Blind in one eye

[Caroline1239]

My sweet sweet boy had an accident 3 weeks ago which involved his eye. We had been treating it really well, but it developed an ulcer. I was advised by the opthalmic specialist that though it was quite deep, as there was corneal tissue at the base of it that it would hopefully heal with intensive serum and antibiotic treatment. The vet put a cannula in so we could give the eyedrops easier. I was going really well and the ulcer was getting smaller. Yesterday I got back from work and
the ulcer had popped - my beautiful boy is now blind in one eye. I am devastated and feel really really guilty - I WISH I had requested a corneal transplant when I had the chance. I know the transplant was not neccessarily the answer - apparently they can easily develop uveitis - but I am so sad that it has come to this.......

How will my boy cope with one eye????

 

[dressager]

Aww sorry to hear that, that must be awful for you

I know a few horses with one eye and they cope really well. There is a lady I know who owns a small yard and she is totally blind, she lost her sight as a young child. She owns a mare who only has one eye hence there is just one eye between them. However, they go out hacking together, in company of course, do the usual schooling etc. Pretty remarkable really.

Your boy will be just fine

 

[Henbug]

I used to ride and jump a mare that only had one eye and it never made a difference.

 

[pelly]

My sisters TB lost her eye aged 12 and was still eventing, SJ and doing western classes really well

 

[joshuaada]

I rescued a horse from one of my liveries, who was going to sell him on to a not very nice local dealer for £300. He was a 15.3 6 year old gelding. I bought him and it turned out the reason he kept throwing her off, was that he was in terrible pain with his back and was in a narrow saddle, when he should have been in a wide saddle. Anyway, I got him going nicely enough to find him a good home (which was my ultimate aim) A lady came and tried him who wanted him for eventing. She loved him and arranged a vetting. He was found to be blind in one eye as well (I hadn't realised this) It put this particular lady off. However, one of the young girls on the yard had watched people trying him and asked could she sit on him. She loved him and eventually bought him. He went on with Emily to event to quite a high level and could jump like a stag. He never carried his head to one side or looked like he was struggling in any way. Obviously Smoke had been blind in one eye from a youngster and had learned to cope with it really well. He was 100% in traffic, never shied at obstacles or seemed to compensate in any way. The poor chaps only problem was an ignorant owner, who hadn't listened to him when he said if you make me go forward, it hurts and I will have you off. Had she had her saddle fitted properly she would still be the proud owner of a cracking horse. I am really sure your boy will be fine although I can understand how upset you must be. I think it's also we all have a bit of a thing where eyes are concerned. I really hope this makes you feel better and chin up. ( Smoke had uveitus)

 

[xfeex]

I knew a mare with uveitis and she was in a lot of pain even though it was treated, she had a special mask also.

She then developed an ulcer and had to have the eye removed, since then she has been a different horse and is pain free and very happy, her and her owner have there very first show soon!

 

[Eaglestone]

Oh I do really feel for you as it is such an upsetting experience

Please see this post ......

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/sh...rue#Post2842103

... this happened 4 weeks ago now and fortunately it looks like a very happy ending

For the last couple of weeks I have been hacking him out, first in company with another horse and then with his owner on foot ... and in the last week I have ridden him out twice on his own and he acted EXACTLY as he did before IMPECCABLE

He came off his eye drops today, therefore we are 'fingers crossed' that he will not get any further infections ... although we are aware that his eye may shrink to the size of a raison

I know he is an old boy and not alot is expected of him ... however I saw a one eyed horse Hunting on Boxing Day and his looked magnificent and very alert .... that is what first made me notice him

I hope that your horse does well.

 

[nicholls07]

oh caroline im so sorry for you .... it will take time for him to get used to it , but they do adapt believe me , my mare has one eye and people didnt even no ... just give it time as he wont be used to it .... hugs 4 u .

 

[Stinkbomb]

Ive no horsey experience but i have only got one eye having had an accident three years ago. I can only imagine horses go through the same experiences as humans when coming to terms with the loss of sight in one eye.


Your horse may have difficulties at first with his depth perception. i.e. he may struggle to judge the edge of a stable door for instance. He may bump into things on his blind side for a while and may jump unexpectedly when things come into his vision. I say may, he may not. It took me about two to three monthas for my brain ( yes i do have one!! ) to adapt to monocular vision. I still have trouble sometimes.... cant find the running water with my toothbrush and STILL spill drinks over the worktop when pouring drinks but these are things i dont think your horse will have to cope with LOL!!

Just be understanding of your horse if he does these things and i can assure you he will adapt, quicker and easier than you think.

Life does go on with one eye i can assure you!!!

