In need of Help badly

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jovan

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Hi i haven't posted often.

I just purchased a PRE gelding from spain. I had him 5 stage vetted and he passed with a note on it stating he had a scar on his right eye and only limited his vision slightly. this was beginning of July.

I haven't been able to ride him due to the tack he came with not fitting and waiting for new tack to be made to fit him. then his teeth needed sorting and his back fromt he ill fitting tack and he lost lots of weight and we have had to put all that back on.

Well i have rid him 3 times in the school 2 for 10 minutes to bed the new saddle in and 1 was a 30 minute lesson.

His vaccines were due this month so as the yard owner had the vet coming out we shared the call out fee and i had his vaccines done. She looked at his eye.

THen told me he can'e see out of it, it lets light in but he can't see. Now i'm not after legal advice as my solictor has looked into it and I need to PRIVE they knew he was blind to sue.

I took him on a hack on the road today with someone fromt he yard walking with us to see if the hackign horse i purchased can still be a hacking horse.

He was lovely to ride until a car came up behind him and he spun around and stopped to watch it drive past. we then turned around and walked on when another car came but towards us so he stoped and turned into the road so he could see with his left eye. I tried to turn him and get him to keep walking so we weren't blocking the road when he got a little prancy.

I used some foresight and kept his halter and 12 ft long line on him. the 12 ft line i threw to the person walking with me and he had to lead us all the way back to the yard.

Will i ever be able to ride him as a hack or do i now have this HUGE pet i can' do what i wanted to do with?

i'm sat here in tears. he was my birthday present (which is in 10 days) and cost a small fortune.

in the school when there isn't anything around he seems ok. he doesn't like to stand still at all.

He has been with me 4 months do i just need to build more trust? I am only a Novice rider and completly self taught he was sold as a beginners horse.
 
I used to have a one eyed horse. In time, he learnt to do almost everything a normal horse could do. We to go hacking and pleasure rides, and he even used to do little jumps every so often (his choice not mine!) Obviously you have to be extra aware of his special little quirk, but there shouldn't be any reason for it to hold you back. Everything just has to be taken a little slower and more gently. As your bond increases and he trusts you more he will improve. For now though I would suggest hacking out only with another steady horse or someone on foot, to build his confidence until your relationship grows. Maybe also take him for walks in hand to help increase your bond and trust. Good luck, this news, although obviously not ideal, doesn't have to be the end of the world.
 
Don't panic. You need to work with him on this. I had a terrified of traffic boy and I actually taught him to stop and look at the traffic coming up behind him.

Start off in the school doing lots of neck flexions whilst you're riding so he can walk and put his head round almost to your knee then try to get him somewhere quiet and get a friend with a car to help by driving past. Start by asking him to stop and then look round so that he can see what's worrying him, when he's ok with that you can progress to keeping him walking whilst he turns his head right round to look. It may feel a bit odd but it will keep you both safe and travelling in the right direction and then you must really try to relax about it.

As you and he get to trust each other more, when you are hacking out he'll hear a car, think "Oh mum's not worried about it" and just carry on.

Best of luck, it will work out ok if you give it some time and understanding, honest! My little cob ended up an absolute star on the road except with really rattly trailers when you'd suddenly find his ears by your knee as he checked them out - cute rather than worrying though:D
 
Not much help, but just a thought, in Spain they drive on the other side of the road, so he would have been able to see to car with his peripheral vision.
Could just time for him to get used to it , have you tried him in hand in a controlled situation with cars on his blind side, is it the noise behind him that he can't see that's causing it, or is it that he's not used to cars at all, I imagine you would need to figure out which one it was to know which route to go down with managing this issue.
Is there anyone on the yard that could help you with this if you're not sure about it?
There are people on here that have a lot of knowledge about PRE horses and training them, I'll see if I can remember the user names, they may have some ideas.
 
Its sounds like he has done very little in the 4 months you have had him. I would up his work load and see if that makes a difference. He may just have excess energy and needs to do a bit more. If you dont want to ride him then try lunging him.

Some horses just need the work more than others. I know mine would be naughty if she wasnt in regular work, others you can bring in once a month for a hack and they are fine.

Sounds like all the checks have been done and so I would just crack on. Get a friend with a sensible horse to hack out with to give you both confidence.
 
