Cataracts on horses

[rdavies]

Has anyone else here got a horse or pony with cataracts. It is for no particular reason other than interest.

I bought a horse 2 years ago who has a cataract in one eye. I had already been riding him for 2 years prior to buying him and the vet picked it up straight away but I'd never noticed even riding him.

The girl I bought him off took him Newmarket Health Trust to get a better idea of the cataract and they basically said he was fine, it may get larger, it may not, they don't know how much sight he has got but that their other senses will adjust to compensate which does seem to be the case.
Apparently they only operate on foals in this country as they don't have the technology for horses. In Germany it is a routing thing to operate on them.

My vet said to see when coming towards a fence a horse with a cataract will slightly turn its head to get a better view of the jump.
I've never had any issues with it and to be honest the little monster is a jumping machine bizarrely and has proved himself in all 3 spheres. Just interested as the vet who did vet him said he would only be good for hacking and I've managed to do everything with him with no problem at all. Just wondered how any other peeps have found horses with cataracts to ride or if theres been any significant degradation over time of the horses sight

 

[FestiveBoomBoom]

I've never owned one with a cataract but when I was looking to buy I did try a horse that had quite a severe one. Although they didn't actually tell me that until I got there! Anyway she was actually a really nice ride and jumped well but did throw a massive spook when I hacked her out and a car came round a sharp corner that she didn't see until the last second.

I have to say it wouldn't bother me if I already owned a horse that went on to develop them and if it didn't stop them from doing anything then great! But I wouldn't buy a horse knowing they had one

 

[Quartz]

My horse has got a cataract, it doesn't seem to cause any problems. Maybe out on a hack when we pass something on the side of his cataract he will turn his head to look with his good eye. And occassionally cantering a circle on his left (side of cataract) he over bends with his head. Put this down to cataract but could be me. There is a video of us jumping today on the forum if you watch he doesn't seem favour one side to the other.

 

[armywag]

I used to have a horse with a cataract, it made her canter a little weird and she was more spooky at things on that side but we never had any real problems - she was a good jumper! It does help to know that they have it so that you can understand why they are doing certain things – I didn’t know she had it until after I brought her.

In fact I am trying to find my old horse and she has been sold on from the person I handed her to so I will post here details on this post!




LOOKING FOR RUBY – CHESTNUT MARE!

I passed my Chestnut mare Ruby on to a friend about 6 years ago and she then sold her to someone else.

I would love to know where she is and how she is doing.

I had her in the Surrey Area and my friend then moved her to Middlesex and sold her on about a year later.

She has *prophets thumb mark* on her neck

She has a white stripe down her nose and is blind (has a cataract) in one eye therefore has an unusual canter and is quite spooky.

She will be about 17/18 years old now.
15.2 HH
Cataract in off side eye

Freeze Mark on nearside saddle area, can’t remember the number off the top of my head but will try and find it.

Had a breathing problem, but believe this has now been cured.
Few small sarcoids on the inside of her back legs.

Off side hind had a small band of white around it just above the coronary band. Other 3 legs had no markings

She pulls faces when you tack her up and put on her rugs but is not nasty!

Any Help Appreciated – really want to find her to see how she is.

Please PM me your email address if you would like to see a photo of her.

Many Thanks

 

[bethyboox]

Hi, my 18 yo mare developed a small cataract about a year ago, it hasn't changed in size since then, she has always been very spooky and I haven't noticed any change in that since the cataract appeared!