Freaky eyes

[SEL]

4 horses in the paddock by the car park and the only one whose eyes reflect back in the car lights is my mare. Tonight I tied a haynet up on the fence and it was like a zombie pair of eyes heading towards my torch. She brought the gelding with her but all I could see were two white eyes coming towards me. It's creepy!!!

What's even weirder is this horse is night blind so that reflection back isn't some kind of superior vision.

 

[asmp]

I've always worried there is something wrong with my horse as his eyes don't reflect light. (They have been checked by a vet and they're OK). I thought they should do so but perhaps I've been wrong all these years

 

[SEL]

Apparently cats and other animals with really good night vision are usually the ones that glow back at you. Not quite sure how that works with a horse whose night vision is non existent. Its odd and more than a little creepy!

 

[Regandal]

I thought horses had good night vision?

 

[Ali2]

All mine reflect back.

 

[ohmissbrittany]

Yes, they see at night just fine: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equine_vision

What they struggle with is a rapid change from light to dark or dark to light, as the eyes have adapted to open environments with sunrise/sunset.