**Hugs**

I would walk him out in hand a lot gain his trust if he hasn't seen traffic or heard for a while then it is bound to be worse for him as it would any horse. I would ask advice from your vet your YO and see. Lots of horses manage perfectly with 1 eye x
 
Did you actually import him? Did you try him out at all? It sounds like you bought him unseen and untried and sorry to state the obvious, but that was madness whether you are a professional or a novice rider as you state you are.

I would say that he is unlikely to hack - he clearly is unhappy about it now. Even if it is a newish injury and he may become accustomed to it, as a novice rider I would say a spooky one eye sighted horse and a novice is a recipe for disaster. Have you tried hacking in company? That may make a huge difference.

Frankly you need to sue - you haven't bought a novice rider's hack.
 
awww im so sorry for you but iv known a few people to have horses that has lost an eye and they say once they get use to it they are fine its so sad this has happend to him and also you i hope you find a way to get along with him with this and enjoy him
 
I too have known at least three one-eyed horses and most of the time you could hardly tell. If he's always been blind (and it's not degenerated recently) and you couldn't tell then it sounds like he maybe needs to build his confidence in you to not feel the need to spin round to look at everything that goes past.

All is not lost - any new horse/owner combination would benefit from a few months of bond-building to develop trust and go from there.
 
One eyed horses can do anything a normal horse can. Mine hunts, does ODE, cross country events, show jumping and dressage and is haccked daily. You just need to spend time buidling his trust so he trusts you. You cant expect a horse to be perfect the first time out hacking. No horse would be. Just be patient
 
Of course he will make a hack. I rode a one eyed horse, blind on the off side and he had no problem with cars comming from behind. He was well able to jump too. You just need to get him out. I always stop cars comming from behind when out on a young horse, I then turn around and walk past them and follow on behind.

I would think that he was blind when you got him and I would look for compensation. "note on it stating he had a scar on his right eye and only limited his vision slightly". Limited vision slightly means that he can see. So you have the proof on your vet cert. But its the vet that was wrong.
 
This drives me crazy! Firstly let me say that the eyesight issue is hardly relevant as many, many one-eyed or partially-sighted horses cope with little or no effect to their rideability, but WHO ON EARTH persueded you that a PRE horse was suitable for a novice rider? They are NOT cobs, not "sweet" little horses that you can do anything with and "learn together", they are serious, hot hot hot blooded, super sensitive horses that need experienced, educated handling. Plese! Get in touch with a trainer or instructor that is experienced with Spanish horses immediately or this could become yet another nightmare with everybody, you and the horse, losing out.
 
The one thing iv learnt with spanish horses they need to trust and i mean really trust you. Then they will go though fire for you my little one goes past things that most horses wouldnt. Like lorry full of pigs the other day didnt even look at them I havent got the same on the ground but working on it. All i say is trust trust and more trust dont give up. like other people have said hes also on the wrong side of the road which i had a problem with as he kept trying to go the other side
 
Firstly. Hes had next to no work over the last few months so is probibily feeling that life is a bit exciting at the moment ;)

I would fist off get lessons on him. Get to know eachother so you feel comfortable with him. Then try hacking again. Once he trusts you the sight thing won't matter.

I would also see if you could get an eye specialist to come and look at his eye? I wouldn't be happy with one prognosis saying he can see through it and the other saying he is more or less blind in it!
 
Thanks everyone thats made me feel Heaps better.

Ok i'm a novice rider in the saddle but not on the ground as for WHO told me to get a PRE I did. I have owned horses for a long time. Saying im a novice rider i've been riding for a long time. i can walk, trot, canter, gallop, jump. I will never say i'm more than a novice.

Trainers IMO are not worth their weight in gold i have seen way to many bad ones. I will never hirer a trainer.

the eye sight is my issue not his breed. I know what his breed is like. I didn't come here to be told i shouldn't own a PRE just becasue i'm a novice rider. I have ridden and handled PRES for around 2 to 3 years! Please remember you do not know me or my whole life story i gave enough info so i could deal with this now! I have never owned a partly blind horse or known one for that matter!

Yes i imported, and yes i saw him. I knew about the eye having the scare which is why i 5 stage vetted! He was a Treking horse out in spain. he had beginners to experienced riders on him and was used often. he went to the feastias (sp) He was a stallion until 2009. he has scars on his nose for the serettas they use (evil things they are)

He is a sweet horse and very gentle and loving on the ground. In the saddle when i rode him in the school he listens and tries hard.

