Experiences of one eyed horses please......

[tinap]

Our old sec A lost her eye to a tumour. Tbh she was no different to ride, she still jumped, did gymkhana & pc with my 6yr old daughter.

We did start to tack up/handle etc on her off side as she was a little spooky with it being her left eye that she was blind in, but she quickly adapted xx

 

[Jesstickle]

Here is one of our little guys who had an eye removed. He's about to take a client on a fast hack in the woods

His 'good' side

and head on where you can just see he's lost one

Never seemed to bother him at all. For some reason I can't find a picture of our other one who had an eye removed to show you but as you can see, life definitely goes on

 

[Janesomerset]

The RDA centre I helped at had a mare with only one eye. Apart from the fact she would not go right up to the edge of the indoor arena when her blind side was towards the wall (she was fine going the other way round), there were no problems. She was a favourite with everyone.

 

[Janette]

My mare lost her eye in March because of cancer and adjusted really well. She did a dressage competition 8 weeks after and got the best marks she's ever had - 71% :O

She was more alert in the early days, but has adjusted well and now shows, dressages and hacks out - she still has her racehorse moments as well I had to teach her a cue word to tell when to trun round me on her blind side when doing gates and warn her about rugs etc. But that's the only thing I do differently with her now.

Her first show after the op.... this is her blind side.

Face on

 

[WHISKEY]

Thanks everyone for the positive replies I was against the idea - but now i am willing to reconsider after hearing all the stories. We go to hospital on Tuesday so wish us luck - the best outcome will be that they can operate.
will keep you posted as to what happens - once again many thanks for the feedback - please can anyone post a close up picture of the 'eye hole'?

 

[tinap]

Don't have a pic but my mares eye just shrivelled away so she was left with a sunken socket. My friends horse had hers removed & was fitted with a ball which was then stitched over so it just looked like a closed eye. It's very neat!!

 

[Jesstickle]

Sorry WHISKEY, I thought I did but I can't find one It was just a hollow with a very neat scar across it. Not gross at all.

 

[spottybotty]

TheresaF on here had a big Clydsdale that had one eye. She competed at local shows and dressage with him.

 

[Janette]

When the wound is new, the eye just looks closed, and the sutures look like eye lashes. Then the eyelids start to sink into the socket. This process started after about 2 weeks.

She did have the long lashes which are underneath the eye coming out of her socket at one point, where they had drawn the lower lid up, but these seem to have disappeared now.

The socket does collect dust and debris, mud being the current favourite! However, a small face brush deals with this, and babywipes get the dust out. Strangely, it's black. The grooming debris from the rest of her, being grey????
Don't be squeamish, it's not horrible, just a bit 'un-natural' at first. Your horse will need to get used to you touching there though.

It's not the end of the world.
Actually, for us, it was the start of a whole new world. The pain was gone and she was so relaxed, she listened, she didn't have so much of an attitude.

I booked my instructor to be there the first time I got back on her to make sure that we started the rehab correctly, to avoid crookedness etc. Also to hold my hand

 

[Goponygo]

Not particularly close up but this is her 'blind' side

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.4931374201.7918.693144201&type=3#!/photo.php?fbid=110693154201&set=a.4931374201.7918.693144201&type=3&theater

 

[Nosey]

I was just going to ask how to clear the 'hole'. Having only had our 1 eyed pony for a short time am a tad nervous about clearing it out. Has a bit of dust in there but I'm paranoid I cld hurt her!

 

[Sophstar]

I know 2 horses who have had an eye removed. One was at the riding school I used to work at, he had been blind for years before and then it started to cause him problems. He was in his mid twenties when he had it out and it didn't make one bit of difference for him, still flew round a jumping course and was still impeccably behaved for all the kids! Another horse was about 11 when he had it removed and he behaved no differently to when he had 2 eyes. Still jumped, hacked, etc etc. It's a little odd when they have the operation as it's though the empty socket is still blinking...minus the eye! Plus it becomes a favourite spot for storing mud

 

[alext]

This is a picture of when he first came back not massively clear though ! It's still slightly swollen so I think it's probably a week or two after surgery

And some recent ones though not that close
.

 

[Oldenburg]

I know a little pony who had his eye removed and at first if you walked up to him on the side with no eye he would jump but they just used to talk to him on approach he still had a fully active life jumping with his little jockey up to 2`9!! So I don't think he will change to much!!

 

[Carefreegirl]

Where I go to my instructor for lessons they have a pony whose eye was removed 4 weeks ago due to two tumours. He has a silicon 'eye' inserted so it just looks like his eye is shut and when he blinks the muscles still move so if you didn't know you wouldn't notice. He was very helpfully - not, charging round the field like a loon during my lesson last Friday bucking, squealing and farting like mad dodging the water trough and xc jumps.