foal blind in one eye

[twinklestar]

my 4 month old foal is blind in one eye due to kick from mum when he was 3 weeks old. it does not seem to bother him now but will it effect him when i want to ride him he was bred for showjumping will he still be able to do that?

 

[RuthnMeg]

Horses are very clever, iam sure he will cope just fine.

 

[levantosh]

I know of a couple of national hunt horses that are blind in one eye or has had the eye removed and have won races so hopefully if your horse is brave enough he will still jump for you, all the best.

 

[Faithkat]

I've got a yearling who had an eye infection at a day old and has been blind in that eye ever since. He was given to me by his breeder as she didn't want him ending up as meat. He is a lovely pony and doesn't seem to know he's blind on that side (fortunately the left eye so riding out on the road will be ok). When I started leading him I did find I had to lead from the right side as he couldn't see me to walk on with him. Now he's fine. Having looked around and done a bit of research, it's amazing how many one-eyed/blind in one eye horses there are about. There's a serious eventer that's blind in one eye (someone out there can probably enlighten as to name) and eons ago Pat Smythe had a jumping pony that was kicked in the eye when it was something like 12 years old and apparently jumped better afterwards!

 

[twinklestar]

thanks guy feel so much better already
xxxx

 

[Puzzled]

I have a friend who has a grade A who is blind in one eye after an accident as a yearling. I also know of a JA pony who carried on competing successfully at this level after losing his eye in accident. A friend also had a successful point to pointer. Don't worry it's amazing how they learn to cope!!

 

[DuckToller]

My friend bought a pony that she didn't realise was blind in one eye. He coped brilliantly,so much so that we often forgot he was partially sighted and did things that with hindsight we should have avoided. So...

...I'd advise being a bit more considerate and think things through when you start to train him. Some of the mistakes we made were trying to load into a trailer in a hurry - he needed time to see the ramp so we used to load him with a loose lead rein and let him turn his head slightly to see it first.

And in jump-offs, there were some turns we just couldn't ask him to do, obviously, like sharp right turns to a fence (it was his right eye!) as he didn't have a chance to see the fence until he was practically sitting on it. He jumped better in good light - we stayed late to an outdoor show and he lost confidence in the dusk, unsurprisingly, but he jumped as well indoors as out, it was the lack of light that he didn't like.

I would suggest when you start grid work, don't use v shape poles or introduce skinny fences too soon - this pony trusted his rider, but if she got something wrong it took a bit longer to gain his trust back. He also hated being led from the left as we were effectively blocking his good eye, so we led from the right and always talked to him if we approached on his blind side - I'm sure you have already worked out things like that though

 

[rascal]

Our horse has been blind in one eye for several years but its no problem for him, you just have to remember as Llewelyn said to approach jumps on his good side (although at 26 he no longer jumps!) and let him have a good look. Our horse is nearly blind both sides now and weve just moved yards! Our vet said "you will never do it" the horse said you just watch me!! He has settled very well even though there are three large trees in the field. He still hacks out although only with my youngest daughter who he trusts. He got second in a ridden veteran class last year, the judge was amazed when she was told he was almost blind. I think horses are far more adaptable than us humans give them credit for.
Redwings also have a totally blind horse they moved and he copes really well. We saw him in the summer.

 

[twinklestar]

god horses are so amazin i was so upset and worried wen i was told he would never get his sight bac but your posts have helped so much his blind in his left eye and does not mind which side you lead him from his been in a trailer and that does not seem to worry him which is good. it nice to hear that you have done showin as well because i would love to show him as a youngster but wonder if i would be marked down for it xxx

 

[joy]

Oxo came second in the Grand National and only had one eye, lots of one eyed ponies jumping and don't the Whitakers have a one eyed horse?

 

[kerilli]

there have been a few 4-star eventers who only had 1 eye.
1 of mine went blind in 1 eye due to a cataract in her teens, and the vet told me that if she'd been blind it in from birth/a young age it would have been far safer for me, because she'd be so used to it... it was the loss of vision when mature that was more of a problem.
btw, there's a dr horse in the U.S. who is totally blind, and the owner hacks and competes him successfully, so i'm sure your lad will be fine.

 

[potashponies]

I had a pony that had 1 eye. he was wonderful and did everything pony club, showjumping, hunting, hacking.

He live to the grand old age of 32 and his eyesight had nothing to do with his death. It is not a problem at all just have to do tack up etc on his good side.