My boy is blind in one eye......

[Parkranger]

Some of you may have already guessed by my random 'one eyed horse' posts recently, but after a routine tear duct flushing, it turns out the boy is blind in one eye.

Explains so much - goes wonky into jumps, is very jumpy on his offside (can't see you), won't ride side by side on his blind side etc etc

So, we're trying to come to terms with it at the moment. I still love him to bits but I'm just glad that I jumped him beforehand as I think i'd be too chicken to start now......we dealt with the news by going to the woods and jumping over all the little xc jumps the kids have set up in there!

Supposed to do our first show today but after him freaking out in the wind yesterday (probably due to lack of hearing, so no hearing or sight!) and I just figured we should take baby steps now.

So, any stories on dealing with this would be great - I want to start using a Pessoa but wondering how responsive he'll be on his right rein if he can't see me!

And yes, he was 5 stage vetted, but that's another story, and not one for this forum.....

And advice much appreciated.......

 

[vicijp]

I used to ride a horse that was blind in one eye, was the best jumper I have ever sat on. You could notice no difference in him 99% of the time, he used to jump in blinkers to even up the vision.
Also, my Fieldmaster sometimes hunts a horse with one eye. Totally normal except if youre stood on the side she cant see, she will rub against you. I guess shes checking you are there!

 

[lizzie_liz]

Glad you know whats wrong with him.
There was a horse at Trailblazers SJ Finals who was missing an eye and someone i knew who had an eventer that was missing an eye and they coped quite well.

No personal experience so not much help but good luck with him

 

[LauraBR]

Oh Vic! Big hugs xxxx

I don't have any experience of blindness but I have read many happy stories in the past from owners who like Ty are blind in one eye.

I look forward to reading all the happy stories that flood through and wish you and Ty all the best... I'm sure you will enjoy each other just as much as you have been- perhaps more now you know about the problem- you can help him out x

 

[GTs]

As I said in a PM horses do remarkably well with one eye - many owners do not know the difference.

 

[Parkranger]

Thanks hun......bit of a shock I have to say. Unfortunately being a TB I think he's always going to be a bit more jumpy than other horses but atleast he still has his eye - it just doens't work!

x

 

[scrat]

Sorry to hear that. Our mare had an eye removed earler this year and she is coping well. Just let him know when you are approaching from the blind side. Make sure you open gates wide enough and stable doors as they can bump into them if it's the wrong side. Traffic out hacking should not be a problem if he was previously ok, apparently a horse cannot see a car until it has actually passed anyway. You may find his muscles will develop slightly different on one side but I only say that because since her eye has been removed our mare holds her head to one side slightly if she is trying to listen to somthing. I think most horses are spooky on windy days anyway. I'm sure you receive lots of positive messages from the forum as everyone seems to know somone with a one eyed horse which I have found very reassuring. Good luck.

 

[Parkranger]

You can say that again - I had him 6 weeks before I noticed! It's lovely to hear positive stories though x

 

[Christmas_Kate]

Oh hunny! Big hugs to you and Ty. xxx
I've had no experience of this, so can't offer much advice. I would be fuming at having a 5 stage vetting then finding out he's blind in one eye.

I can't imagine you should treat him much differently, just as people who have this happen, Ty will have learnt or will learn to cope. He will use his hearing and touch to elp him. If he still enjoys jumping then carry on, and trust in him, he'll look after himself. As you said though, when it's windy he might find it stressful too not be able to use that sense.

 

[brighteyes]

Live near some SJ'ers who have an ace horse with sight only in one eye. Know two who have lost sight late on and they adapted fine. A Pony Club pony regularly show jumps and it only has one eye - so mum must think it's safe enough to let child ride round fences!

 

[ruscara]

My youngest daughter learnt to ride and jump at a big equestrian centre locally, and one of the very best jumping ponies there had only one eye. She used to team chase, too, apparently. Great little pony - you would never have known.

 

[barkinghorse]

My friends horse lost his eye some years back, he still jumps and competes, they seem to adjust really well.
I am sorry to hear that though as i know you haven't had him long, but you will still love each other just the same if not more now.
Jo xx

 

[dieseldog]

That's a bit of a shock finding out he's blind. I'm a bit confused why he is deaf as well though?

We used to have a pony that was blind in one eye. You wouldn't have had a clue, apart from it was opaque, from the way he performed. One of the Best jumping ponies we ever had. Would win anything from 2ft to 3ft 9.

Heres a picture of Uno, Nick Guantletts horse, only one eye,

Thats Grade A.

If you are trying to make a claim because of the blindness be careful what you post on here about how well he is coping with it.

