Can my pony see properly??

pixiebee

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15 February 2006
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My 5 yr old project pony is very very nervous. he is stupidly headshy and panicks when something touches him without making a noise first. I have had him 2 months and he is improving with me significantly to the point I can pick up all 4 feet and managed to touch his ears yesterday (after a minor battle!!) I am in the process of breaking him in which he has taken well to and we are thinking of moving on to trot- HOWEVER someone mentioned to me that maybe he is nervous because he cant see properly? I thaught about it and started getting paranoid, here is a list of things that he does:

Flinches/jumps at sudden movement/touch
startles if you try to put the headcoller over his nose without stroking his face first
likes to walk behind you, refuses to walk next to you generally
better on his near side than off side
unsure through door/gaps/walks very slowly
jumps if someone approaches him without talking to him
has a little bluey p[atch in his offside eye
have tried putting my finger near his eye to see if he blinks and i can get right to his whiskers before he blinks

yet he canters round the field seemingly ok and sees his food bucket etc- could he have a sight problem? wondering if i should have the vet out though unlikely my insurance will cover as eye problems are a mine field.
 
have booked the vet to come out tomorrow. God knows what its going to cost me but atleast if he has his eyes checked and the vets saysd he is fine, then i know just to carry on desensitizing but if he cant see properly then thats a whole different kettle of fish!
 
Try covering one eye, then waving your hand slowly infront and on the side of the other then do the same for the opposite eye, if he flinches, blinks etc thats a good sign. Is there any sign of cloudyness/white to the pupil?
 
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