How can I make / find an eye patch for my horse?

[Doormouse]

My horse has a cataract in one eye that apparently makes him 80% blind. The vets have said that it should only affect him when it is half light. However, when jumping he has very odd stops especially when the jumps are in shade or into the sun. For example he will jump a fence going away from home first time happily and then promptly stop when asked to jump it back the other way. He also bowls into a fence and then suddenly seems to change his mind, almost stops and then tries to climb over it which yesterday resulted in him getting stuck in a fence.

My feeling is that somehow that 20% vision isn't doing him any favours and I would like to cover the eye to see if it made any difference.

Just wondered if anyone had any brilliant ideas about making something to cover his eye whilst he is ridden.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

We have used eye shields with the dodgy eye blacked out for horses with eye issues. You can get them from most racing places but when used for longer periods of time they do start to rub.

 

[Sukistokes2]

What about an egg box cut to size attached with some of that bandage that sticks to itself.
Sorry that's all I can think of at this time of night.

At my sisters yard there is a one eyed horse that does BE 100

 

[Doormouse]

We have used eye shields with the dodgy eye blacked out for horses with eye issues. You can get them from most racing places but when used for longer periods of time they do start to rub.

That's interesting, thank you, I will have a look. It would only be temporary until I could see if it made a difference to him. I know you work in racing, is it something you come across a lot?

 

[ghostie]

Ride on fly mask like one of the Cashel ones. Cut out the net on the good side and add some extra material on the bad?

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

We have used it on horses with ulcers in their eyes and uveitis. The horse we used it on with partial blindness due to uveitis coped much better with complete lack of sight in the eye, jumped better, settled to his galloping better, was surprisingly much better with traffic so I guess he could focus on his good eye and forget about the dodgy one. He got it removed in the end and was much much happier.

 

[Lexi_]

I used to ride a horse who wore one. He was at a riding school so unfortunately I can't tell you where they got it from but it must have been properly made by a saddler - it was leather and attached to his browband and cheek piece with loops, then the patch part was more rigid and held its own shape.

 

[Beausmate]

http://shop.horserequisites.co.uk/e...ectPath=/Shops/13062006-11837/Products/S00492

Remove one and cover the other?

 

[Doormouse]

Those look like a great idea and a lot cheaper than eye shields for a trial, thank you. I was about to resort to using my bra!

 

[rara007]

We use blinkers with tape over them to the browband- I think you can get racehorse blinkers that would be easy to adapt.

 

[Maesfen]

I used to ride a horse who wore one. He was at a riding school so unfortunately I can't tell you where they got it from but it must have been properly made by a saddler - it was leather and attached to his browband and cheek piece with loops, then the patch part was more rigid and held its own shape.

That's what we had made for a mare that poked her eye out and it worked very well.

 

[Christmas Crumpet]

Those look like a great idea and a lot cheaper than eye shields for a trial, thank you. I was about to resort to using my bra!

Oh my god. I have just died. Please, please, please come for a ride at the weekend with him wearing your bra!!!!!!!

 

[Doormouse]

Well, I thought it was quite a cost effective idea.

Anyway, he doesn't need it when he is riding out!!!!! So sucks ..........................

 

[Christmas Crumpet]

But there are some logs and hunt jumps we can pop over on that ride so perhaps he might need his bra on?

 

[HeresHoping]

Just in case you do go for the bra option:

http://trinitygsd.typepad.com/trinitygsd/2009/11/black-eyes-and-brassieres.html

 

[littleshetland]

I worked in a riding school years ago, and one of the ponies there had to cover one eye - we used a bra cup. It worked brilliantly!

 

[Doormouse]

I am glad to know I'm not the only one who thought a bra cup might be a good idea!

Now slightly concerned about cup size though??!!!

 

[BlackRider]

if you want to buy a decent horse eye mask - i can recommend these:-

www.horsemask.com

I used to have one that I used when my horse had an attack of uveitis, they stay in place really well too.