He was fine hacking until we met two cars and he was still fine just turned to look at the cars and the second time becasue i had to turn him and it meant he couldn't see the car he got prancy.

He hasn't done pretty much any work in the 4 months because we haven't been able too. he is now starting to be bought back into work with lunging and under saddle as he now has anouth fat to protect his spine abit where before there was a lack of fat around it. its now time to build up the muscle and start working.

yes in spain they are on the other side of the road.

As for getting money out of them Near impossible. I need a spanish solictor to sue under spanish law and then i need a loop hole to find a way to sue its not as easy as if he was in the UK. Already spoken to and Equine Solitor and a contract solictor.

as he has only been with my 4 months i knoew the bond is only just starting and with all the work the poor lad has had in that 4 months he porbably is feeling over whelmed. Never having been rugged to being rugged, our Lovely british weather. his teeth, his feed to regain wiehgt and condition, his feet, his tack his back he was freezemarkedm worming, vaccines even grooming the way we do in the uK is different. And all i can say in spanihs is Walk on! so he is learning English as well!

the yard has woprks going on at the moment and they use quads to get to the far paddocks so he has things going past his paddock all the time. I may do as suggested and pout him in the school and have someone dfrive past the school like it would be on the road and start to "sack him out" with Cars :D

Thanks for all the good advice.

However the comment that i shouldn't own a PRE because i'm a novice rider. Remeber you dont know someone's whole story. I know someone that is fantastic with horses but can't ride! Runs a Yard full of training TB's for racing. Riding and handling are 2 very different things. My family use to breed Gypsy Vanners. i've only been riding 7 years. and 2 of them i had to have off after 2 major operations.
 
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Damnation said:
Firstly. Hes had next to no work over the last few months so is probibily feeling that life is a bit exciting at the moment ;)

I would fist off get lessons on him. Get to know eachother so you feel comfortable with him. Then try hacking again. Once he trusts you the sight thing won't matter.

I would also see if you could get an eye specialist to come and look at his eye? I wouldn't be happy with one prognosis saying he can see through it and the other saying he is more or less blind in it!
Click to expand...

Funny you should say that there is a specialist coming to my area next week fully booked HOWEVER i am going to get him to put me top of his list for his next visit. so might be after xmas.

Yes next to no work more like NO WORK! lol just some Natural horsemanship in the school and round pen.
 
I know he was a trekking horse in spain but did they actually ride him on the roads, our roads may be quite different to the kind of hacking he did?
just a thought but I know when I have ridden in spain we never went near a road and having spent a lot of time in Spain as my parents had a house there, dont remember EVER passing a horse on the roads :confused:
 
smiggy said:
I know he was a trekking horse in spain but did they actually ride him on the roads, our roads may be quite different to the kind of hacking he did?
just a thought but I know when I have ridden in spain we never went near a road and having spent a lot of time in Spain as my parents had a house there, dont remember EVER passing a horse on the roads :confused:
Click to expand...

he was on the beach most of the time. he did some road work he was used to the cars and trucks etc and he was at the fesitas. still can't spell that either! lol

Thats all i was told by them adn i have found a couple of people via FB that have used him also found his trainer! or one of them. well infact they all found me!
 
Hi there,

Sorry to hear your having a bit of trouble hacking, but there is light at the end of the tunnel!

His behaviour sounds very similar to my 4 year old mares when we started hacking 8 weeks ago, and she's not blind in any eye.

The way I got round it was to go out for hacks with a friend who's horse was very good in traffic. We would ride two abreast (where safe) and whenever a car came from behind, I would go in front so the good horse was behind. She would try and slow and turn to have a look at it but the good horse would basically nudge her up the bum to carry on! Obvoiusly this may not work with horses who kick etc, but it gave her the confidence she needed to keep going forwards.

Also, ground work really helps to build confidence. You don't need to have specific ground work sessions, just walking from the stable, field etc and asking 'walk on' mean't that when I'm in the saddle, its an extra aid to make her go forwards.

We went for our first hack on our own the other day and she was fab. So hang on in there, be patient, confident and firm and he WILL get there, one eye or two :)
 
I think that you are correct in thinking that you won't get any money from the previous owners :-( we have owned houses in Spain for ten years & getting money through the legal system seems almost impossible.
I don't think that you need to worry unduly about the loss of eyesight in one eye, although as mentioned, i would get another opinion. I believe that Izzy Taylor has a one eyed horse that does 3* eventing, i have certainly come across a few that still lead very normal lives including dressage, jumping & hunting.
I hope that he settles down & learns to enjoy hacking out. Good luck.
 
