horses going blind... what to do?

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ickelshadow

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hi

a very dear friend of mine and her lovely 30 tb gelding have a bit of a dilemma. we think he is going blind, and if he isn't, he's certainly losing partial sight. he's just very jumpy and doesn't seem to see things until they are up close. it actually very very sad to see as he is just so lovely and still full of beans, but my friend is unsure about his future.

she's had him 14 years and is certainly not ready to let go. but its been plaguing her mind and i am uncertain of what advice to give. i always say give them a chance, can they adapt, see if they are happy etc. but is it fairer to pts if they do go blind?

does anyone have experiences of blind horses? i've only ever known horses with just one eye as limited vision, not total blindness.

as i say, we're not certain. the vet will be coming out in the next month for annual jabs and he will take a look then, so just some thoughts really please people
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if he IS going blind and its something which he cant cope with (and being jumpy would suggest he cant) i would probably look towards having him p.t.s.
obviously the only person who can tell you for sure is the vet, but if it was a definate yes then that would be my course of action.
horses are prey animals, so depend on sight along with hearing to detect potential threats. now imagine not being able to see those potential threats, its no wonder he is jumpy!
predatory animals tend to do better in captivity (dogs, cats etc) purely because they are not always on high alert for that next expected ambush.
i know there is the odd one or two who cope admirably but these tend to be animals that have lost sight very early on in life and have simply known no different, and therefore compensated for the loss, but if this boy has had sight for 30 years, to then lose it....you can see why he would be so edgy.
 
There used to be a horse where I now keep mine who had lost one eye completely, and was going/went blind in the other.

He was happy enough wandering round the fields, though he didnt like to come in at all. He had been at the same place for 30 years (he was 35), so he knew every lump and bump in the field.

He was eventually put down as he was experiencing some pain in his remaining eye.....it kept weeping and swelling.....

Up until that point, he seemed happy, and enjoyed his food!
 
Have the vet check him, if hes near blind then put him down, hes clearly not coping well and should not be made to stress and suffer
 
sorry but why are they waiting a month to get a vet out? what if it's something serious like a tumour pressing on his optic nerve for example?
if my horse seemed to be going blind i wouldn't be waiting.
 
[ QUOTE ]
sorry but why are they waiting a month to get a vet out? what if it's something serious like a tumour pressing on his optic nerve for example?
if my horse seemed to be going blind i wouldn't be waiting.

[/ QUOTE ]

well said!
 
I think the vet needs to come out asap, can the vaccinations be done slightly earlier so to save on 2 call outs???!?! the poor fella needs to be looked at and a decision made about his future!! I cant think of anything worse than being unable to see yet still hear and smell everything with no explanation!!
 
i agree with the majority of you that the vet should be coming out earlier - however its not my horse and i can only advise my friend, hence posting this message. so at least i have some swing behind my arguments now.

we don't think he's blind yet, but there are some things that makes him unsure. this combined with a recent change of yard has probably made him less secure than before.

very interesting to hear everyone's views. i think i've only heard of blind horses who live out in the same field all year round with a best friend who acts as their eyes.
 
you may wish to tell your friend that she has a legal duty of care to her horse. if he needs a vet he should get a vet, asap not when the purse strings dictate!
i can appreciate how frustrating this must be for you as its your friend, but at times honesty really is the best policy.
 
believe me when she has his best health at heart. he's had plenty happen to him in the past when she could have made the decision to pts but gave him the chance and he won through. she's not heartless and its not based on purse strings. she does adore her horse and is doing the best for him.

i'm after opinions for the horse, not the perspective of how you see the owner. sorry if this comes across a bit snappy, i care dearly for the both of them and having lost my girl recently makes me wants to give everyone the best chance of health and happiness.
 
I would be calling the vet out asap not waiting I'm afraid.

I know it may sound totally heartless (and I'm not) but if the horse is going blind and they have it pts surely its better to do it sooner rather than later due to the distress the horse must be feeling
 
I think you should get the vet out ASAP!!

We have a horse on our yard who has lost one eye and is blind in his remaining eye but seems to be one very happy horse. He wonders round his field munching on the grass knows each part of his field where the gate is where his water is where he can get shelter. He also enjoys coming into his stable and having a good old fuss!

But as you said if this horse is jumpy about things and being less secure then it may be better for him to be p.t.s it would be kinder for the horse.

Like the horse on my yard if it was mine then I would consider p.t.s but yet again he seems to enjoy being out and coming in and having a fuss and brush and cuddle, he is not nervy or jumpy just like a normal horse he looks at you although he cant see you (bless him).

Best thing is to get the vet out ASAP and see what they say.
 
Our old Appy x has no sight in one eye and very limited in the other and he has always been a jumpy sort BUT he has adapted. He hacks out along the main road and today he got second in the veteran class at the show just down the road from our yard. He lives out and doesnt come in as he tends to bump into the stable walls but he knows his way around our fields and seems quite happy. At first being such a jumpy horse anyway we really didnt think he would adapt and he did go through avery jumpy stage but now is a happy horse, he just needed time to get used to new ways of doing things. You do have to remember to talk to him so he knows where you are then he doesnt jump when you touch him.
I would get the vet sooner rather than later though, funny things eyes, ggod luck!
 
thanks for everyone's advise, positive and negative. its nice to hear that some horses do adapt, but i thoroughly expect that this is the exception and certainly not the rule.

i think i could be having a very interesting conversation with my friend
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My horse suddenly developed a quite pronounced startle reflex and became quite jumpy. I had owned him for 20 years so it was out of character. The vet checked him out and found he was developing cataracts. I was very worried about him but he was just going through a period of adjustment and once I knew about the cataracts I could avoid certain situations - where he could be dazzled by sunlight or confused by flickering light (cantering along a path with dappled sunshine for instance). He is now 27 and has adjusted very well with just the very occasional startle (prob. no more than any other horse). In fact i have more problems with his selected deafness now!

I wish your horse well. I have known a horse that went blind in old age and lived very happily with a pony friend (known as Eyes)
 
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