although the author writes with honesty about her struggles to deal with printed materials, find transportation, and walk around familiar and unfamiliar places, she refuses to use any of the alternative tools and techniques that could make these tasks easier and safer. In a particularly telling scene, an arrogant doctor tells her that if she doesn't let him treat her, the author will be relegated to reading Braille and using a white cane. Coupled with the author's determination to never to be considered just "pretty good for a blind person," the refusal to use any technique that would draw attention to her blindness makes a sort of sense. The title of this book is also misleading. There are, in fact, guide horses, miniature horses trained to do the task usually performed by guide dogs. They are not common, but they are presented as an alternative for people who don't want to deal with the shorter lifespan of a dog, or who are allergic to dogs, or who have the space and money to support a guide horse, which must live (like any other horse) in a stable and with other horses for their social well-being. Milo is remarkable, but he is not a "seeing eye horse." The Seeing Eye is the oldest guide dog training program in the United States, and because it was the first of its kind, the term "seeing eye dog" is still often used to mean any guide dog, regardless of where it was trained. Milo's intelligence and love made it possible for him to compensate in the show ring for the vision the author lacked. She learned to use landmarks and count the horse's strides to navigate courses and execute jumps. If one focuses only on the human-animal love story, this is an exceptionally moving and powerful book. But if one also takes it as a story of life with vision loss, it is much less. Very few blind people have the money and support the author does, and yet they must find ways to build self-confidence, resilience, and independence. The championships and accolades at horse shows are nice and well-deserved. If readers want a realistic account of living a full life with vision loss, they should look elsewhere.
The book that I read was Milo’s Eyes by Lissa Bachner. This is a biography that I enjoyed reading and I found to be a very intriguing book. The lady in the book, Lissa Bachner, is a blind rider and her horse is abandoned, the two of them bond and end up making a talented team and having many successes in the jumping world of horses. They spent a lot of time together throughout the book and created an irreplaceable bond with one another. The bond they worked for ended up giving them a successful time together but did not happen in the blink of an eye. It was special watching them work together and face struggles and overcome them to work together and become a better pair.
Milo’s Eyes was interesting, and informational, and made me see things in a different light. Being a horse rider and connecting to this book, I cannot imagine what she went through as a rider and with such a mistreated horse. When riding I see many horses acting up and riders freaking out and knowing how strong mentally you would have to be to have a neglected horse and be blind yourself is amazing. The way Lissa kept trying and never gave up on her horse, Milo, is incredible. I think other people should give this book a chance if they have an interest in horses, but even more so if they are enlightened by incredible stories such as this one. This has a particularly good overall point that, no, matter what you should never give up and let something whether mental or physical get in your way, and if you want something you just must commit yourself. I would give this book a nine out of ten, I give it this rating because when reading it I spotted some important lessons that can apply to everyone's life. The only thing I struggled with in this book is the emotional struggle that I can imagine she would be going through.
Overall, this book has some important lessons for anyone interested in biographies. Learning that you can face fears and still succeed is one large point in the book I believe can be related to anyone. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses, and it is just determined by what you put effort into and want to become better at. “The light at the end of the tunnel” is a phrase I would highly relate to in this book. I say this because the tunnel may be dark for a while and her bonding with this horse was not easy at first, but she worked through it and got closer and closer to the end of the tunnel and reaching the goals she had always dreamt of. I haven't read any other book I would relate to this, but I would say A Dog’s Purpose is another book I believe has some good relatable moments.
Milo’s Eyes traces the intertwined trajectories of Lissa Bachner and the horse who would come to define a pivotal chapter of her life. The memoir follows Bachner from her early achievements as a young equestrian through the progressive loss of her vision, and ultimately to her partnership with Milo — a neglected, underweight horse imported from Germany. What begins as an act of rescue gradually becomes a relationship in which horse and rider stabilize one another. As Bachner navigates the physical and emotional upheavals brought on by her blindness, Milo undergoes his own rehabilitation, and the two form a bond that is as much about patience and discipline as it is about trust.
I’m usually not one to linger on seemingly minor details, but I couldn’t help snorting at the title — perhaps because I’m a Seeing Eye graduate, and The Seeing Eye Inc. doesn’t train horses of any kind. That small incongruity aside, the memoir is an absorbing account of Bachner’s adjustment to vision loss, rendered with a level of self-awareness that avoids sentimentality. She approaches her circumstances not as an emblem but as an individual living through a profound change, and the narrative benefits from that restraint.
What I found most compelling, though, was the equestrian dimension. As someone who has always loved horses, I appreciated the precision with which Bachner describes the work of bringing Milo back from fear and malnourishment. Her success arises not from any mystique surrounding her disability, but from qualities recognizable in accomplished horsewomen everywhere: perseverance, technical skill, and an unwavering commitment to the animal in her care. The adaptations she develops to compensate for her limited vision — mental mapping of courses, calibrated strides, reliance on tactile and auditory cues — are presented with clarity, emphasizing craft rather than spectacle.
The strength of Milo’s Eyes lies in its portrayal of a partnership shaped not by ease but by mutual effort. Bachner and Milo emerge as two beings who arrive at steadiness through discipline, and whose connection is grounded in the quiet, exacting work of showing up for one another. The result is a narrative that feels both measured and resonant, offering a portrait of loyalty and competence that speaks for itself.
The extraordinary bond between Lissa Bachner, a young blind woman and Milo, a neglected, frightened horse, helped them overcome staggering odds to become one of America's most inspiring, successful riding teams in the world of show jumping.