Good luck with him x

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

Caroline - like your other posters say, you will be amazed how well your ned copes with one eye. Long, long story but my veteran had to have an eye removed 2 years ago. 5 days after the surgery, he came home and had a run about and roll in the school and he loose jumped himself over the jumps that were still up, in sheer delight at being pain free for the 1st time in 6 months. We had some mini accidents in the beginning as, because he couldn't see anything one side, he thought there was nothing there. So he hit his head on the wall from lifting it from his feed bowl too many times. Also, he used to jump if he heard something on his blind side out on a hack. But gradually both me and him learned how to deal with it. His feed bowl is always away from the walls now. I let him know if something comes up on his blind side. He turns his whole body to have a look at odd things out on a hack if he feels he needs to. Me/the farrier/vet/other liveries always rest a hand on his shoulder and speak to him if they need to work near him, so he knows they are there. I keep a soft face flannel that I ring out and use to gently wipe his eye socket out. I had a superb face protector made for him by the award winning saddler Helen Reader (check out her website) so that he can travel without banging his face badly on the side bits of the trailer. You work round it and its fine. Last summer, he won me 1st place in our 1st ever walk and trot dressage competition with just 1 eye. He is the safest hack on the yard. He has some great horse buddies at the yard and is always used as the "nanny" to introduce new horses to the herd as he is so gentle and wise. And just yesterday, he was so full of spring and happiness and health (even at 22) that after my schooling session my friend popped him over a 2ft 8in jump! You'll be fine, just love him the same as you always have, don't let ANYONE pity him, and give him some time and help to safely adjust. Richard Maxwell has a 1-eyed pony (also called Sonny!) who he trains just the same as any other horse, except when lunging you will have to teach him to link your body language to voice commands on his seeing side, then just use the voice commands on his blind side. At the moment, my Sunny lunges beautifully on his seeing side but because he can't read my body language from his blind side, he just turns in and comes and rests his head on my shoulder! Cue for heart to melt! Give your sweet boy a hug from me and Sunny xxxxx

 

[Caroline1239]

Hi guys...

Im sure he will be ok.... This morning I went out to give him his danilon and antibiotic eyedrops.. the eye has really ruptured and is bulging outwards. I phoned the vet and he says it looks like the eye might need to come out. We might be going to langford to have it done - lord knows if he will load though...
Logically I understand that he will be ok,,,, but boy - he didnt deserve this.
Thank you all for your support.
hugs #
caroline

 

[Nats_uk]

Hi Caroline.

I bought my horse from a dealer and when I tracked down his old owners they advised he had partial vision in one eye. He was always a little more spooky when that eye was to the outside and I had noticed he had got worse. Vet came out yesterday (he is lame) and had a look at his eye - suspects he had uveitis and is blind in that eye. He has had it all his life and it does not appear to bother him pain wise.

He has gained points novice level BD, is currently competing BSJA, goes out hacking, loves hunting and I don't think it has held him back at all. I think once your boy gets used to it he will be fine. Keep fingers crossed for you.

 

[blackcob]

My horse is blind in one eye and she can still do everything I ask of her, it causes her no problems at all - jumping, hunting, dressage, the lot. Show judges have never noticed either! Once he's become used to it I am sure he will be just fine, they cope remarkably well. Fingers crossed for you both xx

 

[NAALA]

Hi
Sorry to hear what has happened to your ned. Hope this is a little help to you. We used to have a horse on our yard whom I hacked out regular for his very nervous novice owner, over a period of time this horse started being a little naughty out hacking with me, on one occasion he reversed in to some bushes and fell in a ditch. I could not work out what was going on as he had always been such a sweetie. I suggested we had his back, teeth etc looked at. Well we found out off the vet that he was infact going blind in one eye. Well once disagnosed and i understood the reasons for his changed behaviour things started to improve. I carried on taking him out and the owner continue riding him in the indoor school and field. He was jumped, he did a little dressage and he was hacked. He carried on like this with one eye until he was about 19 when he unfortunately developed lots of other problems incidentally not related to the blindness. He was then retired and he coped wonderfully living in a field. I think like humans they adjust, we have to do the same. i am sure when you get used to the idea things will work out ok. Good look if he has to have the eye removed.

 

[Theresa_F]

Firstly I am very sorry that your horse has lost an eye. However, it is not the end of their riding days.

Cairo has had one eye for years - lost to cancer. He just has an empty socket and finds it very useful for getting treats as people feel sorry for him. Often they don't realise he is one eyed until they really look.

Never bothers him and I have done SJ, XC, dressage, and local showing with him. He is not at all spooky to ride.

Only thing he prefers is that if out with a daft horse is it on the eye side where he can keep an eye on it. I have ridden after dark etc with no problems.

I do have to be careful with doors as obviously he is not aware if one swings closed on the blind side. He also needed his conventional saddle built up a little more on one side as they do turn slightly to compensate and build up a little more one side as a result. His western and treeless are fine though.

At a show, there were four other horses that were blind, though Cairo was the only one with the eye missing so we formed the "one eye" club for the day.

 

[grandmaweloveyou]

Caroline. A friend of mine bought a horse last autumn and within 2 weeks she had a terribly swollen eye. I insisted she get the vet but alas she waited a little longer perhaps than she should have done and to cut a long story short the eye was removed. However said horse is fine and works well and happy as larry. Do not fret yet, harder said I know and I would be mortified if it was my boy but you will both be fine and have a long and happy future together doing pretty much everything you want I am sure. Keep us posted please.

 

[Kenzo]

I used to have a pony with a blind eye, she coped fine when ridden, handled.

Just had to be careful when she was resting/dosing off that you didn't make her jump etc if approaching from the blind side.

Apart from that...not much difference to be honest.