The one eyed horses I have known have done very well one hunts with us and lost his eye last year you just would not know.
You bought the horse with the eye problem mentioned on the vetting you don't say what the vets think caused the scar on his eye you need to investigate what caused his problem and what prognosis he has for the future.
I don't think you can say the the problem hacking was causes by the eye he has been out of work he is in a new environment you don't know that behaving like an idiot is not just what he does when he comes back into work.
My advice would get on with working him get him busy try hacking again with an companion on his offside.
I don't know much about Spanish horses but I do know that you need to get help straight away from someone who understands how he has been trained and what his management will have been like and how much work he is used to having. You need to get help now don't delay.
Good Luck
 
I nearly bought a one eyed horse and to be fair if he has not been out hacking much you need to get him use to the noises etc which he can do with repetition. Remember their are two eyed horses that behave in a worse way. Keep at it, get help and build it up slowly a bit at a time until he and you feel confident. If someone has to walk with you on the road like a beginner so be it. When I rode the one eyed horse I did feel it lent to one side out on open fields it was fine but the noise of cars did make it lean slightly but it was as someone else said a quirk.

Dont give up just yet. Do a bit of everything to keep the horse interested and spend plenty of time with him to get him to have utmost confidence & trust in you its leader! I dont think the horse sounds that bad especially if he has not been out much on the roads before.
 
MY mare first one had moon blindness over the years she lost sight totally in one eye and 80% in the other the only reason why she gained the 20% is because the cause when the retina detached it took the cataract with it.
I could still ride her and hack her out. she gained trust, her other senses improved to ride her you would not notice . she was amazing .:)
 
On the seeing the traffic thing think about a driving horse in blinkers they have only a small field of vision and traffic has never troubled any of mine you need to teach him what required as if he was a 4yo just starting. honestly the way you wrote it sound like much of an issue.
You say you are self taught but now may be the time for experienced help you.I have been doing horses for more than 40 years I if I bought a adult horse from spain changed his whole life stlye gave him a long rest I would not expect it all to be plain sailing . I suspect his life in spain may have been short rations and hard work , you need to give him time work him 6 days a week get him into a routine and get some help.
 
Don't panic............Build a bond with your horse. Let him know he can trust you. As at the moment. All he knows is, he is being taken out on the road and doesn't know if the rider will protect him from harms way.

Do ground work with him. Make it fun so he trusts you. Try and do lots of things with him under saddle but on the yard. Its a big step for him moving home. And may need to take it a step slower as he has one eye.

On another note. If you got another vet out to check him. I wonder if they would say the same??

Its like getting the AA out to check your car and getting RAC to check it. Would they say the same??
 
You have had some good advise but i would like to add my bit:)
Get a second vet to check out the eye, if he really has no vision it my be better to have the eye removed before he injures himself. Twigs and grit in a eye that can't see can make nasty infections etc.
On a happy note though, a long time ago i was a hacking leader and the main safe horse that i rode because you could take him anywhere and park him anywhere was a one eyed pony. He was brilliant and a safe as houses.:D
Build up your relationship and his eye sight should not be a problem:D
 
The scar on his eye is an inpact scar and he has had it since he was a foal.

Thats all i know on the scar.

I wouldn't want to get it remoevd as from what my vet has said it lets in light and he does have shapes. looking through a fogged up bathroom window was how she put it.

I think a 3rd option will be next after xmas when the Eye specialist is back in my area.

I have had loads of help and advice thank you all.

I think i need to sit down and work out a plan of action with him. what to do each day how long for etc so i have a plana nd dont get in a faffle!

I have a lot of experienced friends and there is a BHS instructor on the yard (well its her yard)
so I think talking to them adn getting some help from them is the next step as well.

Equines you will never stop learning with them!

Golden star I never thought about blinkers on driving horses. your so right if they can do it then so can He! :D

Right now to get the exercise books and schooling books out and working out where to start!

Thanks again guys x
 
My friend had a loan horse who was blind in one eye. He needed time to trust his rider but hacked out lovely, also flatwork and could pop small jumps!
 
I've known three people with one-eyed horses. They all coped absolutely fine. But I think you need a lot of time and patience at the beginning. You say you are a novice - have you got someonemore experienced to support both your horse - and you?
 
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