Lissa Bachman was born with a passion for horses and won her first blue ribbon at age five. Other awards would follow as a young rider, and for years Lissa trained with jumpers, tackling more difficult leaps, and working to perfect her ride.
When blindness struck in her teens, it appeared her passion for riding would come to an end. How could she jump hurdles when she could barely navigate through her own home?
But success, trust, and love came to Lissa when her trainer convinced her to buy a “diamond in the rough” from Germany. On News Year's Eve, Milo arrived at the barn, frightened and neglected. Taking one look at his shaking, filthy body, Lissa promised Milo that he would only know kindness. In return, Milo took special care of her in the ring. Through countless eye surgeries and the many months of training and work, Lissa and Milo formed a magic bond that made them inseparable. And winners.
With effortless humor and penetrating compassion, Lissa weaves a story of unfaltering faith in Milo, and the unconditional love they shared.
My comments:
This was a wonderful story, Lissa and Milo's bond was wonderrful and it was lovely how they helped each other. It was a sad ending to the story however I do feel the write choice was made at the write time regarding Milo's future. I loved learning how Lissa learned through Milo to start coping better. This was a wonderful book and I really enjoyed reading it.
As a blind person myself I am always interested when someone overcomes odd with the same disability as myself especially when it's something that a blind person is not expected to be good at.
I mostly enjoyed reading this book because it takes place in the Maryland Virginia area. I've grown up in this region most of my life even though I'm a transplant from Texas. I also have a horsey legally blind friend who is my neighbor and told her about this book. I was ecstatic our local library approved my request to purchase this book. The storytelling, writing, and emotions of this book were on point. In order for me to take lessons in high school I had to bust my ass in the barn. And even then my parents couldn't afford the gas for my lessons after 6 months when I had just started jumping. (But they could afford the gas to drag my exhausted ass to church 4x a week). There was a lot of obvious privilege in this book. We all know anything surrounding the equestrian world is going to be extremely draining physically, emotionally, and financially. I know Lissa discussed a couple of instances where money was a little bit tight. I wish she would have gone into greater details of how thankful she was to have such a supportive family both emotionally and financially. Because this did lose the star for how much of a brat she was throughout pretty much the whole book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I’ve read this book, at least, 5 times. I love it so very much. It helps that I’m lucky enough to know the author. My family and I live in Vermont and we drove 2 hours to Manchester so we could see the horse competitions.We were clearly outsiders and not a single person would give us the time of day. Of the 15 or so people we stopped and tried to ask questions, not a single one of them was willing to help us out. Finally we bumped into Lissa Bachner. Or rather, she bumped into us. Literally…After she apologized and discovered that we were tourists, she stayed with us for 35 minutes. Answered all of our questions, and even brought us back to the tent were she kept her horse. I can’t remember if it was Milo but I hope it was. We never forgot her and when this book came out my entire family read it. We all loved it. I cried more than I’ve ever cried in my life. But I also laughed and cheered. It is amazing I hope if she reads these reviews, she remembers us.
I first heard about this book from Newsreel, an audio magazine that allows blind and visually impaired adults to share ideas, buy, sell, or trade products, and more. I never owned a horse and didn't do much riding. But I was drawn to this story of a bond between woman and equine, and it didn't disappoint me.
With myriad plot twists, plenty of dialogue and action, and chapters ending in cliffhangers, this book was hard to put down. I was with Lissa Bachner all the way and felt her kinship with Milo. If you love horses, or even if you crave a heartwarming tale about a human-animal bond with a bittersweet ending, this book is for you. If you recently lost your vision, this book should inspire you, not necessarily to ride and show horses, but to follow your dreams.
It was an impressive story - but I was 4 hours into the audio book and she still hasn’t even started riding the horse yet. It’s impressive what she had done, but reading about how a rich girl had her trainer buy her an expensive horse in Germany and then she tries to write it like she didn’t want the horse who was shipped over. Having just finished reading Snowman and the story of the trainer Harry who trained and showed Snowman and overcame a lot of hardship. It was hard to get the same level of inspiration from a girl whose mom is spending probably $5,000 a month on training, a private driver and shows.
This is a wonderful true story of a girl and her horse and the amazing bond they share. I felt like I was experiencing Lissa's rides and her sorrow as she slowly looses most of her sight but continues to trust her horse and her new instincts to continue doing what they both love, showing in competitions together. What a great book.
I loved reading Milo's Eyes. I love horsed but I have never glimpsed behind the scene of competition and what it takes to get there. It made me laugh, cry, and think what "the heck were you thinking!?!" There were two "typos" at the beginning of the book that made me think they were Easter eggs, but no such luck. Well written and a good read.
Entertaining page turner about friendship, love and loss. An against-all-odds memoir that takes you on a roller coaster of emotions. Beyond animal lovers, anyone with a passion will relate to this book. A great read that you won't be able to put down.
This was a wonderful read, certainly recommend. I related to it so much and enjoyed pretty much the entire book. By the last page, I felt as if I’d gotten to know Milo and Lissa and their journey together at a very deep level.
Absolutely heart-shattering and beautiful at the same time, and so so many details that reminded me of my own horse, Hamlet. Probably the best “horse book” I’ve ever read
A seemingly impossible situation - a young woman’s journey through losing her sight and miraculously finding the perfect horse to guide her safely over competitive show jumping.
Omg. This book was over the top amazing! It will literally have you laughing and full on crying! The beginning is a bit dull but it gets good! Please read this book! Any horse girl will love this! 💕😊