Congenital stationary night blindness

[claracanter]

Does anyone own a horse with this and how do you manage if indeed it needs managing? Can the horse live out 24/7 ?

 

[[153312]]

I do, and she does live out 24/7 much of the year.
Not much management is needed really, just common sense. Talk to them so they know where you are if you have to handle them after dark, give them longer to adjust from light/dark, have sensible field companions and safe, well maintained fencing (sturdy post and rail and/or electric fencing which audibly clicks). High denier rugs are good because if they do walk into anything, they rustle the rug rather than rip themselves, and do check fields for holes. Black/dark fly masks will also blind them so use white or none at all.
Also, it affects some horses less than others: those less affected can see pale/light colours so white fencing/obstacles are safer for them to navigate.
Hope this helps.

 

[claracanter]

I do, and she does live out 24/7 much of the year.
Not much management is needed really, just common sense. Talk to them so they know where you are if you have to handle them after dark, give them longer to adjust from light/dark, have sensible field companions and safe, well maintained fencing (sturdy post and rail and/or electric fencing which audibly clicks). High denier rugs are good because if they do walk into anything, they rustle the rug rather than rip themselves, and do check fields for holes. Black/dark fly masks will also blind them so use white or none at all.
Also, it affects some horses less than others: those less affected can see pale/light colours so white fencing/obstacles are safer for them to navigate.
Hope this helps.

Thank you. Just found out I have a youngster with it and your reply has really helped me understand the condition

 

[SEL]

My snowcap Appy has it. Lives out 24:7 on a track so knows her way round in the dark. I use white tape and don't change any boundaries unless she has time to assess and remember them in the daylight.

She lost her long term companion last year who I knew acted as her eyes after dark so I was worried but she's been ok.

If I handle her in the dark then I talk to her so she knows where I am. She'll follow a torch if you shine it on the ground.

You might find in bright sunlight that they get spooky around shadows - I think they must see them as deep black. Mine also has the slightly misshapen eyes that can come with it (there is a medical name) so I'm not entirely convinced her daylight vision is the same as other horses.

At least you know OP. I had no idea until the clocks changed the first year I had her. She was a bolshy 5yo who usually towed me to her field but I led her down to it in the dark and she didn't know where to put her feet. Her nose was in my armpit and she jumped when her jet black field companion came over. Very odd and I suddenly realised that she couldn't see. Went home and googled and obviously a snowcap was a definite although I did test just to confirm.

 

[claracanter]

My snowcap Appy has it. Lives out 24:7 on a track so knows her way round in the dark. I use white tape and don't change any boundaries unless she has time to assess and remember them in the daylight.

She lost her long term companion last year who I knew acted as her eyes after dark so I was worried but she's been ok.

If I handle her in the dark then I talk to her so she knows where I am. She'll follow a torch if you shine it on the ground.

You might find in bright sunlight that they get spooky around shadows - I think they must see them as deep black. Mine also has the slightly misshapen eyes that can come with it (there is a medical name) so I'm not entirely convinced her daylight vision is the same as other horses.

At least you know OP. I had no idea until the clocks changed the first year I had her. She was a bolshy 5yo who usually towed me to her field but I led her down to it in the dark and she didn't know where to put her feet. Her nose was in my armpit and she jumped when her jet black field companion came over. Very odd and I suddenly realised that she couldn't see. Went home and googled and obviously a snowcap was a definite although I did test just to confirm.

Thanks for your reply. I have just bought a snow cap knabstrupper

 

[santas_spotty_pony]

My snowcap Appy has it. Lives out 24:7 on a track so knows her way round in the dark. I use white tape and don't change any boundaries unless she has time to assess and remember them in the daylight.

She lost her long term companion last year who I knew acted as her eyes after dark so I was worried but she's been ok.

If I handle her in the dark then I talk to her so she knows where I am. She'll follow a torch if you shine it on the ground.

You might find in bright sunlight that they get spooky around shadows - I think they must see them as deep black. Mine also has the slightly misshapen eyes that can come with it (there is a medical name) so I'm not entirely convinced her daylight vision is the same as other horses.

At least you know OP. I had no idea until the clocks changed the first year I had her. She was a bolshy 5yo who usually towed me to her field but I led her down to it in the dark and she didn't know where to put her feet. Her nose was in my armpit and she jumped when her jet black field companion came over. Very odd and I suddenly realised that she couldn't see. Went home and googled and obviously a snowcap was a definite although I did test just to confirm.

