Could he have bad sight in one eye?

[miskettie]

Enys (6yrs) has a few behavioural problems. Mainly kicking and biting - this can be anywhere, though worse in stable and when he is tied up. This seems against his nature.

Yesterday when I was out riding him we were going along a road and a car came to come past. It was a very quiet but he shot forward and was a little agitated. He is fine with traffic when it is coming towards him (a few mins later we had a huge lorry come past and he didn't batter an eyelid) but nervous of it coming up behind.

Also when riding alongside another horse he always likes to be on the nearside of the other horse (so my right hand is next to other riders left hand). If he is not on this side he dives his head around and then goes over to the other side.

I wondered maybe if this was because he liked the security of having a horse on a side where he couldn't see as well?

Taking that thought further a bit, he doesn't like being led from the wrong side and he is probably worse to be groomed on that side too (though only marginally).

He was 5* vetted when I got him and passed with flying colours - though was in a horsebox accident not long after and I can remember that he had his eye pressed against the side when he was stuck (unforunately I can't remember which eye it was.)

So what do you think? Do you think maybe his sight isn't that great on his offside and maybe this is why he is a little vicious - as sometimes I may suprise him?

Is there any way of testing, other than getting a vet to check? Or anything else I should look out for to see?

 

[Nollaig Shona]

Sounds like he might have, you'll have to get the vet to check his eyes, unless you have an opthalmoscope of your own

 

[Chloe-V]

Very possibly. Do get your vet to check his eyes for obvious damage firstly but you may find they appear to be perfectly normal. However -
My daughters horse was in an accident a few years ago and sustained a severe head injury with a fractured skull. It all healed up well and her eyes looked normal on a vets examination.
BUT, she developed similar issues to yours when out riding and in the field with others coming up behind her and taking her by surprise. She did her best to keep other horses away from her in the field as she felt unsafe when they ran around etc. Further investigations at a University Veterinary Hospital concluded that although her actual eye was fine when she had swelling from the head injury it must have squashed the optic nerve between the eye and the brain and it never fully recovered, leaving areas where the signal couldn't get through.
Although she wasn't fully blind she did have impaired vision with 'blind spots'. Being aware of her limitations and managing her by taking her with another horse etc she was perfectly rideable but she did loose her confidence.
Get your vet out and also watch your horse and how he behaves in his field etc with other situations when you're not with him. See if he's any different in his 'own time' to how he used to act, that should tell you if it's veterinary problem or purely a behavioural issue.

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

Some of what you describe could simply be how the horse is used to being handled but I agree, could also be indicative of an eyesight problem. You can do a very basic test yourself that might give you are more clear idea of whether to call the vet. Stand the side that you think is the problem side. Hold the horse quietly by the headcollar. Then bring your other hand up swiftly, as if you are going to punch her right in the eye, but obviously don't. Stop half an inch short. You should see a "startle" reaction, ie head thrown up and away from you. Do it the other side to compare. It's nowhere near 100% accurate because some horses that are blind in one eye or on one side (my horse has had to have one eye removed) tune their other senses in to help and may then react just to the changes in air pressure when your hand comes up fast, rather than actually seeing your hand. But if she doesn't startle on her bad side, it could give you an idea. Another test you can do is to set up your arena with some unusual items eg open umbrella, bag of feed etc etc. Walk your horse around first with her suspect eye to the objects, then the other rein. Again, you should see more of a spook on her "good" side. If you've got any doubts at all, I'd say get the vet out for confirmation. There may be nothing that can be done but at least you would know what you're dealing with and how to keep you and your horse safe if she is blind or partially sighted in 1 eye.

 

[miskettie]

Thank you all - that is really helpful. Will try the test tomorrow.

I think he definetly has sight in the eye, just wondered whether it was not as clear as the other eye.

Next time I have a vet come, i'll ask them to have a look as well. Thanks everyone

 

[Birker2020]

I went down this avenue with my horse who was extremely spooky. The vet said he had an extra layer of cells on his epitheral layer (the layer of cells over the cornea) and could make him more spooky but most unlikely he said.

Someone on the forum suggest speaking to Derek Knottenbelt at Liverpool, so I emailed him and ask if I could refer my horse. However he emailed me back less than half an hour later to say that I would have to get a vet out to look, find the problem and then refer to him, but he would be more than happy to have a look at my horse. I was staggered at his prompt and helpful response and got the vet out the next day.

She had a good look in his eyes. I had to stand him in the feed room as it was the only stable with a top door for it to be really dark! Then she had a really good look in his eyes but couldn't find a problem.

So it turned out I just had a spooky horse! He's been on magnesium 99.9% grade for about the last two months and he also smells some lavender oil squirted on my hand before I ride and the difference in him is amazing.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

I would get the vet to check first thing.

Delaying could make the problem worst if there is one. Lots of deseases affect the eye(s)

 

[Birker2020]

BOF is the 'Queen of eyes' so I'd definitely do as she suggested but another idea to check that the retina (light catching area of the eye processing images to our brain) is healthy.

One idea to check that the retina is disease free and functioning properly is that you hold a lit flame (a lighter is your best bet and careful in the stable yard!) against your horses eye. You should see three images as the light rebounds off the retina, one is an image of a flame on its side, one upside down and one the correct way as it actually is. If you try it you will see what I mean, look carefully at the eye, you can't miss it. Using a torchlight doesn't give the same effect by the way.

It is unlikely that your horse will have a problem with his eyesight, but until you can actually rule that out by way of the vet its hard to know what's happening.

Some horses are just more spooky than others, and some need very firm and positive riding, and some will never have any real confidence in their riders, and the 'flight' response will take over no matter how hard you work with them and how you try to convince them otherwise. This I believe is my horse to a tee. But it makes him who he is, and to be honest although I find him incredibly frustrating at times, almost to point where I am in tears of anger and frustration I wouldn't swap him for the world.