Renowned Blind Equestrian Lissa Bachner Releases New Book MILO'S EYES

On New year's morning, 1999, a twenty-six-year-old Lissa met Milo for the first time. The young equestrian, purchased the five-year-old horse, sight -unseen, from Germany and aspired to, one day, compete on him.

But, the scrawny, foul-smelling, bad-tempered gelding that arrived shortly after midnight, barely resembled a horse much less one that belonged in the show ring. It was hard to miss the signs of neglect and Lissa knew the horse had been mistreated. Had it not been for the fire burning in Milo's dark, brown eyes, Lissa would have thought the spirit had been beaten out of him.

Determined to eradicate the demons of his past, Lissa spends hours each day grooming and caring for her new horse. As Milo grows stronger, so too does the unconditional love, unyielding trust and that magical bond between he and Lissa.

When, finally, Milo and Lissa are ready to make their debut in the show ring, life makes it clear that it has other plans for the two of them. Suddenly Lissa is battling to save her vision! As her eyesight diminishes, the young rider leans on her beloved Milo for strength and comfort.

After she loses the fight and is completely blind, Lissa turns her back on the life she once knew. Terrified and with each day that passes, sinking deeper and deeper into a depression, she refuses to leave the safety of her bed. But an afternoon spent with Milo, the only living creature she feels truly understands her, awakens the warrior inside her. More determined than ever, Lissa promises Milo she will find a way back to him.

Willing to do whatever it takes to ride again, Lissa asks the unthinkable of her mother, her friends and most of all, her beloved Milo. Together, Lissa and Milo will accomplish the impossible, becoming one of America's most successful riding teams in the world of show jumping, winning 2 national rankings, 4 zone rankings and over 35 nationally ranked classes!

Milo's Eyes is available on amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, Target.com, Walmart.com (Paperback, $16.95).

About the Author:

Lissa Bachner has been ranked among the country's leading amateur equestrians. When she was three, Bachner was diagnosed with two, rare immune disorders -- Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, which inflames her joints, and uveitis, which attacked her eyes and lead to her blindness.

By the time she was thirty, Lissa had lost her left eye and most of the vision in her right eye. Regardless of her lack of vision, she continued to ride and compete at show jumping's highest level.

Despite the crippling diseases, painful surgeries and her doctor's disapproval, Lissa never lost her passion for horses and riding. She has competed all over Virginia, where she is from, and in several other states on the East Coast. She has won 4 national rankings, 10 zone rankings, 82 nationally ranked classes and 118 top 3 placings.

Lissa graduated from Skidmore College with a B.A. in English. She currently resides in Wellington, Florida where she is surrounded by her beloved horses and dogs.