 

[tigers_eye]

I sold a horse that had been in my family for 6 years and when vetted it turned out he was blind in one eye. We'd never known and nothing had suggested it was a problem - he popped over 1m50 when being shown off. I've heard of lots of success stories of one-eyed horses, as long as the other one is alright I don't think they find it a problem. They judge distances differently to how we do so you can't compare how we see things.

 

[Sarah_Jane]

I forgotton the name of the horse but something succesfully completed Burghley a few years back that was blind in one eye.

Also chatting to someone at Tweseldown this year who's horse had lost an eye yet had adapted very well and was intermediate eventing.

Be aware of the site problem but don't let it become an excuse for not doing things you will both adapt and can achieve just as much.

 

[seabiscuit]

Wasnt that mad murdoch?

I too had a horse that evented very well with problems in both eyes, near blindness in one!

 

[cariadssogreat]

Just to say that I had a pony who was blind in one eye for 10 years - and she was the best ever in the world - 100% in all ways!!! Honestly

 

[JAK]

Sorry to hear this Vicstress.

Our SWUO is blind in one eye (or as good as!) & was very jumpy & very headshy when we first had her, particularly on her blind side but as she's got to know & trust us, she's improved enormously, so give it some time with your boy, who is still getting to know you!

When we first had her, it was obvious that she was much worse on one side than the other but it is far less obvious now, though she takes longer to 'learn' things on her blind side than on her 'good' side!

I think a lot of it is down to trust in whoever's riding/handling them, as when you see her galloping flat out in the field etc., you would never guess she was partially blind but when she is 'trapped' & 'vulnerable' on the end of a leadrope........!

 

[bertiewooster]

So sorry to hear this about Ty, because from your posts you clearly love hiim to bits. I hope you can take heart from the positive replies about how well other horses have coped. <<virtual hugs and all that>>

 

[horsegirl]

Oh I am sorry to har that although I am sure he will be fine, I have heard, and it has been confirmed with the above posts, that many horses manage perfectly well without the sight in 1 eye. Still I know how upset you must be, I know I would be if it was my boy! What was it that made you check?

Are you going to contact the vet who passed him? I think you would have a case against him without a doubt!

 

[Parkranger]

Thats exactly the problem that I'm having with him - he's so jumpy on that side!

I suppose perserverance and patience are the order of the day - just means that everything is going to take that much longer!

 

[Parkranger]

Thanks for the picture - I'm guessing that alot of these horses that do well were doing so before they went blind? I think that's the major difference.....training a horse that's already blind is surely going to be more difficult?

Oh well, mission on I guess! x

 

[Thistle]

O one eyed horse completed Burghley last year.

 

[Emma123]

My auntie's horse is blind in one eye and jumped 1m20 courses and xc'd absolutly fine, always jumped straight etc you wouldn't have known he was blind unless someone said, they soon adapt to it and at least you know the problem now. Good luck with Ty u'll both soon adapt

 

[dieseldog]

So has Ty been blind from Birth or has there been an accident? Our pony had what they called 'moon blindness' apparently treatable if caught early enough. But he was always blind from the day we bought him, so don't know how he coped to start with

 

[JessPickle]

We have a horse with one eye at our yard he is still brilliant, small kids can ride him perfectly, he does prefer to be led on the side with the eye (understandably) but he can still jump well and do most of the things he did before the eye was removed

 

[Clodagh]

He was 5 stage vetted.

sorry to hear that, Vicstress, but sounds like he (and you) are coping. At least you do know him fairly well before you found out, as you may still trust him OK?

 

[PapaFrita]

Oh, what a bummer!

Still, the replies so far appear very encouraging! who knows how long he's had this without anyone knowing? It seems he's coping very well.

 

[Parkranger]

I suppose I'll never know how long he's been blind and although it's really really encouraging to hear these great stories, I'm assuming that alot of these horses were competing etc before they went blind.

Ty does need complete reschooling which is going to be a challenge! He's learning to trust me now though slowly and hopefully we'll progress together.

JM, yes he was 5 stage vetted. x

 

[moocow]

don't mean to sound all sciencey but a lot if research has been done over here on the affects of blindness in one eye and basically what they have found is that their judgement of height isn't affected at all. It affects the horse seeing his take-off point (the horses were being loose lunged for these tests). Basically the same as humans - its judging distances. It affected geldings more than mares. So basically build up a good relationship with him so he trusts you and count your strides!

i used to ride a horse that was an ex welfare case and had been whipped in the eye and lost it. He was a star at cross country. You just have to see your stride and tell him what you want him to do.

He will be fine. Good luck!