Interesting read. What is the eye shape that goes with it?

 

[[153312]]

Nystagmus, abnormal eye movements, and strabismus, abnormal eye rotation. But these aren't always present and when they are, tend to suggest an animal more severely affected.

 

[[153312]]

https://www.appaloosaproject.co/articles/free-articles/9-night-blindness-in-the-appaloosa-csnb.html

useful reading

 

[Errin Paddywack]

I have had a couple of few spot appaloosas with it. One I always gave a white bucket to if feeding in the dark. A friend had a chestnut with white splashes on her hindquarters who was night blind. Unusual as not much white. Just had to make allowances for them in the dark or very poor light.

 

[SEL]

Nystagmus, abnormal eye movements, and strabismus, abnormal eye rotation. But these aren't always present and when they are, tend to suggest an animal more severely affected.

It's the eye rotation one she has. She rolls her eyes and I've had loads of people comment on it over the years - you can be standing facing her and her eyes will be looking skyward. Its not as bad as some I saw in text books but it isn't very common thankfully.

She has developed an incredible sense of smell (can find a feed bucket in pitch black) and sense of where her boundaries are. I had fireworks go off one Dec evening and the horses bolted through the fence into a field of machinery. She stuck right on her companion's bottom and once they'd calmed down I had to put them into a different secure field. She'd been in it months before and sniffed the boundaries obviously working out where she was even in the dark.

I was upset when I found out about mine OP but tbh I don't give it a second thought these days - unless someone new will be handling her or it's flipping fireworks night.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

It's the eye rotation one she has. She rolls her eyes and I've had loads of people comment on it over the years - you can be standing facing her and her eyes will be looking skyward. Its not as bad as some I saw in text books but it isn't very common thankfully.

I think that is what my friend's mare had. She used to look skyward and was the only horse that used to notice balloons.

 

[[153312]]

I think that is what my friend's mare had. She used to look skyward and was the only horse that used to notice balloons.

Spotty?

 

[Errin Paddywack]

Spotty?

Yes, chestnut with white frosting. Both parents appaloosa.

 

[SEL]

I think that is what my friend's mare had. She used to look skyward and was the only horse that used to notice balloons.

Yup! She will sometimes plant, her head goes up and her eyes roll and I think she's getting her bearings.

A very spooky hack and I often wondered what she actually saw. Nothing physically wrong with her eyes but I think if she'd been human she'd have had correction specs on!

 

[claracanter]

I was upset when I found out about mine OP but tbh I don't give it a second thought these days - unless someone new will be handling her or it's flipping fireworks night.

I was upset too when I found out about it yesterday. Thanks to the reassurance from you and the other posters, I feel a lot better. Would I have bought him if I’d known about it first, probably! At least I can manage him accordingly.

 

[SEL]

I was upset too when I found out about it yesterday. Thanks to the reassurance from you and the other posters, I feel a lot better. Would I have bought him if I’d known about it first, probably! At least I can manage him accordingly.

How did you find out?

I honestly don't think much about it now. If I need to lead her after dark then I shine a bright torch on the ground and she sticks her head down and follows it. I see people on here talking about riding in the dark and I can't see me doing that though!!

 

[Btomkins]

My snowcap has it. Has never bothered him - he’s the most chill, least spooky boy ever. He’s very aware of his surroundings at night and I guess uses his other senses more.

The only problem we’ve ever had is jumping in low/bright light with lots of shadows - he does struggle to see the jumps a bit more then and I avoid it.

 

[myheartinahoofbeat]

My snowcap has it. Has never bothered him - he’s the most chill, least spooky boy ever. He’s very aware of his surroundings at night and I guess uses his other senses more.

The only problem we’ve ever had is jumping in low/bright light with lots of shadows - he does struggle to see the jumps a bit more then and I avoid it.

My boys just a baby now but I guess when we eventually get out eventing in several years time , I don't want to be last to go cross country when the lights fading
.

 

[myheartinahoofbeat]

How did you find out?

I honestly don't think much about it now. If I need to lead her after dark then I shine a bright torch on the ground and she sticks her head down and follows it. I see people on here talking about riding in the dark and I can't see me doing that though!!

breeder told me when we were discussing management of the little one